PAUL HECKINGBOTTOM is ready to lift the lid on the chaos behind the scenes at Sheffield United.
Blades boss Heck insists that success on the pitch this season is “papering over” the problems plaguing the club.
The Bramall Lane side were hit with a transfer embargo in January for default, with recent accounts revealing they owed more than £18m in outstanding fees.
This comes against the backdrop of a stalled takeover by Nigerian billionaire businessman Dozy Mmobuosi, raising further uncertainty.
Heckingbottom insists his players and staff deserve great credit as they push for automatic promotion to the Premier League, in addition to their march to the FA Cup quarter-final.
They host Blackburn who are bidding to become the first non-Premier League team to reach the Wembley semi-finals since Reading in 2015.
And Heckingbottom said: “At times I have felt like going out swinging and fighting and sharing a lot of things.
“We are not going to allow those things to become an excuse. Everyone must support the players; they certainly would if they had seen them shovel snow the other day just for training.
“I could sit here and tell you everything we’re facing and put up a sad story, but I don’t want to do that.
“Every window we’ve had to cut the gaming budget, we’re still getting results.
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“We are showing that not everything is about money.
“There have been a lot of things that have happened and a lot of things that we’ve had to deal with, even in the last week, but we don’t share those things for a reason.
“Some of the things we have to do are ridiculous, but we deal with them and move on.
“If we don’t have money, then we don’t have money.”
After biting his lip for months, the former Leeds and Hibs boss is ready to give a wart and account for the troubles he has faced, but only when the dust has settled at the end of the current campaign.
Heckingbottom added: “At the end of the season you can ask me all you want and I’ll tell you, no problem.
“But now the story should be how well we’re doing despite these unacceptable things that are happening.
“I don’t talk about it much, but we know we are in a difficult situation off the pitch.
“And things on the field have been hiding all the problems we have.
“Regardless of what’s been going on with the issues we’re facing and the things that have been taken from us, the professionalism of the players and staff has been excellent.”
Heckingbottom now wants to reward the fans for their support by booking a spot for the Wembley semi-final.
He added: “There are not many times you can play at Wembley.
“And it’s always a great occasion for the fans, so it would be a great reward for their support this season.
“Honestly speaking, looking back on the third round, I was on my way at the time.
“But now it’s a very different story for us.
“There is more to the games, there is more fun.
“However, there is also a big upside, but obviously we know that the ultimate prize is still a long way off.”