Adkins to draw on past success

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The Blades will embark on a fifth campaign in League One next season, but Adkins, who became their fourth boss since relegation from the Championship in 2011 when appointed as Nigel Clough’s successor earlier this month, has a proven track record.

When asked if it was his biggest job yet, the 50-year-old said: “It’s the next job isn’t it?

“We have spoken about so many different scenarios. Bangor City in the League of Wales for the first time in their history playing in the European Cup, that was big at the time.

“Then going to Scunthorpe and winning League One to go into the Championship for the first time in many, many years, just narrowly on 48 points getting relegated.

“Bouncing back the next year was a great achievement when you look back at it, winning the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy as well and then staying up. They were good days at Scunthorpe United.

“There were many lessons learned. We joined Southampton when they were 23rd in League One at the time and we went 51 places before I eventually left, leaving them 15th in the Premier League, so that was a fantastic journey.

“I took over at Reading in the Premier League although we were bottom and we were staring at relegation, which eventually happened.

“But there were many valuable lessons learned in the two years there with the change of ownership and the financial scenario that football club put themselves in chasing the dream to get to the Premier League. There have been valuable lessons.”

The Blades fell just short in the play-offs under predecessor Clough last month and Adkins added: “First of all, we have all got to share that same common goal.

“We get young, hungry, ambitious hard-working players who share a common goal of being successful.

“When we look at ourselves here that is what we need.

“We all have to share the same common goal and that is to get promoted and get into the Championship.”