Chris Wilder sacked by Sheffield United for second time after promotion failure
Chris Wilder has been sacked by Sheffield United after failing to win promotion from the Championship. Wilder returned for a second spell in charge at Bramall Lane in December 2023, with the Blades relegated from the Premier League six months later.
He remained in charge for their first season back in the second tier, but they lost the play-off final to Sunderland. That means they will remain in the Championship next term, with the club's new ownership group deciding to part company with Wilder as a result.
In a statement, United said: "Sheffield United can confirm a mutually agreed decision has been reached for manager Chris Wilder to leave the football club. Chris will leave alongside coaches Alan Knill and Matt Prestridge, and in doing so depart with the best wishes and gratitude of everyone connected with Sheffield United.
"A Blade through and through, the legacy Chris and his staff have created here will never be forgotten, going right back to 2016 when he initially took the job with the club rooted in League One. Between 2016 and 2021, he guided the club to two promotions and a ninth-place finish in the Premier League, creating an era which will go down as one of the most fondly remembered in the club's history.
"After returning to the club during a difficult period in 2023, he has provided stability and created a new team which earned a Steel City derby double amongst other notable highlights last season. Showing his calibre as a manager, he guided the club to third place finish, collecting 92 points, before a heartbreaking conclusion in the play-off final.
"Our owners, COH Sports, would wish to place on record our thanks to Chris and his staff for their efforts whilst at the helm and will be extending their own appreciation in due course."
United are expected to appoint former Hull boss Ruben Selles as Wilder's replacement.
This had been Wilder's second spell in charge, his first came between 2016 and 2021 when he led them from League One to the Championship. With the club rock bottom of the top-flight under Paul Heckingbottom in December 2023, Wilder was brought back in.
But he was unable to inspire a turnaround, with the Blades ending up bottom of the league having won just three games. The Yorkshire side were handed a points deduction at the start of the season, but were still overpowered by Leeds and Burnley in the race for automatic promotion.
The Blades finished a mammoth 10 points off the top two and 14 ahead of fourth-place Sunderland. After smashing Bristol City in the semi-finals, they faced the Black Cats at Wembley in the play-off final.
Despite taking an early lead in 'the £100million game', they were pegged back by Eliezer Mayenda's strike 14 minutes from time. And their hearts were then broken when Tom Watson fired in a winner for Sunderland in the fifth minute of added time.
It meant the season ended in failure and a review was quickly launched. The results of that review have now been delivered and it has led to Wilder losing his job.
US-based consortium COH Sports, led by Steven Rosen and Helmy Eltoukhy, took charge at Bramall Lane in December. While initially keeping Wilder in place, they have now decided to bring in their own person to lead the football operation, with a data-led approach to recruitment and play to be prioritised.
After his side's defeat in the play-off final, Wilder admitted it would be hard to get over. He told Sky Sports: "It's going to take quite a while to get over, for the players, the staff and most importantly the supporters.
"Congratulations to Sunderland, the manager and the players for the achievements this season and going into the Premier League. It's a tough one to take from our point of view. Defining moments in the game I get.
"We never really felt in danger even sort of second half. Of course they've got to open up and try and get back into the game we just needed to be better on that turnover.
"I think the biggest thing for us was we were too loose second half. We have that ability to sit in. They're piling people forward and then we go and kill them on the counter attack and we never found that moment, we were loose.
"Everyone talks about stats, I think we had the biggest chances but stats doesn't win you the game. They found their moments and we haven't found our moments. They find themselves in the Premier League and we've got to go again."
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