Warnock praises Stead-y improvement

12 April 2012

Sheffield United manager Neil Warnock was full of praise for Jon Stead after the striker grabbed his first goal for the club in a 2-0 victory over Fulham at Bramall Lane.

Stead, a £750,000 signing from Sunderland three weeks ago, had failed to score in his previous 10 matches and had found the net just once in 33 Premiership games prior to the clash with the Cottagers.

But the 22-year-old finished an incisive 22nd-minute move involving Nick Montgomery with aplomb, lashing home a left-footed shot into the roof of the net and Warnock said: "He has fitted in well. As I have said to him, the top strikers work hard if they are to get the rewards."

United wrapped up an easy three points just five minutes later when midfielder Michael Tonge tapped home from six yards for his first goal for nine months.

Despite Stead's woeful goalscoring record prior to joining the Blades, Warnock had no hesitation in bringing the former England Under-21 forward to the club.

"He was just so cheap," added Warnock.

"For £750,00, I couldn't go wrong for a lad who is only 22 and who kept Blackburn up on his own when he was there.

"His goals were magnificent then, and he is showing that kind of form again in training.

"Yes, it went sour for him in the end, and it did go bad for him at Sunderland.

"There were reasons for that and we have talked about it, but when somebody works as hard as he does then you cannot ask for any more, and his finish here was excellent."

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