Home > Football > Watford and Sheffield United shuffle and deal - but Derby pick up the winnings

Watford and Sheffield United shuffle and deal - but Derby pick up the winnings

Darius Henderson is a whole-hearted player who gives his all. But will he have the necessary ability to see the Blades get promoted? No, he won't.

by Graham Fisher on 24 July 2008

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Darius Henderson: High expectations at Bramall Lane (gettyimages.com)

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Sheffield United have made the brave decision to sign striker Darius Henderson from their Championship rivals, my beloved Watford, for £2million.

The 26-year-old target man joins the Blades as a replacement for Rob Hulse, who joined Derby on Tuesday for £1.75million. Now, I’ve not seen that much of Hulse but I’ve seen an awful lot of Big Darius - and my view would be that Derby are the team that have done the best out of these transfers.

Henderson has signed a four-year contract and the fee could rise depending on appearances. He was clearly thrilled to be joining a club much nearer to his home town of Doncaster.

Henderson told the BBC: "When I was told they agreed a fee I was more than happy to come here and do a deal. This is a great move for me, this is a massive club, and I am delighted."

Blades manager Kevin Blackwell said Henderson would give his side added strength as they look to get back into the Premier League. He is certainly right about bringing strength to the side, but I am not sure that he will add too much quality.

Blackwell said of his new capture: "Darius is someone I have tracked for a while and when Rob Hulse decided to go to Derby there was only one man in my mind that I wanted to replace him. He brings the quality of knowing how to win the division and I think that will be important. He knows how to play the game, he is a lad who knows about working for a living and I think that will help him fit into the Blades ethos."

All of those things are accurate about Darius. He is strong, he works hard and he is a battler who rarely gives less than 110 per cent. As a Watford fan it is impossible to question the commitment he has shown to the club over the past three seasons.

Unfortunately for Sheffield United they are also getting a player who, over the latter part of last season, became far more interested in winning personal battles of strength with his marker than in scoring goals and helping the team. He gave away far too many free-kicks and was lucky not to receive a number of red cards.

His goalscoring record in the promotion season of 2005-06 was good, but he was playing with an absolutely ‘on fire’ Marlon King. In the Premier League, Henderson was found out and he rarely troubled the scoreboard. Last season he started with a glut of goals but, once defences got used to the fact that lumping the ball up to Henderson was our only method of attack, the goals totally dried up.

Henderson is not a bad footballer and as far as I know he is not a bad person. He will do a decent job for a Championship side. The problem will come if Blackwell is serious in thinking that he is the man to lead Sheffield United to the Premier League. He just isn’t that good.

As for Watford, the sale is great business if we spend the money on replacements. I’m not holding my breath!

Comments (3)

by andy (aka dodgeyblade) on July 24, 2008

You're probably right matey.Sorry to see hulse go,but with Beattie here,he wasn't gonna be 1st choice and the bloke wanted 1st team football.Henderson will probably be backup once Beattie comes back.

by matt o on July 24, 2008

dont agree actually Hulse had a very bad injury and does not look the player he was to recoup 1.75 million for a player who is out of contract next year is good business as for Henderson we will wait and see.

by anthony manterfield on July 24, 2008

As a Sheffield United supporter I'd say Graham makes some valid points about Darius but I just wanted to add a reply in the interests of balance. First of all Rob Hulse was in the last year of his contract, he wasn't a guaranteed starter, and he looks a shadow of the player that was playing so well prior to that horrific injury against Chelsea. He may well be rejuvenated at Derby and good luck to him - he was admired at Bramall Lane and will be missed. In that context £1.6m rising to £2m is good business. In exchange we have a younger man on a four year deal and probably lower wages. He'll provide cover for Beattie, especially now he's going to miss the first couple of weeks of the season, but I think Henderson has been wrongly used by Watford and that's why they haven't seen the best of him. As Graham rightly says, they often simply lumped the ball in his general direction and few players can thrive with those sort of tactics (Marlon King aside). At Sheffield United we're looking to create chances from wide positions, hence our continuing search for a couple of quality wingers and I believe his strength in the box will see him score more regularly. Time will tell of course, and yes the fee has raised more than a few eyebrows, but if Blackwell gets out of him what he thinks he sees in him, it will be seen to have been an astute purchase.