Sheffield United's Billy Sharp ready to make an impact after mixed feelings during his team's flying start

But for one it has been frustrating and at one point even embarrassing.

Captain Billy Sharp is used to being a crucial part of the Blades' first team but he is resigned to being an optional extra at home to Birmingham City on Saturday, with Iliman Ndiaye and Oli McBurnie all-but guaranteed to start.

Since his hamstring went against Barnsley in April, Sharp's on-field influence has been minimal. A calf injury delayed the start of his season and rolling his ankle in the early stages of his only start since, at Middlesbrough, was "embarrassing".

He was only able to return from the bench at Preston North End in the final match before the international break. During it he topped up his fitness with 45 minutes for the under-21s against Hull City to secure his place on the bench on Saturday.

At 36, and with niggles starting to catch up with him, lots of the pre-match press conference is about how long he can go on, how long he wants to. But a player who knows he is not working from 12-month contract to 12-month contract refuses to think that far ahead.

"I want to get back in the team, that's the main aim selfishly," he says. "But whilever the team's winning you've got to be patient, got to keep working hard, which I will do.

"There will be a chance, I know there will, I just need to be ready.

"I'm looking forward to seeing the lads go at it again and hopefully I can come on with whatever to go and we're winning so I can find my feet, try and get a goal and contribute to the team.

"I want start every game but I know I won't start on Saturday because we won the last game 2-0 and both strikers scored.

"I’m a Sheffield United fan, I want us to be top of the league, it’s better for everyone. I want to be top of the league when I get my chance but we’ve got a lot of good strikers and two in great form at the minute."

He calls his Middlesbrough injury "embarrassing – 15 minutes in you know you're going to have to come off,” adding: “Hopefully I've put the injuries behind me now.”

The fan in him has enjoyed watching his team – you would have to not like football or support the opposition not to – the player not so much.

"People ask what's the worst part of being a footballer and it is being injured, for me anyway," he admits.

"I've seen people who are injured and it seems to not bother them but it's so frustrating because you want to be out there. If the team aren't out there you want to be making a difference, if the team is doing well you want to be part of that.

"The lads look invincible at the minute at Bramall Lane – especially at Bramall Lane. Some of the stuff they're playing, I fancy us against anyone at home this season.

"Hopefully the break hasn't slowed us down too much and we can get out of the blocks quickly and hopefully I can be part of two victories in the next four or five days."

With five substitutes again available in this season's Championship and 11 games in the 42 days before the division stops again for the World Cup, he will get his chance and Sharp's whole career has been based on taking his chances.

"When you're starting now as a striker you think, 'I'm never going to finish a game' because there's five subs but when you're on the bench you're thinking, 'I'm going to get on today,'" he says.

"I’m not sure what I think about it. I still think there still should be three subs but if I'm getting on as fourth or fifth sub I quite like it!"