Sheffield United’s Billy Sharp lashes out at disrespectful Derby County fans on Saturday afternoon after scoring the winner.
The 35 year old former Nottingham Forest loan striker spoke on the controversial celebration towards Rams fans, netting a penalty to secure a 1-0 Championship win.
In his post-match interview, Sharp snapped at the Derby fans after they targeting him with chants throughout the game.
He revealed he was “delighted” to have scored against Derby because he “doesn’t like them”.
“I wish I could play against them every week,” he told SUTV after the game.
“I think their fans were disrespectful to me today. I don’t mind stick but if they’re going to give me that all game, they deserve that back.
“I’m delighted I scored against them because I don’t like them.”
In 2017, the Blades forward’s son died two days after being born in 2011, with a heartless Derby fan trolling him during a 3-1 loss between the two sides.
Sharp’s son, Luey Jacob, died just two days after being born in late October 2011 from gastroschisis.
Byrne then made his account private and removed his profile picture, before deleting his account completely.
The club’s director of communications, Paul Tyrell, said: “This is utterly repulsive behaviour which we condemn unreservedly and apologise on behalf of the club to Billy and his family for any distress caused.
“We will contact Twitter to ask them to identity the culprit and seek police advice as to what punishment we can meter out to this individual.
“We appeal to our own supporters to help us in this matter.
“If the perpetrator can be formally identified, he can expect zero tolerance and the maximum punishment from Derby County for this grossly offensive behaviour.”
The tweets were also condemned by football fans from across the country.
What the managers said on the game
Sheffield United’s Slavisa Jokanovic: “This was not our best game, but we showed some kind of improvement in our personality and character. In the last 20 minutes I detected some body language that I didn’t like. I need to support them, and they need to support me and support themselves. We scored against Cardiff with a late goal, we scored against Preston with a late goal. This is part of football and is especially part of the Championship.
“I believe we are in some kind of the process. I repeat we didn’t play our best game. The first 45 minutes we didn’t find the space between the lines, they closed down really well. We pushed further in the second half and after the sending off we found more space, we tried to get more people in the box. This is part of the game, we didn’t play our best game, but we had enough power and knowledge to get the victory.”
Derby’s Wayne Rooney: “I think it was a penalty, and a red card is a red card, so there are no complaints from me with the decisions. Sheffield United are a very good team and the game plan today was to try and frustrate them and try and nick a win in the last 20 minutes. We were on course to do that as I thought we had the best chances throughout the game. Obviously the red card changed things.
“The character, the effort and everything the players gave, I can’t fault. It’s disappointing to lose but I think the lads showed great desire to play. It’s been difficult for everyone at the club, the players, the fans, the staff, and the players are they are the ones that have to perform in this difficult period. How they’ve applied themselves all week has been first class.”
#derby #SheffieldUnited #BillySharp pic.twitter.com/YMJ7i2kmyc
— 〽️atty (@_SUFCMatty_) September 25, 2021
Fans reacted as Billy Sharp lashes out at disrespectful Derby fans, take a look below…
@elias_mark: Fair play to him. calls it as it is.
@chet_45: From the heart @billysharp10
@jamiepaul85: Loved Billy at Forest. Great lad.
@IanPidgeon3: Brilliant championship forward . Wish we still had him #nffc
@Dan_Baguley: Derby fans taunting/abusing Billy Sharp all game but then throw their toys out when he taunts them back after scoring the winner? Melts. #sufc #utb
@westcountryred: My new favourite clip. What a bloke 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
@Lincs_Blade: Billy Sharp is an exceptional role model, fantastic pro & does great work off the pitch out in the community. He’s also human & I for one don’t blame him at all for going at fans who tweet about his son & call him a nonce for 90 minutes. Good lad. Fucking inbred sheepshaggers.
@johnlcritchley: I am still disgusted by Derby County fans claiming Billy Sharp is a sex offender against children. He is a family man and suffered the loss of a child. No wonder Billy does not like them.
@forestforever11: Billy sharp is a legend, always loved him after the way he handled himself after the loss of his baby, to bounce back the way he did after that shows he he has some real mental strength. Seeing him score the winner against the sheep always is always a reasons to be happy.
@ShazbatDesigns: Whatever it was they were saying to him must have been bad for him to comment on it. Good on him for calling them out on it and a perfect way to shut them up by scoring
@Derbytilidie1:
Some Derby fans were disgusted I can assure you 🤦♂️
Handful of younger lads mainly
Always had respect for Billy Sharp.
It spoiled an otherwise good day
Please don’t judge us all on a minority who’d obviously had too much to drink
@Andy_thorpe48: One of the nicest, most genuine lads in modern football. Doesn’t deserve that. No one does actually.
@S_Lowe76: It wasn’t funny or clever and abhorrent behaviour. Top man @billysharp10 for calling it out
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