Managerial team/Coaches


Chris Wilder The success story in many ways goes on and on. After we faded away and finished 10th; it was still an excellent season back at this level and clearly, we did better than many, including our own fans thought. He got frustrated with the lack of backing and talk about him genuinely leaving at the end of last season came to the fore. He realises though that this is his club and this is a one in a lifetime opportunity. He stayed put, got another contract and better backing in both transfer windows. We still cannot compete with some of the clubs at this level and the likes of Villa, Stoke, Derby (Waghorn) can still blow out of the water in wage terms but as those clubs proved ‘spunking’ the cash is not everything. We have seen the problems some clubs have got in for spending money they did not have or overcommitted in terms of FFP. Wilder does spend money like it’s his own to some degree and is not reckless. He makes shrewd signings and his recruitment this year for the most part was much better as we got better quality in; as he sacrificed Brooks and allowed him to bring a number down the spine in. Henderson, Egan, Norwood and McGoldrick were all success stories. A few other low profile moves, Johnson, Bryan and Washington were not but some others were such as Cranie and the three loan signings gave us extra depth.

We started the season badly but he did not panic. He spoke of only having three ‘team’ meetings that were of a serious note; after Boro away, Villa away and then Bristol City at home. For the most part we were very consistent and this season found different ways to win. From Sept up to January we played some lovely football and some superb away performances at Blackburn, Bolton and Millwall saw us cut teams open. The home form was very consistent and then after the Villa let down; we managed to go on a run winning games in a different way with a solid defence and tighter unit and we went from back to front quicker and it was not just passing, fluid football. After so many tight defeats where we were often the better team in games the previous season, this year we managed to win some tighter games and against the bigger clubs.

His post match interviews remain very honest. He will say it like it is. He has slammed the team a few times but less so this season and maybe kept things in house more and generally praises a ‘great group.’ I think he has let opposition managers get the better of him at key times in the previous season but he has learnt from that and at times we were not so gung-ho and a bit more disciplined.

Sometimes his subs have not always worked and at times he has changed things and it has led to us dropping off or to players not helping us see games out. However, he has also made changes that have won us points too.

Overall, the application, ethic and consistency has been outstanding. They just kept it going and that was really impressive. He had the fans believing and after we in and around the top 6 at Xmas after enjoying a few spells in first earlier in the season, we pushed on and got to those top 3 placings for the final period of the season. The reaction after the late heartache of Villa and Millwall has been superb. The team spirit that comes from him (and so many captain types, not just Billy) is old school but he seems to take on new methods and his tactics and how we go about things proves that.

He has massively given us our club back and the way we play, the way the manager/players care, the connection has never been greater between the fans and the players. Still above that we have to play good football and win games and for the most part he has done that. Gradually bit by bit he keeps improving us and in three years we have progressed massively every single season. It has been a remarkable turnaround. To get us from League One to the Premier League in three years is astounding in todays finance dominated football world when we have in real terms not had the same backing and financial acumen as may others. His messiah like stance as he stood in front of the town hall on the stage summed up what Blades fans thing of him.

I am actually dreading the day he leaves, either to go onto better things or feels if the board situation is not resolved he cannot push us much higher but hope he gives us another couple of years at least no matter what as there is no reason, we cannot stay up and build. If we come up short, he knows he would have a job unless something ridiculous happened with the ownership situation. He will be the least under pressure manager in some ways in the top flight but he wants to better us.

He will have to slowly start to add competition and look for real top-drawer competition /replacements in the likes of Duffy, Sharp and McGoldrick but I have faith that he can do that. They have to give him the funds this summer to push us on even more.

For me, he is the heartbeat of this club. No manager, player, official is bigger than the club and ever will be and he knows that but at the moment he embodies and represents everything we love about Sheffield United. He has been simply fantastic and now is right up there with Dave Bassett as the best manager we have ever had in my lifetime.

Grade A+ (Last season B+)