Despite it being only November and despite being let down many times over the years I was pretty confident even then that the team was more than capable of promotion...... a very strange feeling for a Blade.
It was the Port Vale 4-0 home win that did it for me...the one where we had 4 goals disallowed.
After that game I actually felt emotional because it clicked that the league 1 team under Wilder was way above league 1 level and we would finally be promoted.
At no stage last season did I even think we could achieve promotion but this season I've already seen enough to suggest we should make top 2.
My comments about the Wilder teams are slightly contradictory. I wish to explain that it's the league 1 team that played Man City esque football at times, it was almost boring because there was little contest and you were just waiting for us to score.
In the Championship and PL we weren't as expansive but played some incredibly efficient well drilled football based on a brilliant defence + goalie.
We only needs to score 1 or maybe 2 goals and we were virtually gauranteed to win.
Wilder PL team seems to have an inner belief that they could go any where and win.
In that 1st season we were the better team away at Arsenal, Spurs and even matched Man City in a close game.
For me the Wilder era ended at the Liverpool away match...we gave them too much respect....defended in numbers and were pretty much outclassed.
Our confidence was never the same after that game and we seemed to be more defensive....sitting back and hoping to hit on the counter.