2011–12 Sheffield United F.C. season
Sheffield United Football Club (known as the Blades) participated in League One, the third level of English football for the first time in 23 years having been relegated from the Championship at the end of the previous season. It was also their first appearance in both the Football League Trophy and the first round proper of the FA Cup for a similar length of time, as well as being the first season under new manager Danny Wilson. United began the season well, recording consistently sound results in Football League One and nearing the position required for an immediate return to the Championship. By the turn of the year, the squad was well positioned for promotion.
| 2011–12 season | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Chairman | Kevin McCabe (PLC Chairman) Christopher Steer (Football Club Chairman) | ||
| Manager | Danny Wilson | ||
| League One | 3rd | ||
| FA Cup | fourth round | ||
| League Cup | second round | ||
| Football League Trophy | Quarter-final (North) | ||
| Top goalscorer | League: Evans (29) All: Evans (35) | ||
| Highest home attendance | 30,043 (vs. Stevenage) | ||
| Lowest home attendance | League: 15,783 (vs. Colchester United) Cup: 5,692 (vs. Bradford City) | ||
| Average home league attendance | 18,702 | ||
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Reasonable progress was made in the cup competitions, reaching the second round of the League Cup, the fourth round of the FA Cup and the regional quarter finals of the Football League Trophy. With only a handful of games left to play in the league United looked set to finish in second place in the table, but in the aftermath of leading scorer Ched Evans being jailed, results declined, and United slipped to third place in the final week of the season. Although they reached the play-off final, the team were beaten on penalties by Huddersfield Town at Wembley Stadium, thus failing to achieve promotion and being destined to spend the following season in League One.