NIGEL Clough has asked for patience from the Bramall Lane faithful ahead of tonight’s play-off clash with Swindon Town.

The Blades have enjoyed an almost identically poor run-in as Swindon, matching a draw against Leyton Orient and a defeat to Yeovil as part of a five-game winless run. Those results and United’s awful play-off record have tempered much of the usual anticipation.

However with an expected 25,000 crowd at Bramall Lane, including upward of 1,100 away fans, it likely to be an intimidating atmosphere.

Clough is hoping the fans stick with his side and is using the memory of the Blades’ near-miss against Spurs in the League Cup to keep them onside.

In that game Clough’s side had the Premier League big boys on the ropes. Trailing into the game’s final quarter, United came back from a 2-0 aggregate deficit and it took an 88th-minute Christian Eriksen strike to deny the Blades extra time.

Clough wants fans to stay with his team, especially if the game is close late on.

“The message is to be patient,” he said. “Games can change all the way through. It might come down to the last ten minutes at Swindon on Monday night before anything is decided.

“We need the crowd to be patient like against Spurs. We were 2-0 down and seemingly out of the tie. But we got one goal back and everything changed.

“Spurs looked a different side for ten minutes and were rocking. That is the effect the crowd can have. Our place lifts us.”

Town boss Mark Cooper has tried to apply the pressure to Clough and his side, labelling them favourites for tonight’s clash.

Unsurprisingly, Clough does not see it that way “Swindon have had a better league campaign than us so, no, we are not favourites. They are just favourites based on that,” added the Blades chief.

“Plus, Mark has known he has been in the play-offs for a lot longer. He has literally changed his team from week to week, making nine changes last couple.

“That can lead to a false representation as a team. They are better than what has been shown.”