Leeds United's title rivals Sheffield United face new financial punishment and expensive distraction from promotion bid

The Blades have been sanctioned on several occasions previously and most recently charged with misconduct after a melee broke out between Chris Wilder's players and the visiting Robins.

Dubbed a 'mass confrontation' by the Football Association, players on both sides are deemed to have acted in an improper and/or provocative manner during stoppage time at the end of the second half, which followed Mark Sykes' 90th minute equaliser for Bristol City.

The two clubs have until Monday to respond to the charge, although video evidence suggests the Blades could be in for a significant financial sanction.

Earlier this year, Sheffield United were hit with an £80,000 fine, reduced from £100,000, for their part in a mass confrontation against Coventry City. Since October 2022, Sheffield United have been sanctioned six times by the FA for similar breaches with fines now totalling over £150,000.

Following the Coventry incident, an Independent Regulatory Commission, which found both clubs guilty, stated: "This is the sixth incident [involving Sheffield United] of this nature in over two years and one month. This is an aggravating factor. The club submissions were not persuasive.

"For completeness, there are also an additional five youth breaches of Rule E20 on the club record between 18 January 2022 and 7 February 2024."

After this many infractions, financial penalties handed out by the FA tend to double with each new occurrence, meaning Sheffield United could face a £200,000 fine for their latest offence, if found guilty.

The Blades sit two points and one place beneath league leaders Leeds in the Championship table, each with nine fixtures remaining. Leeds can move five clear of their South Yorkshire rivals on Saturday with victory in the early kick-off at Queens Park Rangers, 24 hours before Wilder's side visit Hillsborough in this season's second instalment of the Steel City derby, which is rarely a tame affair.

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