If someone were to tell you after Sarfend in August...

[DifferentClass]

...that by the end of March we'd be 13 points clear of third and 10 clear of second, what would your reaction be?

Me, I'd ask them what the fuck they were smoking. I was so hyped for Wilder going into the season and I was beginning to think we'd ended up with Micky Adams Mark II. Even as someone willing to give ADKINS a chance, I was having major doubts. I was still hoping he could turn things around and get us into the playoffs, but auto was just a wild dream at that stage. The possibility of being champions by quite a large margin was summat else.

 

[Tyler Durden]

I would still be willing to believe it actually.

It was clear to me even then that it was an unusual result that wouldn't be repeated. Wilder was too driven to fail. He wasted no time fixing the squad when he came here and I knew he'd correct any mistakes made early on.
We have never had anyone so single-mindedly committed to the progress of this club.

 

[bornablade]

This is more than just a job to Chris Wilder.

 

[SwissBlade]

Even if you said now, at the end of March we'd be 10 points clear of 2nd, i'd call you a fantasist, given that the gap to 2nd place, on this day, 31st March is 7 points.

I knew the Wilder years would be good, but its come together much sooner and better than i expected.

I thought that the clear out job he needed to do would really make this a transition season, whilst he still struggled to undo the mess that Adkins left behind.

The job that Wilder has done in this first season is, for me, extraordinary. He's done it on a limited budget, by Sheffield United standards for this division and has brought together a mixed bunch of players from the summer and they have gelled perfectly. What really pleases me is the way that Freeman, Basham, Coutts, and Done have all performed. However, picking up players like Fleck, Jake Wright, JoC, Duffy and Moore to build that spine of the team has been immense.

I really feel now that we would be selling our selves short if we didn't win the title, it frustrates me that some think that promotion is enough. I don't see it. I see Wilder wanting nothing less than top slot. And i think we will get it

 

[Deleted member 875]

After Southend I had seen enough to cast my judgement that we was gonna fall through the Division this season. We looked absolutely awful. I even put some money on it working out that the £260 return would go some way to paying for my season ticket to watch my football next season in a different division. Turns out I will be watching my football in a different division, and on a personal level, I think the second I clicked the Place Bet button was the second that our fortunes changed for the better.

 

[Pollingtonblade]

My brother sent me a text at half time that night saying we would get relegated.

 

[Razor1967]

After Southend I had seen enough to cast my judgement that we was gonna fall through the Division this season. We looked absolutely awful. I even put some money on it working out that the £260 return would go some way to paying for my season ticket to watch my football next season in a different division. Turns out I will be watching my football in a different division, and on a personal level, I think the second I clicked the Place Bet button was the second that our fortunes changed for the better.

Same here, I had a £10 "pain bet" at 33/1. Happy Days.

 

[LenTednTony]

Only being an occasional match goer due to financial and work commitments, after the first four, I said I wouldn't go and then they started winning. It took me ages to go again cos I thought I was the jinx!

 

[Cerberus Blade]

I didn't see the Southend game. I was lucky I suppose. I saw all the others though in that winless run. I thought we were by far the best team at Bolton on the opening day of the season and liked what I'd seen. I thought we hadn't quite clicked in the other games but most of them could really have gone either way. I didn't think we were getting it down and passing it well enough and keeping the ball. I was pleased when we brought Coutts back in because, whatever else some folks thought of him, I thought he was a neat footballer who could pass the ball and knit things together. As soon as he came into the side we looked altogether better - that to me was a big turning point in the season - getting a settled midfield including Coutts, Fleck and Duffy. (I'd add also the signing of a more reliable goalkeeper).

What did I think after the Southend game?....nothing much really. "Bad start" obviously in terms of results, but I didn't think the performances were all that bad from what I'd seen. I just felt we needed to make a few changes and give them chance to gel together. I know some of you were questioning Wilder after just 2 games, never mind 4 or 5! If I had the time to I'm sure I could go back through this site and find several posts on here about this. There was one I remember after 2 games saying that "the job is too big for Wilder". I mean really...these people are not just pessimists but they are cancerous to the club. It's attitudes like that which destroy confidence and undermine everything the club tries to do. Thank God they weren't proved right. But, they'll be back again next season the first time we lose a couple of games. My advice: watch out for them - and totally ignore them. For some reason they have this gloomy outlook on life and there's only one thing more infectious than enthusiasm - and that's a lack of it.

If you don't quite go along with that assessment - then at least, if you've been watching football for any length of time - even just one or two seasons - you will know that you cannot possibly form any accurate judgement after just 4 or 5 games. Impossible.

So if someone had said to me after the Southend game that we'd be where we are now - I'd be willing to believe it. I actually said we'd get promoted automatically this season and predicted we'd finish in 2nd spot.

Mind you, I've said we'd get promoted every season now for the past 5 years - it's called being an optimist - but now it's called being a realist as well.

 

[WORKSOPBLADE]

I didn't see the Southend game. I was lucky I suppose. I saw all the others though in that winless run. I thought we were by far the best team at Bolton on the opening day of the season and liked what I'd seen. I thought we hadn't quite clicked in the other games but most of them could really have gone either way. I didn't think we were getting it down and passing it well enough and keeping the ball. I was pleased when we brought Coutts back in because, whatever else some folks thought of him, I thought he was a neat footballer who could pass the ball and knit things together. As soon as he came into the side we looked altogether better - that to me was a big turning point in the season - getting a settled midfield including Coutts, Fleck and Duffy. (I'd add also the signing of a more reliable goalkeeper).

What did I think after the Southend game?....nothing much really. "Bad start" obviously in terms of results, but I didn't think the performances were all that bad from what I'd seen. I just felt we needed to make a few changes and give them chance to gel together. I know some of you were questioning Wilder after just 2 games, never mind 4 or 5! If I had the time to I'm sure I could go back through this site and find several posts on here about this. There was one I remember after 2 games saying that "the job is too big for Wilder". I mean really...these people are not just pessimists but they are cancerous to the club. It's attitudes like that which destroy confidence and undermine everything the club tries to do. Thank God they weren't proved right. But, they'll be back again next season the first time we lose a couple of games. My advice: watch out for them - and totally ignore them. For some reason they have this gloomy outlook on life and there's only one thing more infectious than enthusiasm - and that's a lack of it.

If you don't quite go along with that assessment - then at least, if you've been watching football for any length of time - even just one or two seasons - you will know that you cannot possibly form any accurate judgement after just 4 or 5 games. Impossible.

So if someone had said to me after the Southend game that we'd be where we are now - I'd be willing to believe it. I actually said we'd get promoted automatically this season and predicted we'd finish in 2nd spot.

Mind you, I've said we'd get promoted every season now for the past 5 years - it's called being an optimist - but now it's called being a realist as well.

You were wrong ! Top spot is where we're staying to the very end

 

[him behind you]

...that by the end of March we'd be 13 points clear of third and 10 clear of second, what would your reaction be?

Me, I'd ask them what the fuck they were smoking. I was so hyped for Wilder going into the season and I was beginning to think we'd ended up with Micky Adams Mark II. Even as someone willing to give ADKINS a chance, I was having major doubts. I was still hoping he could turn things around and get us into the playoffs, but auto was just a wild dream at that stage. The possibility of being champions by quite a large margin was summat else.

Had I been asked at half time when I walked out, I'd have probably punched that person

 

[him behind you]

My brother sent me a text at half time that night saying we would get relegated.

I would have agreed with him. After the last 2 seasons, the start was bad enough but that 45 minutes was up there with the most inept performances I've seen from a Blades team since I started going in 1964 - and I've seen some shite. My how I'm loving the turn around because I'm now watching a style which is up there with the best I've seen since John Harris' days. Happy days.

 

[dingledog]

At the game my thought was, if we had a decent goalie we would be OK, CW addressed it the next week. The rest is history.

 

[blade too long]

Having spoken to Wilder in La Manga training pre season I knew wed compete once he got across his ideas
Just listening to him enthuse over the challenge was enough to know he had a vision , a plan to up the commitment from any squad he led

actually think we should take our name from the fim the Commitments as we are the most commited blades team Ive ever watched

 

[BanbridgeBlade]

I only got the chance to come over for the Rochdale game early in the season & my god..... it was one of the worst performances I'd seen. Brayford wandering round not wanting the ball & everything hit long to Clarke!!

I'm vocal as fuck during the games but I just sat there in disbelief, even when we scored I had little faith we'd go on to win & I'm normally glass half full!!

Thankfully we are now pretty much polar opposite of that game but I won't lie & say I didn't leave doubting we would ever get to la liga again!!

 

[away ends always empty.]

We will have no talk of promotion until we are promoted if you please,do you learn nothing being a united fan.as regards the Southend game I didn't dream we would be were we are now on the verge of promotion,but like others have said a period of transition, but fair play to the man he sorted Adkins mess out in no time.

 

[Trigger Blade]

I didn't see the Southend game. I was lucky I suppose. I saw all the others though in that winless run. I thought we were by far the best team at Bolton on the opening day of the season and liked what I'd seen.

I thought the same at Bolton and posted along those lines in the shout box. LS26BLADE asked if I was on drugs and he's never apologised Leon Clarke missed an easy header and if he'd scored, I still think we'd have gone on not to lose at least.

My brother sent me a text at half time that night saying we would get relegated.

I hope you've learnt your lesson, listen to Trig I wasn't at the Southend game, or I might have been saying something different.

 

[DronnieBlade]

...that by the end of March we'd be 13 points clear of third and 10 clear of second, what would your reaction be?

Me, I'd ask them what the fuck they were smoking. I was so hyped for Wilder going into the season and I was beginning to think we'd ended up with Micky Adams Mark II. Even as someone willing to give ADKINS a chance, I was having major doubts. I was still hoping he could turn things around and get us into the playoffs, but auto was just a wild dream at that stage. The possibility of being champions by quite a large margin was summat else.

Enter, Paul Coutts and a different method.

Wilder master stroke the like of which I have never ever seen before. If you wrote a book telling the story, you'd laugh your tits off at it, as being so utterly ridiculous that the next thing it would say is that Leicester City would win the PL !

Staggering transformation. From bottom of the league early September to promoted (?) before Easter .

For all the disappointment we have had, and the managerial cock ups in recent years, this years success is also that much sweeter as a consequence as it comes way ahead of expectation / schedule.

It really is difficult to put in to words how good this management team have been. They really should never have to buy a drink again !

Our arrogance and swagger has been, for the most part, mesmerising and an absolute joy to behold.

U T magnificent B.

 

[Jehovah]

I believed we would be relegated and I still believe that.

 

[Bladesthorpe]

...that by the end of March we'd be 13 points clear of third and 10 clear of second, what would your reaction be?

Me, I'd ask them what the fuck they were smoking. I was so hyped for Wilder going into the season and I was beginning to think we'd ended up with Micky Adams Mark II. Even as someone willing to give ADKINS a chance, I was having major doubts. I was still hoping he could turn things around and get us into the playoffs, but auto was just a wild dream at that stage. The possibility of being champions by quite a large margin was summat else.

Think your maths or league points table needs refreshing mate.

 

[Esablade]

To assemble this squad so quickly and get them to this position in the style they have, on what we presume is a reduced budget is nothing short of remarkable.

Take into account Wilder's/Knill's achievement's last season with Northampton and the future is bright...it's red and white!

 

[BLADES1988]

I'd have said can I have some of those drugs your on please.

 

[Yellarbellyblade]

After Southend I had seen enough to cast my judgement that we was gonna fall through the Division this season. We looked absolutely awful. I even put some money on it working out that the £260 return would go some way to paying for my season ticket to watch my football next season in a different division. Turns out I will be watching my football in a different division, and on a personal level, I think the second I clicked the Place Bet button was the second that our fortunes changed for the better.

Any chance you can bet on us to be relegated next season too ?????

 

[Revolution]

I thought we were going to be relegated and thought Wilder was a poor man's Mickey Adams. How wrong I was.

I thought it was like the start of 2010-11, when a number of people correctly called relegation after that pathetic surrender at Hartlepool and were proved right.

 

[Sheffsteel]

I went to the Southend game and it was a freak result. They were near the bottom and looked low on confidence. They scored from their first 3 attacks, they were 3-0 up after 20 minutes and 2 of the goals looked to be bad goalie errors/ mix ups.

The remaining 70 minutes we were the better side. Southend just sat back and defended their lead.

Even after the Southend game I still thought we'd have a decent chance of playoffs because Wilder would have time to work his magic but never thought we stood a chance of top 2.

 

[Ivanhoe]

Reminds me of one of my Ma's favourite films 'The Glen Miller Story'.

 

[Lord Bos of Eckington.]

I went to the Southend game and it was a freak result. They were near the bottom and looked low on confidence. They scored from their first 3 attacks, they were 3-0 up after 20 minutes and 2 of the goals looked to be bad goalie errors/ mix ups.

The remaining 70 minutes we were the better side. Southend just sat back and defended their lead.

Even after the Southend game I still thought we'd have a decent chance of playoffs because Wilder would have time to work his magic but never thought we stood a chance of top 2.

I was completely the other way . I thought we could be in a relegation fight and being a lower end league 1 side with next season being the one for a promotion push . Credit to Wilder turning round last seasons misfit players and the players he brought in doing immediate business

Credit to Wilder , Knill and McCabe

 

[Sheffsteel]

I was completely the other way . I thought we could be in a relegation fight and being a lower end league 1 side with next season being the one for a promotion push . Credit to Wilder turning round last seasons misfit players and the players he brought in doing immediate business

Credit to Wilder , Knill and McCabe

I've realised that it's impossible to judge a team after 3 or 4 matches. I always wait until at least 10 matches into a season before I start forming an opinion.

History shows that there's loads of clubs that have had appalling starts to the season then gone on to win promotion.

I remember a few year ago I believe Norwich lost their first match of the season 6-1 to Colchester. Their manager Gunn was sacked and then they appointed Lambert who got them promoted.

 

[Lord Bos of Eckington.]

I've realised that it's impossible to judge a team after 3 or 4 matches. I always wait until at least 10 matches into a season before I start forming an opinion.

History shows that there's loads of clubs that have had appalling starts to the season then gone on to win promotion.

I remember a few year ago I believe Norwich lost their first match of the season 6-1 to Colchester. Their manager Gunn was sacked and then they appointed Lambert who got them promoted.

Good shout . I have always said that you need 10 matches to judge a side and manager . I think with me it was the shrapnel from the Madkins era which had not cleared . At least I had the bollocks to say it on the forum then , but made myself look a twat with Wilder pulling it around . Goes to show what I know about footy .

Another was Bournemouth doing a Norwich .

 

[DifferentClass]

Even if you said now, at the end of March we'd be 10 points clear of 2nd, i'd call you a fantasist, given that the gap to 2nd place, on this day, 31st March is 7 points.

Ah yes. Should stop going to bleddy fucking Statto. Great site but they don't half hate updating their tables.