1891–92 Sheffield United F.C. season

1891-92 Sheffield United F.C. first team. Pictured (left to right) – Rear: Fred Davies, Harry Stones (assistant secretary), John Scott, Will Lilley
Middle: W. Patterson, Rab Howell, Bob Cain, Charlie Howlett, Billy Hendry, Harry Lilley, W. Nesbitt, Fred Housley (trainer)
Front: Charles Stokes (football committee chairman), Sandy Wallace, Samuel Dobson, Harry Hammond, Arthur Watson, John Drummond, Michael Whitham

United continued with a sizable turnover of playing staff but were now focusing on using their financial position to target experienced professionals rather than relying on the untried talents of previous seasons.[3] Bob Cain and Harry Hammond arrived in August, recruited from Bootle and Everton respectively,[6][7] while previous stalwarts like Edward Cross, Billy Bridgewater and W. Robertson were allowed to leave.[8][9][10] A young Ernest Needham was promoted to the first team and began to feature regularly as the season progressed; he would eventually go on to make over 450 league appearances for the Blades and to captain England during his career.

The league season started well as United registered a 4–2 away victory over Sunderland Albion followed by two comprehensive home wins; beating Darlington 7–1 and South Bank 6–0.[1] It was not until early November that the Blades dropped points, suffering a 3–0 home defeat by Middlesbrough before a 2–0 reverse at the hands of struggling Darlington.[1]

United continued to add to the squad, signing keeper Will Lilley from Staveley,[11] before registering a string of victories until the end of the year, culminating in a 6–0 win over Stockton at the end of December.[1] The league then took a winter break of almost three months, not resuming until almost the end of March. The club continued to strengthen their attacking options by recruiting three additional forwards from Scotland; Sandy Wallace,[12] John Scott[13] and resigning former player James Duncan.[14] William Calder and Harry Munro were both allowed to join Gainsborough Trinity,[6][15] before United resumed their league campaign with a 4–3 loss away at Newcastle West End who were struggling at the bottom of the table.[1] This signalled a down–turn in form and inconsistent results until the end of the season meant that United lost touch with the top of the table and eventually finished third.[1]

Bob Cain joined United from Bootle in August 1891[6]

United's growing reputation was such that their players were beginning to come to the attention of the FA and both Michael Whitham and Harry Lilley received an England call–up in March 1892. Both players made their debut on 5 March, Whitham in a Home Championship game against Ireland in Belfast,[16] and Lilley in a friendly against Wales.[17][note 1]

The club's organising football committee were still determined to gain entry to The Football League and applied for election for the second year in succession. On this occasion however United were successful and were given entry into the newly formed Second Division for the 1892–93 season.[3] Cross–town rivals The Wednesday had also been accepted into the Football League, but had been placed in the First Division, much to the annoyance of United's board of directors. United asked to review the ballot papers upon which this decision had been based but were told that they had been destroyed, angering the club's directors still further.[3]

As in previous years United had to play a number of qualifying rounds against local opposition before they gained entry to the FA Cup proper. Lincoln City were dispatched 4–1 at Bramall Lane,[1] before much closer games against Grimsby and Gainsborough Trininty saw the Blades reach the first round proper.[1] United travelled to Blackpool in the First Round, coming away comfortable 3–0 winners to secure a place in Round Two for only the second time.[1] They met an experienced Wolverhampton Wanderers side at Molineux Stadium but were to progress no further, losing 3–1 to their Midlands opponents.[1]

As football in the area developed, so the standing of the local cups diminished amongst the area's leading sides. United entered the Sheffield Challenge Cup at the third round stage and comfortably saw off Doncaster Rovers 4–0 at Bramall Lane.[1] The semi-final saw an away trip to Kilnhurst, who the Blades beat by the same 4–0 scoreline to secure a place in the final for the second year in succession.[1] United faced local rivals The Wednesday at Bramall Lane, but the opposition had fielded their reserve side during the competition and as such a largely second–string United side beat the Wednesday Wanderers 2–1 to lift the club's first ever trophy.[1]

The Wharncliffe Charity Cup garnered even less attention this season and United were given an automatic place in the final where they faced Attercliffe at the Olive Grove ground, beating them 2–0 at the end of March to win their second trophy in a month.[1]

As in the previous two seasons, the football committee filled the fixture list by arranging a large number of friendlies and exhibition games throughout the year. The results of these games were mixed and mirrored the team's performance in the league; starting promisingly in the Autumn but tailing off after the turn of the year. United began the programme well, gaining victories against emerging Woolwich Arsenal, and the established Notts County and Bolton Wanderers, in the early part of the season.[1] From October onwards the results became less consistent with the Blades suffering heavy defeats at the hands of Grimsby Town and Birmingham St. George's.[1] It wasn't until February that United's form improved, beating Burnley and Everton twice in consecutive games, running out 5–0 victors over the Merseyside club at Bramall Lane.[1] Another run of poor results followed until the Blades registered their most comprehensive victory of the season at the end of March, beating Burnley 8–1.[1]

For the second season in succession the highlights of the fixture list were the games against local rivals The Wednesday, with a record 22,900 supporters attending Bramall Lane to see the Blades record a 5–0 victory at the end of October.[1] Just under a month later United lost the return fixture at Olive Grove 4–1 in front of a more modest crowd of just under 12,000.[1]

Rab Howell was a mainstay of the United defence throughout the season.[1]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player FW Billy Bairstow DF Edgar Benson[note 2] (guest from Sheffield FC) FW John Brookes[note 3] DF Bob Cain FW Fred Davies MF Samuel Dobson FW John Drummond FW James Duncan FW William Getliff MF George Groves FW Harry Hammond DF Billy Hendry (captain) DF Walter Hill

No. Position Player DF Rab Howell GK Charlie Howlett DF Harry Lilley GK Will Lilley DF Ernest Needham DF W. Nesbitt MF W. Patterson FW John Scott FW Thomas Smith DF Ned Stringer FW Sandy Wallace FW Arthur Watson DF Michael Whitham

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player FW William Calder GK Richard Fenwick (guest player from Sheffield Club)

No. Position Player DF Harry Munro FW John Thomas

As of the end of the season[1]

No.	Pos	Nat	Player	Total		Northern League		FA Cup
				Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
	FW		Billy Bairstow	0	0	0	0	0	0
	DF		Edgar Benson	1	0	1	0	0	0
	FW		John Brookes	1	0	1	0	0	0
	DF		Bob Cain	19	0	14	0	5	0
	FW		Fred Davies	1	0	1	0	0	0
	MF		Samuel Dobson	20	13	15	10	5	3
	FW		John Drummond	19	8	15	8	4	0
	FW		James Duncan	2	1	2	1	0	0
	FW		William Getliff	0	0	0	0	0	0
	MF		George Groves	1	0	1	0	0	0
	FW		Harry Hammond	21	11	16	10	5	1
	DF		Billy Hendry	20	0	15	0	5	0
	DF		Walter Hill	1	0	1	0	0	0
	DF		Rab Howell	17	0	12	0	5	0
	GK		Charlie Howlett	11	0	8	0	3	0
	DF		Harry Lilley	15	0	10	0	5	0
	GK		Will Lilley	10	0	8	0	2	0
	DF		Ernest Needham	16	4	13	3	3	1
	DF		W. Nesbitt	7	0	5	0	2	0
	FW		W. Patterson	3	0	3	0	0	0
	FW		John Scott	11	3	9	2	2	1
	FW		Thomas Smith	0	0	0	0	0	0
	DF		Ned Stringer	0	0	0	0	0	0
	FW		Sandy Wallace	8	4	6	2	2	2
	FW		Arthur Watson	12	7	9	6	3	1
	DF		Michael Whitham	12	0	9	0	3	0
Players who left before the end of the season:
	FW		William Calder	2	0	1	0	1	0
	GK		Richard Fenwick	0	0	0	0	0	0
	DF		Harry Munro	0	0	0	0	0	0
	FW		John Thomas	1	1	1	1	0	0

  Win   Draw   Loss