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Blackwell appointed Blades' long-term manager

03/05/2008

Kevin Blackwell has been given a three-year contract to carry on as manager of Sheffield United.

The former Leeds United and Luton Town boss took over from Bryan Robson in mid-February when the team was plummeting towards the relegation zone.

However since then Blackwell has transformed the Blades' fortunes and they are now in with an outside chance of clinching a playoff place tomorrow.

Regardless of how the results fall tomorrow the club have decided that Blackwell is the right man to take the club forward.

Blackwell gained his first coaching position at the Blades in 1999 as an assistant to Neil Warnock before moving on to aid Peter Reid at Leeds United in 2003.

The former goalkeeper is pleased to now be the man in charge at Bramall Lane.

He said: "I am very proud to take up this appointment. The club is very close to my heart and I am delighted to be given the opportunity of delivering the ambitions of the chairman, the board and the wonderful fans of this club.

"I believe we are a top ten club in the making. With hard work, discipline, the will to succeed, determination, responsibility, commitment to excellence and pride we can get there."

Blades chairman Kevin McCabe said he wanted Blackwell to guide the club back to the Premier League and claimed he would support the manager in the transfer market.

"The Premier League is our aim through the development of a quality squad of 22-24 players made up from the nucleus of current group but improved with new signings, young academy players and links with our sister clubs," McCabe added.

The Blades are currently in ninth place, two points adrift of Crystal Palace who hold the final playoff place, ahead of the match against Southampton tomorrow.