Sheffield United talisman Billy Sharp opens up on his relationship with Blackpool striker and former teammate Gary Madine

The two strikers were part of Chris Wilder’s squad that won promotion to the Premier League during the 2018/19 season.

Prior to making the move to Bramall Lane and while he was a Bolton Wanderers player, Madine was caught on camera making some not-so-complimentary things about Sharp ahead of a game against Sheffield United.

The footage was leaked on social media, two years before the 31-year-old ended up making the move to the red half of Sheffield - having previously played for fierce rivals Wednesday earlier in his career.

Sharp, who will be reacquainted with Madine at Bloomfield Road tonight, says all that is now in the past.

“He’s always asking me for shirts ever since he’s left,” Sharp told our sister paper, the Sheffield Star.

“I still speak to him every now and again even though everyone thought he hated me and that I hated him because of something that came out once.

“He’s a decent enough guy and we actually get along. Plus, he was a big part of something pretty special that we were able to achieve here.”

Before Wilder brought Madine to Bramall Lane, he checked in with his talismanic striker Sharp to see if he had any problem with the signing.

“I told him ‘there’s no issue from me’ because I’m not only a United player, I’m a United fan too and reckoned if he helps us go up, then great,” Sharp added.

“Right from the first training session, you could see he was going to be a real handful and that he was really up for it.

“Credit to him, he didn’t shy away from coming here either. He was right up for it and I think changed a few minds about him as well.”

It was rumoured at the time that Madine, who was on loan from Cardiff City, was keen to make his move to South Yorkshire a permanent one.

That doesn’t come as a surprise to Sharp, who said: “I think everyone who comes here, they always go away with fond memories.

“He was part of a great group and a really successful group, even if it was only for a short time.”