The striker – who last season only showed fleeting glimpses of the predatory form which prompted the Blades to hand him a second calling at the club he loves – truly arrived at Bramall Lane at just after 4.10pm of their mightily impressive 3-0 victory over much-fancied moneybags outfit QPR.

That came when he coolly fired in his hat-trick goal against the R's – his first league strike in front of the massed ranks of the Kop – to round off a dream day with a new Blades hero seemingly born.

Sharp said: "It was definitely my best day in a United shirt; I enjoyed every minute of it.

"In terms of my career, it's up there with getting promoted (at Scunthorpe).


"Getting a hat-trick for the team I support and getting my third goal in front of the Kop end, I couldn't have asked for anything else.

"It was nice to get my first goal of the season, but a hat-trick is obviously a massive bonus.

"My mum and dad were there, along with my girlfriend and other friends and I'm sure they enjoyed it as much as I did. And we all had a good night.

"Every goal I score in a United shirt is nice, but we played so well on Saturday – the best since I've been at the club – and the team created a lot of chances and that made it extra-special.

"QPR have some very good players on the ball, but it takes time to gel and we caught them on the right day and performed really well."

Sharp proved the goalscoring half of an impressive little-and-large combo with marquee pre-season recruit Darius Henderson, and while the plaudits went to the former, the goal poacher was quick to hail the role of the ex-Watford man.

He added: "It was weird, to be fair. I didn't really played much football with Hendo in pre-season and then found myself playing up front with him on the first day of the season.

"It probably didn't go as well as we thought.

"But on Saturday, we linked up very well."

Having waited over a year to fully ingratiate himself with his adorning Blades public, Sharp – who struggled to justify his big-money price tag last term amid a weight of expectation – would have been forgiven for milking the occasion for all that it was worth.

Especially since 2007-08 was largely of the frustrating variety for the 22-year-old frontman – who failed to reach double figures in a campaign where injury and being played out of position also muddied the waters - with the team's toils further complicating things.

But amid all the exultation, Sharp, who fired a barnstorming 32 goals in Scunthorpe's charge to promotion to the Championship in 2006/07 – while also topping the Football League goal charts – was quick to single out praise to boss Kevin Blackwell for showing faith at a time when others were seriously doubting him.

Recall

One of Blackwell's first acts when he was handed the Blades reins – initially on a temporary basis – in February, was to recall the striker, despite his threadbare scoring return in the first-half of last term – where his only two goals came in a League Cup routing of Morecambe.

Crucially, he also moved Sharp to where he can inflict the most damage, namely the penalty box, with Sharp often playing in an unaccustomed deeper role during Bryan Robson's tenure at the Lane – without success.

It fully restored the confidence of the young striker – who hit 55 goals in two seasons with Iron – with the Sheffielder finishing the season with a mini-flourish, as did United.

Sharp, whose first spell at S6 saw him make just two substitute appearances before heading to Glanford Park in August 2005 said: "People say he shouldn't have given me a chance when he did (last season).

"It was tough in the first half of last season.

"I'd had a good pre-season, but unfortunately, I broke my hand and that set me back a little bit and I never recovered and didn't get a run in the team.

"But the gaffer believed in me when maybe others didn't and that gave me massive confidence and I owe him a lot for putting me in the team.

"Towards the end of the season, I finally got my run in the team and it got me really up for this year.

"I managed to get seven goals in total last season.

"But in a five-game spell towards the end, I got three goals and finishing strongly gave me confidence, along with the team.

"When I first went to Scunthorpe, I said I wanted to score 20 goals and then I said 20 again in my second season and managed to do that. I wanted 20 last season, but didn't do it.

"But that's what I always aim for and if I can play week-in, week-out, I'm confident I can do (this year).

"If we play football like we did on Saturday, we are going to create lots of chances.