Sheffield United great Billy Sharp has said he felt he was disrespected by the club regarding the circumstances of his Bramall Lane exit in 2023.

The 40-year-old called time on his playing career last week after going through the summer without a club, albeit with some involvement with the start-up Baller League after playing for Jens Lehmann’s N5 FC on Monday.

Spending his final two seasons at Doncaster Rovers, the striker ended his time on the pitch with a stellar campaign, scoring 14 times for Grant McCann’s newly-promoted side across all competitions.

Sharp Opens Up On Final Blades Stint

Doing the rounds of the media after finally hanging up his boots, Sharp discussed his exit from Sheffield United in 2023, which ultimately saw him take up a chance in the United States with LA Galaxy.

It was a campaign of celebration for Paul Heckingbottom’s side, with the club securing automatic promotion by a comfortable margin, taking them back into the top flight after a two-year absence.

Speaking with ITV News’ Arif Ahmed about the decision to leave Bramall Lane in his third and final stint at the club, the striker admitted he had felt “disrespected” after being told he would not receive a new contract on the day of their promotion parade.

“I didn’t want to leave. It wasn’t my choice. I got told I was getting a contract several times by Paul Heckingbottom. I was captain of the club and still felt I had loads to give on and off the pitch.

“But on the day of the parade, he got me in the office and had all the chats with the lads, who’s here and who’s not next season. I just thought mine was going to be ‘well done, here’s a new contract’ and go again next year.

“He gave me the bad news of you’re not getting one, and I was fuming. On the day of the parade which I thought was disrespectful. He hid behind the fact of the owners. The owners said it was his decision.

“I was gutted. And I was going to retire after that because I couldn’t see myself playing in any other kit, any other badge. It hurt me a lot. And I didn’t enjoy the parade as much as I should have done. Everyone could see I was in floods of tears.”

Shameful End To Legend’s Blades Career

On what should have been a day of celebration for all, the 2023 promotion parade was a very different event for Billy Sharp, who has now revealed that the call to end his time at Sheffield United was already made for him.

A club legend and the club captain at the time was an ever-dependable figure for them, and while his final season did not offer the returns he had hoped for compared to the previous ones, his presence among the squad was pivotal.

While of course not the only reason they were relegated, having his presence in the squad in the following season in the Premier League could have given them a lot more grit to fight it out and battle for survival.

Sharp’s exit now puts questions at the feet of Paul Heckingbottom and the then owners of the club as to who sanctioned the call to end his association with the Blades, and why it was deemed necessary to break the bad news on a day which should have filled the club with so much enjoyment.

With regime changes at both the managerial and boardroom level, Sharp’s association with the red side of the Steel City could indeed continue, with the idea of him joining in a coaching capacity reportedly floated over the summer.