Clough aiming for more glory days

Nigel Clough hopes that Sheffield United’s 2-0 FA Cup quarter-final win over Charlton Athletic is the start of a bright future for the club.

The manager guided his League One charges to an unlikely Wembley semi-final berth on Sunday, with two quick-fire second-half goals from Ryan Flynn and John Brayford continuing United’s excellent form.

Clough took over a side languishing at the wrong end of the third-tier table but has since led them to a place in the top half, with Sunday’s triumph their ninth consecutive victory in league and cup matches.

And the 48-year-old is hopeful that there will be many more big occasions on the horizon.

“Hopefully the players will get used to these sorts of games because we want a few more of them in the next few years,” Clough told BT Sport.

“I’m delighted for everybody that we’re going to Wembley and for the players especially.

“Some clubs, off the pitch at least, have a level of mediocrity but we don’t have that here.”

Goalscorer Brayford hailed the belief instilled in the squad by Clough, while Neill Collins dedicated the win to the United fans who have watched their team drop down the English football pyramid after being in the Premier League as recently as 2007.

“Sometimes you put the work in and get your rewards,” Brayford said. “I was 50-50 whether I played today but the lads have got me through it.

“The gaffer’s always told us to believe and this is what you get. We’re slowly but surely climbing back up the ladder and we’ll take it step by step.”

Collins added: “This is why it’s such a great club. No one more than the fans deserve this. We’ve been through some hard times but hopefully this is the start of great things to come.

“It’s testament to the character at the club as a whole that we’ve bounced back.”