Former U's boss heading to Wembley after record-breaking play-off win
FORMER Oxford United manager Chris Wilder is heading to Wembley with his boyhood Sheffield United team after a record-breaking play-off semi-final victory.
The Blades backed up their 3-0 win in the first leg at Bristol City with a repeat scoreline at Bramall Lane last night, making the 6-0 aggregate score the biggest winning margin in play-off history.
Kieffer Moore opened the scoring four minutes before half-time in the second leg, heading in a Harrison Burrows corner from close range.
Seven minutes into the second half, Gustavo Hamer finished from the edge of the penalty box after a neat corner routine, while substitute Callum O'Hare grabbed the third goal with seven minutes left on the clock.
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No team has lost more times in the play-offs than the Blades, with nine failed campaigns, including three defeats in the second-tier final.
Wilder, who hasn't been involved in any of the previous losses, is targeting a third promotion as Blades boss.
He said: 'I don't feel there's a negativity because of our previous campaigns. It feels a freshness about it, a real belief that we can make history and put to bed all that and other things that have gone on previously. I think I've witnessed the majority of it as well.
'It isn't easy to go straight back up. It's not straightforward. And we pushed and pushed all season. We got 92 points [two points were deducted before the season started for defaulted transfer payments], for two teams to get to 100 points is an insane season.
READ MORE: U's boss talks deals for players with a year left and chances for youngsters
'Then we've had to have the challenges of the narrative of being the team that's got so close. But how do they deal with it?
'The narrative as well of Sheffield United's play-off history and stuff like that, so we've had to make sure that we were right.
'We had to be good, we had everything to lose. The first goal was always going to be a big goal.
'We have had to play well and do a lot of things right over the two games to get to the final.'
Robins head coach Liam Manning, who was in charge of the U's between March 2023 and November 2023 before leaving for Ashton Gate, said: 'It was a difficult game, obviously going off the back of the first leg.
'The message was pretty clear, we had to leave it all out there. We started well but ultimately a lack of conviction and quality in the box.
'Credit to Sheffield United, they are doing it, it is not easy, they definitely deserve it across the two legs. We have to use it to get better.'
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