Ollie Arblaster and Kieffer Moore react to Gus Hamer's Sheffield United promotion message | OneFootball

Gus Hamer has spoken on Sheffield United's promotion bid after being crowned as the Championship's Player of the Season

Gus Hamer has issued a punchy message on Sheffield United’s promotion ambitions after being crowned as the Championship’s Player of the Season for the 2024/25 campaign at the EFL awards on Sunday evening, which went down rather well back at Bramall Lane.

Hamer’s victory has prompted discourse and backlash online, albeit not from those of a Blades persuasion. Both James Trafford of Burnley, who has kept an astonishing 29 clean sheets this season, and Leeds United winger Dan James were also nominated for the Championship’s premiere individual prize, but it was ultimately clinched by Hamer.

Whether or not the ex-Coventry City star was deserving of the second-tier’s Player of the Season award is up for debate, of course, although there is little contest to the overall influence he has exerted under Chris Wilder this term.

Having arrived from the Sky Blues in the summer of 2023, Hamer impressed in an otherwise-dismal Premier League campaign in the Steel City last time out and has only gone up a level back in the Championship.

The 27-year-old has registered nine goals and seven assists from 40 appearances, often instilling a sense of X-Factor and ingenuity to the Blades’ attack.

His performances have been, consistently, of the highest order, and he is now desperate to help his side back to the Premier League after they missed out on automatic promotion behind Leeds and Burnley amid four defeats from just six matches in a late collapse throughout April.

Ollie Arblaster and Kieffer Moore react to Gus Hamer’s Sheffield United promotion message

On Tuesday evening, Hamer took to social media to express gratitude for winning the award and issued a message addressing Sheffield United’s promotion bid, too.

He wrote, via his official Instagram account: “Unbelievable to win Championship Player of the Season ❤️ Thanks everyone that helped this season, amazing feeling 🔝

“Let’s all push together for promotion, it’s not over yet 🫡”

Hamer’s message has been well-received by supporters and both current and former teammates alike.

A number of Blades players have lapped up the message, commenting to voice support and appreciation of Hamer.

The likes of Tyrese Campbell, Vini Souza, Harrison Burrows and Tom Cannon have all got involved, while young midfielder Ollie Arblaster, who was an integral part of Wilder’s squad at the start of the campaign before suffering a season-ending ACL injury back in November, simply commented: “❤️❤️❤️”

A similar comment has been posted by Kieffer Moore, too.

The experienced former Cardiff City and Bournemouth striker, who has scored five goals from 27 Championship appearances in 24/25, kept it simple by commenting: “👊🔥🔥”

Former teammates of Hamer’s at Coventry in Milan van Ewijk and Kasey Palmer, now of Hull City, also commented on his post.

The final day will determine Sheffield United’s play-off opponents

Sheffield United’s place in third position was confirmed when they fell to a 2-1 defeat at Burnley, which simultaneously saw promotion ensured for both the Clarets and rivals Leeds at their expense.

Thirteen points separate them from fourth-placed Sunderland, who have also occupied their current position for quite some time.

The Blades will face whoever finishes sixth in the Championship, though exactly who takes that final play-off spot remains very much up in the air ahead of what promises to be a tantalising last league matchday of second-tier action on Saturday afternoon.

Wilder’s men will host a resurgent Blackburn Rovers side who could well clinch that last spot with a result at Bramall Lane, should results elsewhere also go their way.

There are just three points separating Bristol City in fifth from Michael Carrick’s Middlesbrough down in ninth place, with the likes of Coventry, Millwall and Blackburn also in contention for a play-off finish.

With five teams contesting for just two places, it’s going to be a dramatic final day and United could well potentially face something of a dress rehearsal for the play-offs at home to Blackburn.