 In December 1999 the club turned to Neil Warnock in a bid to re-establish the club as promotion challengers.At this time the club was over £20m in debt and the priority was cutting costs, so Warnock's first three seasons in charge ended in mid-table finishes in Division One.2002–03 was a promising season for Sheffield United, when they reached the semi-finals of the FA Cup and League Cup, losing both ties to Premiership clubs, (Arsenal and Liverpool, respectively).