Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder is convinced his side are ready to break the club’s play-off curse and seal Premier League promotion.
The Blades fought back in their final Sky Bet Championship match of the regular season to draw 1-1 at home against Blackburn, who fell short in their own bid to snatch a top-six finish.
Yuki Ohashi gave Blackburn a second-half lead, which briefly lifted them into sixth place, before Anel Ahmedhodzic equalised nine minutes later.
United, who have failed in eight previous attempts to win promotion via the play-offs, will play Bristol City in the first leg of their semi-final next Thursday.
Wilder said: “The energy has been reset. The focus is on now. Two big games. Respect in terms of what Bristol City have done this season.
“Hopefully we’ll show that the team who finishes third doesn’t automatically lose in the play-offs, that the team who doesn’t win play-offs can win one and that the team that hasn’t been to Wembley for years can go to Wembley.
“The players are massively up for it. We’re fit, we’re determined, we’re focused. We know it will be a tough two games to get to Wembley, but it will be tough for the opposition as well.
“The club’s been here for 130-odd years, it’s going to be here for another 130-odd years and we will win a play-off campaign, so why can’t it be this one?”
The Blades looked odds-on to seal a top-two finish before a recent three-game losing run, but Wilder was delighted to see them recover their form.
He said: “The feeling around the place is really positive and it should be. The team’s given me everything. To get to the points total is a fabulous achievement.”
Blackburn needed a win at Bramall Lane and for other results to go their way to snatch a play-off place.
A 13-point haul from their previous five matches had catapulted them back into contention and although they finished two points adrift of their target, head coach Valerien Ismael was upbeat afterwards.
“It was an outstanding performance,” Ismael said. “The gameplan until the goal we conceded was perfect. Exactly what we expected, to stay in the game 0-0 and we knew we would have our chance.
“After that, I think we conceded the goal too quickly to be able to make some change and make our shape stronger.
“In the end we put every attacking player on the pitch, we played with only one midfielder and tried for that lucky punch. It was a close call.
“But I take more positivity today. For sure we are disappointed to miss the play-offs, but we built some momentum and can keep it for next season.”
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