Chris Wilder is on cloud 9 at the minute. Not only bringing Northampton to League One, but getting his beloved Sheffield United out of the very same league, after six years, at the first attempt. On top of that, he took the team to top spot around New Year and they never budged from the number one position. On top of that, the team was promoted with 100 points, Billy Sharp was the leading scorer in the English Leagues, he put together (with Alan Knill) one of the best midfield trio's in living memory (Coutts, Fleck, Duffy), resurrected the careers of Paul Coutts and Kieron Freeman (Freeman scoring in double figures for the first time in his career), had Basham playing like his life depended on it, and helped create a cult hero in Jack O'Connell.
We have "landed" (to use his own words) in the championship, and every team has sat up and taken notice. One quarter of the season in, and we sit in third spot, and but for a few uncommon silly mistakes at the weekend, would have been second and homing in on first place.
He is exactly where he wants to be in life, and not everyone can say that.
He has a very strong chance of us securing a top six spot (if we can carry on like this), an achievement beyond anything any manager should realistically hope for during a first season in the Championship.
I just don't see anything tempting him yet. He is (and hopefully will be at the end of the season) incredibly, within touching distance of the Premiership.
I also don't think players want to leave him, I think he is that sort of manager that has lads playing out of their skin, hence when the final whistle went on Saturday at Forest, some of our players looked like they had just been relegated, instead of just losing a close fought game by one goal.
Brookes ("with his school boy looks"), will, I believe, be relishing this moment of his life, starting some games, coming off the bench for others, becoming an internet/social media sensation with that nutmeg at the Sty. Having TV pundits rave about him. Why risk all that?, if he can stay fit, the money will come eventually, if not here then elsewhere.
Managers and players come and go, we all know that, the only one constant factor, is us, the supporters, born, grow up and eventually die, supporting our club and no other.
We all have favourites and sometimes players we don't like, but for once, I really don't want any player or manager/staff to move on. I want this unit to stay together as long as possible.
UTB!
