The 2012-13 campaign was a season of soaring hope and crushing play-off heartbreak for Sheffield United in League One. The Blades mounted a serious promotion challenge, achieving the league's longest unbeaten run and briefly topping the table over the Christmas period. The attack was powered by joint-top league goalscorers Nick Blackman and veteran Dave Kitson, who each netted 11 crucial goals. However, a controversial managerial change in April and a late-season slump saw the team finish 5th. The year culminated in an agonizing 2-1 aggregate defeat to Yeovil Town in the play-off semi-finals, marking yet another defining chapter of disappointment for the club.