Sam McCallum Wants Sheffield United to Play With Freedom and Head into Play-offs With Momentum | OneFootball

Sheffield United are preparing for their final regular Championship game of the season when they host Blackburn Rovers on Saturday lunchtime.

The Blades have known their fate for over a week now, and although it’s disappointing to not still be within a chance of automatic promotion on the final day, it does provide Chris Wilder with an opportunity to rest key players whilst getting others into shape.

One of those players that could be starting at the weekend is backup left-back Sam McCallum. The 24-year-old has been forced to be a bit-part player in his debut campaign for the Blades, mainly due to the excellent form Harrison Burrows has been in for the vast majority of the season.

Sam McCallum Wants Sheffield United to Play With ‘Freedom’

McCallum, who joined on a free transfer from Norwich City last summer, made just his eighth league start last Friday night where he scored the opening goal of the game against Stoke City, helping United to a 2-0 victory, and he’s hoping the Blades can make it back-to-back wins this weekend.

“The momentum going into the play-offs is key. I think if we can get three points from the next game [Blackburn at home] then there’s a good feeling in the dressing room that we can go all the way to Wembley and win”, McCallum told BBC Radio Sheffield.

“It [Sheffield United] is a good place. There’s obviously no pressure on us at the moment. We’ve secured [the] play-offs so I think it’s now all about the boys playing with freedom, creating goals and enjoying the memories.”

What’s at Stake for Both Teams at Bramall Lane?

Wilder has already mentioned the in-house target is to get to 90 points or above, and United can achieve this with a draw against Blackburn.

The visitors will likely be flooding bodies forward at every opportunity at Bramall Lane as they eye up a spot in the play-offs. Valerien Ismael’s team have won four games on the bounce and sit in 8th, one point behind 6th spot occupied by Coventry City, and just two behind 5th place Bristol City.

One thing that could come to their aid is their goal difference advantage over Bristol City, Coventry City and Millwall, albeit a slender one.

Is Form Really the Be-All and End-All Heading into the Championship Play-offs?

STOKE ON TRENT, ENGLAND – APRIL 25: Andre Brooks of Sheffield United scores his team’s second goal during the Sky Bet Championship match between Stoke City FC and Sheffield United FC at Bet365 Stadium on April 25, 2025 in Stoke on Trent, England. (Photo by Nathan Stirk/Getty Images)

The Blades and Rovers could end up facing each other in the play-off semi-finals if certain results go Blackburn’s way. But for United, their focus is on getting into the play-offs semi-finals unscathed, and a positive result at the weekend would be a bonus.

Many supporters have quite rightly been vocal about entering the Championship play-offs in decent form. However, in recent years, the eventual winners of the play-offs have had mixed form.

Last season’s winners, Southampton entered the play-offs after picking up just one win in their last four games, beating Leeds on the final day. Two games prior, they suffered a humiliating 5-0 loss against Leicester City.

The 2022/23 play-off winners, Luton Town also won once in their final four games, drawing the rest. The prior campaign saw Nottingham Forest go all the way after knocking the Blades out in the semi-finals, and the Reds entered the play-offs with two wins in their last four.

The bottom line is, being in good form really does not matter in the play-offs. It’s purely about moments of magic in knockout football, and United have conjured up some brilliant individual pieces of skill several times throughout the season, even when not playing well as a team.