But for how much longer? The midfielder has admitted the clock is ticking as he awaits a new deal with the Blades.

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The 28-year-old remains a one-club man and is now in his tenth season as a professional at Bramall Lane.

However, contrary to some reports, the Leeds-born ace has not signed a new deal and, as it stands, will be a free agent next summer.

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Still a key member of Kevin Blackwell's side and now recovered from a knee injury, the popular player holds every hope that a new contract will be forthcoming, especially with the Yorkshireman having stayed loyal to a Blades outfit he first joined at the age of 16.

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'Monty' still has no great desires to leave the only club he calls home, but admits he can't wait forever to get a new deal.

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Assessing his current state of limbo, Montgomery told Yorkshire Sport: "I've not signed a new contract and I saw some stuff in the press that was not really true – I am still out of contract in the summer.

"I have been talking to the club about a new contract but, as of yet, I have just been concentrating on getting myself back fit.

"Hopefully, something will be sorted out before not too long, but my main aim is just to concentrate on playing and making sure Sheff United are fighting for a play-off place at least.

"I have literally just turned 28 now, I'm in my prime, and hopefully I can play until I am 38 – so I've got another 10 years left in the game.

"It's a difficult one because I would love to stay but the club will have to look after me because there has been interest in the past and I've stayed.

"I stayed loyal to Sheffield United and hopefully they can make me want to stay.

"Obviously, if I don't get something sorted out I've got to look at other options in the near future as, obviously, come what may at that time I would be out of contract and on a free transfer.

"It's a position I've never been in before and I'm not saying I want to get in that position.

"I do love Sheff United and I have been a one-club man but it's out of my hands at the minute, that's probably how I can say it, it's out of my hands.

"Hopefully, we can come to some agreement."

Montgomery has certainly given his all in over decade with the red and white half of the Steel City, helping the Blades win promotion to the Premier League in 2005-06.

The 5ft 9in star made 26 appearances in England's top-flight the following season and has also twice been a losing play-of finalist during his time in South Yorkshire – in 2003 and of course back in May.


The prospects of a third play-offs appearance do not look brilliant, but Montgomery insists there is every reason to believe his side will yet make the top six.

"You look around and if we have two wins we're four points off the play-offs," he said.

"A good run over Christmas can put you firmly in the top six and I have had promotion once before and missed out twice in the last game – the play-of final.

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"I know what it takes to get there and it's not a sprint.

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"I know it's a bit of a cliche but it really is more of a marathon because there are that many games.

"You've just got to keep picking points up and when you go through a bad time you've got to come out the other end and start picking up wins.
"I think that's exactly what we've done."

Montgomery makes no bones about October and November being somewhat disastrous but United's promise was there for all to see in August and September and that promise has not been lost on the dedicated United man.

Montgomery's own setback – knee ligament damage picked up against Doncaster Rovers in October – coincided with his club's form problems but both are now seemingly well and truly recovered.

"Obviously, we had a good start to the season and we were firmly in the top six," he said.

"Then I got injured against Doncaster and, since then, it's been a bit of a tough time for the club too.

"I think it was eight games without a win but obviously now it's starting to come back and we're starting to get some results again.
Desperate

"For me, it was the first knee injury I've had in my career, I had a small tear on my ACL (anterior cruciate ligament), which wasn't very nice, but I'm back fit and I only trained three days before the Bristol City game.

"A couple more games and I should be back to my best again.

"It's never nice not to be playing, especially when your team is going through a tough time, and I was just desperate to out of there and get back playing.

"I've had a bit of bad luck with injuries and so on but in the Championship there are that many games and you have times like this.
"Hopefully, we've had our time and we can concentrate now on the 25/30 games left and push on for the season, I'm sure of it."

If it's his last, Montgomery will undoubtedly give the remainder of season 09/10 at the Blades a damn good go – the United man is just desperate for his club to get back in the Premier League as soon as possible.

But the bottom line is simple, Sheffield United is a club this man loves and the likeable Yorkshireman hopes there are many more good memories at Bramall Lane to come.

"Sheffield United is a massive club – you only have to look at the attendances," he said.

"When we were in the Premier League we were in the top 10 attendances and probably now we're getting more attendances than quite a few Premier League clubs.

"The size of the club is massive. I've seen it grow from when I was 16, making my debut at 18 in front of attendances of 10 or 11 thousand that's now 25,000 which is what we get at home.

"I think Kevin McCabe has done a fantastic job building the club and I'm proud that I've been part of that.

"I've seen it through thick and thin and had some hard times and some fantastic times.

"All of I've got is fond memories of my time at the club so far."