United are back in FA Cup action this weekend as The Blades take on Preston in the 4th Round of the famous competition. Although not the main priority on any clubs lists these days a good cup run, especially for a lower league side, still holds an excitement that can’t be matched. United’s last great run was in the 2013/2014 where, as a League One club, we reached the Semi Finals beating two Premierships sides on the way to Wembley. The cup run gave Unitedites many great moments that will stick in the memory for as long as they live. Here I take a look at just a few of the players who helped us in that remarkable cup run and see how they are getting on today.

The player who has gone to achieve more than any other from the 2013/2014 squad is undoubtedly Harry Maguire. Last year saw him make his England debut and the Leicester fans have been very impressed with their summer signing.

Maguire is having a great season

Maguire is one of the four best defenders in the division”

simply amazing and didn’t put a foot wrong.. his best performance in blue and he’s had some good ones”

Maguire was close to perfection today. What a player, what a signing”

Think Dragovic andMaguire has the potential to be the best centre-back partnership we’ve ever had, and that’s a position we’ve generally been strong in over the last 30 years.”

Everyone bangs on about mahrez and vardy leaving but Maguire might be worth more!!”

Maguire would deal with Kane!”

Maguire is brilliant, I love him”

A more unsung hero in our cup exploits was captain Michael Doyle. He is now back at his old club Coventry and is a key part of their promotion challenging team, along with another  former Blade.

There are two players we must keep, Doyle and McNulty”

Doyle and McNulty must stay fit if we are to make the play offs”

We desperately were crying out for a leader. No matter what his shortcomings talent wise. No one can argue he’s a true leader and huge voice in dressing room who has by all accounts impeccable standards for training etc.

The man is a leader and to me one of my favourite Cov players of all time, yes he isnt technically gifted like other players, but he always gives 100%, he puts himself on the line and wears the badge with immense pride.

Nothing but love for Doyler from me. “

Never been that enamoured with Doyle before, but I can see what he adds to the team and he is forever getting a leg in, chasing down, breaking up play, getting in players faces, disrupting the opposition and just keeps going relentlessly. He also has great passion and spirit and that counts for a lot.”
I think he adds more to the side than some give him credit for.

Robins and team rely so much on the unsung Doyle.”

Doyle is the glue that keeps the team together”

Does this guy run on Duracell?”

Chris Porter was our top scorer in both League and Cup in the 2013/2014 season and it seems his coolness from the spot hasn’t changed.

Porter takes a great pen”

Even with Chris Porter back from injury it’s not enough.”

Wish everyone associated with Crewe had same mindset as Porter”

Ports is a legend”

Massive Chris Porter fan. Hes a goal scorer and its great to have him.”

Always like seeing Porter grab a goal”

Said all season get porter in the box he will score !”

One of the most memorable moments of the cup run was the last minute goal by Shaun Miller in the replay against then Premiership Fulham. He is now at Carlisle but there is a debate to whether he will soon be moving on to pastures new.

Shaun Miller’s problem throughout his career has been his lack of consistency. He can have a good season like he did at Morecambe then go on a long run of games without scoring. I was looking at some of the articles from the Crewe Chronicle when he played for Crewe and it’s much as you’d expect. I think we’re better to off-load him now to save his wages.”

I cannot see a footballing reason to let Miller go. We need a small, tricky forward who can score. He’s not pulling up trees this year and looks better off the bench but has always struck me a quality player who, like Devitt, perhaps given a freer role is hard to pick up and can create problems.”

Miller’s style does not suit the style of play under Curle, which is baffling considering he brought him in after 1 prolific season with Morcambe.

Miller is a favourite of mine because of the goals he has scored, or the shots he has attempted. Shaun will be 31 this year. is he going to improve anymore than he has, like Jabo, and improve his goal scoring at another club. i dont think he can as scoring every 5 games ratio is not good enough.”

Letting Shaun Miller go would be a huge mistake in my book with him being the best forward we have. The problem is he doesn’t fit in to the Manager’s hoofball tactic and I feel were he in a side who liked to keep it on the ground then he’d bag 15+ a season.I expect Fash the Bash or Niall Quinn to be coming out of retirement anytime soon.”

there is obviously abit of skill about him and just needs to be in the right team.”

Jose Baxter scored the opening goal in the semi-final at Wembley and was another who played a huge part in the our cup success. After well documented off the field issues he was eventually released by The Blades in 2016. He now finds himself back at his first club Everton though he’s not involved with the first team squad.

I think hes played three or four U23s, last time I remember him was getting clattered and walking off injured , think it was Swansea. He reminds me of watching semi professional games when an old former pro comes on at half time, you can see there was a talent there once , just cant do it for 70 mins . But hes getting fitter and I would say a reasonable chance somebody will pick him up from us come January.”

hes played at a few times, kit is a little tight on him these days but hes still got the most ability on the pitch by a mile for me. He must be in the shop window for a loan. Could do a great job in the lower leagues”

hes had a couple of offers for january from Oldham and Fleetwood which was the point of the exercise”

Sounds like he hasn’t got in any more bother. Hopefully he’s a reformed character

Think he’s nursing an injury”

The only thing he’s nursing is a semi at the fact he’s still getting paid to play footy.”

Why did we even entertain the idea of bringing this oxygen thief back? Utter joke.”

I just dont understand the clubs decision to bring Baxter or Jeffers back in. Both total wastes of talent & not the kind of people you want around your academy kids.”

They gave the kid a chance to get back, you all are a bunch of sad people for not seeing that.Good on the club, these kind of projects and caring for others that might not bring “profit” is what I want to see from the club.

By Roy

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