EFL

BILLY SHARP believes Sheffield United’s FA Cup run has given them the confidence to return to the Premier League.The Blades take on Manchester City at Wembley in the semi-final on Saturday needing only a maximum of three points from their final four Championship games to seal automatic promotion.
Billy Sharp believes the FA Cup has helped Sheffield United’s promotion bid
Despite being the ripe old age of 37, Sharp has still clocked 40 appearances in all competitions this season — and played the whole 90 minutes as United dumped Tottenham from the competition in the last 16.
They have also overcome Millwall at The Den, Wrexham at home after a replay, which Sharp scored in, and Blackburn in a quarter-final thriller at Bramall Lane.
Sharp told SunSport: “Cup competitions can be a distraction but, this one, this year, has helped us. 
“It has also given us belief and momentum because we’ve won games in the cup after we’ve failed to win the previous match in the league. So it’s got us back on track. 
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“Cup nights under the lights at Bramall Lane are special and ones that’ll be remembered more than some of the league games. 
“It’s a day out that we’ve got to embrace and enjoy, we’ve got to go there, have belief and give a good account of ourselves, and who knows, cause an upset.”
Out of the three possible opponents they could have faced, the Blades have clearly drawn the toughest.
Pep Guardiola’s men are chasing a Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup treble, which no English team has managed since Manchester United 24 years ago.
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And Sharp knows the only way the Blades are going to cause one of the greatest Wembley shocks is to break the game into stages — and try to be in with a shout late in the game.
But the wily veteran has been in the game long enough to know anything is possible. Just ask Wigan, who not only beat City in the 2013 FA Cup final but knocked them out again a year later as a Championship team.
Sharp said: “Everyone dreams of winning the FA Cup but we’ve got to get past Manchester City. It’s going to be like a cup final for us — we’ve got to raise our game, but this is what football is about.
“Hopefully it’ll be our day and, who knows, if we can get to the final then it would be an unbelievable day.  
“We’ve got a big task on our hands, so we’re taking one step at a time. 
Sharp celebrates scoring in injury-time against Wrexham
“We’ll just try to stay in the game and give ourselves something to play for in the last half an hour. 
“It’ll be a special day regardless though.”
He is right. For a Championship team to be on the same table with three Premier League clubs, all currently occupying European spots, is a great achievement.
And Sharp added: “The FA Cup is the biggest cup competition in England with a lot of history, and rewards that make memories for a lifetime. 
“We’re massive underdogs but we have belief we can go there, put on a good performance, and hopefully cause a shock.  
“We’re going to have to be at the top of our game, and City will have to be below par, but it can happen in football. We have to believe and enjoy the day because they don’t come around often.
“If we can manage the occasion, and give our fans a good day out, then I’m sure the whole club and the supporters will be happy.”
But there is no doubting that the priority this season has been returning to the Premier League at the second attempt — after the agony of being edged out in a penalty shootout at Bramall Lane by Nottingham Forest in last season’s play-off semi-finals.
It was a hard one to take for the Blades and Sharp, in particular, who had to sit out the end of the season after getting crocked.
Sheffield United’s Sharp is still going strong at the ripe age of 37
There has been no doubt that the Blades have been the second best side in the Championship after Burnley.
At one stage, they were coasting with the league leaders to automatic promotion but a few slip-ups and the relentless form of Middlesbrough and Luton made it squeaky bum time.
But they have come up with the answers in the last week by beating Cardiff and Bristol City at Bramall Lane to put them on the brink.
Sharp said: “That’s down to showing mental strength in games. We’ve got a squad where we can fill two teams, and everyone who comes into the starting eleven has done their bit.  
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“Even in the cup competitions we’ve managed to change the team around and get through the rounds – we’ve got a great cup tie in the semi-final at Wembley to come – but the main priority is to get promotion into the Premier League, which we’re confident we can do, we just need to keep grinding out the results.” 
 BILLY SHARP was speaking to SunSport courtesy of EFL sponsors Sky Bet, More

MORECAMBE’S players are worried their wages will not arrive on time this month.The League One strugglers got their money late recently following a cash injection from would-be owner Sarbjot Johal.
Morecambe’s players are worried their wages will not arrive on time this monthCredit: Rex
But the Shrimps dressing room has been alerted to a potential snag coming up.
And that may force the EFL to act and dock the club three points.
Championship strugglers Wigan were also recently hit with a three-point deduction over the repeated non-payment of salaries.
The situation got so bad players revolted and refused to train after FOUR missed payments, before calling off their strike action after being paid.
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But things could soon get worse for Wigan, as just nine senior players will be tied down to contracts this summer.
Defenders Jason Kerr and Jack Whatmough are on longer deals but the duo have been troubled by injuries.
Jordan Jones is on loan while Anthony Scully can go.
And Tom Pearce has been available for purchase for the last two windows.
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Striker Josh Magennis does not start that often these days either.
Tom Naylor and Charlie Wyke — both signed on lucrative deals — remain.
While Callum Lang is under lock and key and in Latics chiefs’ plans.
Wigan were recently hit with a three-point deductionCredit: PA More

WHAT was the world’s biggest football attendance this weekend?Bayern Munich’s Bundesliga clash against Borussia Dortmund? Or maybe it was Real Madrid taking on Valladolid at the Bernabeu. No, it was Plymouth v Bolton in the Papa John’s Trophy.
Bolton won the Papa John’s Trophy after beating Plymouth 4-0 in the final
Almost 80,000 fans packed into Wembley for the Papa John’s Trophy final
A whopping 79,389 poured into Wembley and watched the two League One clubs battle it out for the most junior of all the pieces of silverware in English professional football.
There’s not another country on the planet that would be able to attract that sort of crowd for a lower-tier match.
Yet again this brings into focus the importance of preserving our lower divisions.
Almost every single current England international has either played for an EFL club or cut their teeth in the EFL Trophy.
The atmosphere in Wembley was as good — if not better — than many cup finals I’ve watched between Premier League sides.
Teams like Bolton and Plymouth have a rich heritage. 
Bolton famously won the first FA Cup final to be staged at Wembley 100 years ago when they beat West Ham.
Back then it was estimated that 300,000 flocked to the stadium.
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No country has such football heritage and the reason why clubs like Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal and Co are so huge is precisely because they have been part of that history.
Clubs in England are at the centre of their communities. Bolton manager Ian Evatt was right after his team’s thrilling 4-0 win over Argyle when he said: “When clubs are successful, their communities thrive.”
Even in dark times such as the pandemic and now the cost-of-living crisis, football brings a much needed boost to people’s lives.
Yet Bolton Wanderers — who produced the legendary Nat Lofthouse — almost were wiped off the face of the football map less than four years ago.
Sharon Brittan and some local businessmen stepped in and saved the club. The job they have done with the Trotters has been miraculous. And Evatt made sure he congratulated her when he walked up to the Royal Box to pick up his winners’ medal.
Sharon Brittan congratulates Bolton boss Ian Evatt at Wembley
Bolton owner Sharon Brittan celebrates Bolton’s superb Papa John’s Trophy triumph
The road has been bumpy at times. They dropped into League Two but since recruiting Evatt it has been mostly uphill. He got them back into League One, they are challenging for a play-off spot this season and just won their first trophy since they won the same competition in 1989.
Of course, the club in between their trophy triumphs had a glorious Premier League era, which brought them European football, under ex-boss Sam Allardyce, who was at Wembley to watch them on Sunday.
Bolton are a great example why top-flight clubs should be happy to pour more money into the lower leagues from its vast broadcasting revenue streams. By doing so, they would not just be preserving clubs in the football pyramid but give themselves a security blanket if they were to drop out of the promised land.
Rick Parry — when he was chief executive of the Premier League in 1996 — offered EFL clubs a 25 per cent share of all future income. 
Incredibly, back then, EFL clubs insanely voted against that proposal. 
Kyle Dempsey celebrates scoring for Bolton at Wembley
But, now as chairman of the EFL, Parry is seeking to secure that 25 per cent funding as part of the New Deal for Football talks between the FA and the two leagues.
With the huge success of our top division that 25 per cent slice would be a mouth-watering figure that would do so much to strengthen our pyramid — and the top clubs would benefit from that also.
Now with a football regulator set to be appointed, the Premier League will be forced to share more of their considerable wealth. It is only fair they should do so.
The reason why the Premier League is massive is because the clubs in it have grown through the rich history of the EFL.
You can bet your bottom dollar that clubs like Brighton and Brentford will not be in the Premier League forever.
And those two teams certainly know what it is like to be at the other end of the spectrum.
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The Seagulls almost dropped into non-league while Brentford were just over a decade ago in League Two.
Hopefully this can all be sorted and in place for the new season. More

IPSWICH striker Freddie Ladapo says he and Derby boss Paul Warne both left Rotherham to make names for themselves.And today they face each other at Pride Park in a crunch League One clash with both bidding to win their second promotion in a row to the Championship — having done it with the Millers last season.
Freddie Ladapo played for Derby boss Paul Warne at Rotherham
Third-placed Ipswich have a huge chance to go up automatically after six wins on the bounce put them within five points of Sheffield Wednesday while also having a game in hand.
Meanwhile, the Rams will almost certainly need to do it via the play-offs, desperately trying to keep their place in the top six with Peterborough, Wycombe and Portsmouth hot on their heels.
Ladapo, 30, was released from his Rotherham contract by Warne in the summer to allow him to take up a new challenge with the Tractor Boys — while his old boss opted to also drop back down a division to take over at Derby in September.
And the Ipswich striker said: “We’ve both left for the same reasons. Ipswich and Derby are huge clubs and you get to make a name for yourself.
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“Warney is a lovable character, especially for the fans. He’s someone who gives everything to everyone and wears his heart on his sleeve. 
“He always makes sure players are happy and, although I didn’t appreciate it before, allowed me to find something new in my career.
“It was a choice that I wanted.
“We still message each other from time to time. He’s a person who understands this league and what it takes to get out of the division.”
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Ladapo has scored 16 goals so far for Ipswich
Ladapo has netted 16 goals so far this season — 12 in the league — and is offering his promotion know-how to a club that is now in its third season in League One after relegation from the Championship.
He said: “As a footballer you’re interested in projects like Ipswich. You look at the place and see 30,000 every week, a huge club.
“You want to do well at a club like this and create memories you’ll forever hold on to.
“Also with a young talented manager like Kieran McKenna here, you could tell something was brewing and I wanted to be part of it.”
Despite Ipswich’s hot form, Ladapo knows you can take nothing for granted in League One. 
Take Sheffield Wednesday for example, who were top of the table and seemingly coasting to automatic promotion after five wins on the bounce.
But the Owls have now only taken two points from their last four games, have been overtaken by Plymouth and now are nervously looking over their shoulders at Ipswich and Barnsley.
Ladapo said: “I’ve played a lot in League One and what I’ve noticed is many teams have good runs. You see clubs go 10, 15, even 20 unbeaten, everything is rosy and everyone says you’re going to get promoted.
“But suddenly these teams hit a dry run and everyone starts worrying you’re going to drop out of the promotion picture.
“What has been key for us this season is that when we’ve not been at our best, we’ve still not been losing. We’ve only lost four all season — the lowest in the division.
He believes something special is brewing in Suffolk
“So in games where it hasn’t happened, we’ve still managed to get a point. That’s been massive for us.”
Ladapo wants to end the season as club top scorer but is currently three behind midfielder Conor Chaplin’s 19 in all competitions.
But his form has picked up since Ipswich signed fellow frontman George Hirst on loan from Leicester.
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He said: “The competition has helped. You want to not only compete against your opponents but your team-mates.
“There is plenty of banter flying around between me and Conor as to who is going to end up top scorer. Hopefully it’ll be me!” More