Three years ago today

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grafikhaus

grafikhaus

Kraft durch Freude
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No, not that long ago but light years in terms of progress.

On May 12th 2016, Nigel Adkins was sacked and Chris Wilder was appointed manager of United after Adkins had ‘led’ United to eleventh place in the third tier – our equal-worst league position in 33 years.

Not content with that (and signing wage-thieves like Dean Hammond), Adkins took to criticising our ever-loyal fans (we averaged 19,803 at home that Adkins season).

Who knew what the last three years would bring?

Wilder’s league record with The Blades

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On August 6th, 2016 Chris Wilder took charge for his first game for the Blades - a 0-1 defeat in League One at Bolton. Our starting line-up was…

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…and included Jack O’Connell, Chris Basham, Mark Duffy, John Fleck and Billy Sharp. (Mark Howard was in goal for Bolton, whose team also included Gary Madine).

(The 2016/17 season saw us win 100 points. This, our 30 wins and Wilder's win percentage of 61.5% were the highest in United's history.)

Wilder’s league record this season (2018-19)

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This latest promotion means that Wilder has managed teams who have won promotion from:

  • Northern Counties East Football League Premier Division: 2001–02 (Alfreton Town – Champions, 86 points - in the 27 weeks he was in charge, Alfreton won four trophies: the Northern Counties (East) League Premier Division, the League Cup, the President's Cup and the Derbyshire Senior Cup.)
  • Conference Premier: 2009-10 (Oxford United – Third, 86 points. Promoted to EFL League Two via play-offs)
  • Football League Two: 2015–16 (Northampton Town – Champions, 99 points)
  • EFL League One: 2016–17 (Sheffield United – Champions, 100 points)
  • EFL Championship: 2018-19 (Sheffield United – Second place, 89 points)

So Wilder has now managed teams to promotion in the ninth, fifth, fourth, third and second tiers.

Our 21 league ‘clean sheets’ last season (2018-19) was only surpassed by the 22 we kept in the 2012-13 season (which was 21 in the normal 46-game season plus one in the home leg of the play-off semi-final, a 1-0 win over Yeovil Town on May 3rd 2013.)

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Chris at his previous club...
 

The first 4 games of his reign didn't fill me with too much confidence. A fella said to me that he will get it right. I wasn't convinced.

I was wrong.

Here's to more of the same. Happy anniversary Chris.
 
I can't believe how quickly he was appointed after the Scunthorpe game considering the amount of negotiations that must have taken place with Adkins, Wilder and Northampton Town.
 
Cheets said:
I can't believe how quickly he was appointed after the Scunthorpe game considering the amount of negotiations that must have taken place with Adkins, Wilder and Northampton Town.
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Maybe Chris just told them he was off and they're not stopping him? Compo was agreed easily and that's that. Sometimes I do wonder why negotiations can be so arduous
 
Let’s hope his win percentage doesn’t take too much of a battering next year
 
The last 3 years in pictures ............
ADKINS
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WILDER
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Cheets said:
I can't believe how quickly he was appointed after the Scunthorpe game considering the amount of negotiations that must have taken place with Adkins, Wilder and Northampton Town.
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I don't think the "negotiations" with Adkins will have taken that long:

"Fuck off mate"

2 seconds I reckon.
 
Ainsley Harriott said:
The first 4 games of his reign didn't fill me with too much confidence. A fella said to me that he will get it right. I wasn't convinced.

I was wrong.

Here's to more of the same. Happy anniversary Chris.
Click to expand...

I went to the first game at Bolton away - and I thought we played well and were the best team - but of course we came away with nothing. I was at the next game, at home v Rochdale, where we also played well for most of it but we had to share the points, due in no small way to a goalkeeping blunder by George Long.



I'm pleased to say I missed the next game - a 0-3 at home to Southend. I don't know what the story was there - although I remember O' Connell being at fault for one of the goals. But the match after that, we'd competed well but gone down to a last minute penalty at Millwall.

So, first 4 games, no wins. Very frustrating, but the thing I remember most of all is some folks on here getting the knives out for Wilder. In fact, I'll never forget that after just 2 games, we had some idiots on here saying the job was too big for him. I can't remember who they were now and it doesn't really matter. But I just hope that Wilder has now done enough to convince even the most short-sighted and impatient "supporters" that he's a very good manager. Let's remember that when we start next season - it may take a few games for the team to get into its stride at a higher level and for the new players to blend in. Let's not get on their backs after what this team and manager has achieved against tremendous odds.
 
Cerberus Blade said:
I'm pleased to say I missed the next game - a 0-3 at home to Southend. I don't know what the story was there - although I remember O' Connell being at fault for one of the goals. But the match after that, we'd competed well but gone down to a last minute penalty at Millwall.

So, first 4 games, no wins. Very frustrating, but the thing I remember most of all is some folks on here getting the knives out for Wilder. In fact, I'll never forget that after just 2 games, we had some idiots on here saying the job was too big for him. I can't remember who they were now and it doesn't really matter. But I just hope that Wilder has now done enough to convince even the most short-sighted and impatient "supporters" that he's a very good manager. Let's remember that when we start next season - it may take a few games for the team to get into its stride at a higher level and for the new players to blend in. Let's not get on their backs after what this team and manager has achieved against tremendous odds.
Click to expand...

Here's a reminder...:(



Then, 4 days later, we lost 1-2 at Mi'woh. One point out of the first 12.

The turning point was our next (fifth) game. 0-1 down at home to Oxford at home at HT, we chiselled out a 2-1 win, the first in a run of 15 games unbeaten until we lost at home to our old friends...Walsall. Six straight wins followed until we lost away to...Walsall (Jan. 14, 2017).

After that, we only lost one more game till the end of the season - a 0-2 home defeat to Fleetwood ( Jan. 14, 2007) in a run of 19 league games.

Chris was managing at a level he'd never experienced before, but he got it right. Something to consider next season?
 
grafikhaus said:
Here's a reminder...:(



Then, 4 days later, we lost 1-2 at Mi'woh. One point out of the first 12.

The turning point was our next (fifth) game. 0-1 down at home to Oxford at home at HT, we chiselled out a 2-1 win, the first in a run of 15 games unbeaten until we lost at home to our old friends...Walsall. Six straight wins followed until we lost away to...Walsall (Jan. 14, 2017).

After that, we only lost one more game till the end of the season - a 0-2 home defeat to Fleetwood ( Jan. 14, 2007) in a run of 19 league games.

Chris was managing at a level he'd never experienced before, but he got it right. Something to consider next season?
Click to expand...


Was that really JOC?
 
The reasons were obvious to some fans.

CW/AK changed this for Gillingham away (6th game in Season I believe). We carried on with 442 for the first half of Oxford at home and the 2-1 win did kick off our season, but there were still the radical change to 352 or 3412 for the Gillingham away trip up next.

In the end was it luck or judgement - you be the call of that.

Interesting to hear on Football Focus that we mat be tweaking it a bit in the Premier league which is also good to hear - the question we should asking is what to?

UTB
 

Davalon said:
If the Charlton contract hadn't have had a stumbling block he wouldn't have been here.
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Decided to have a quick Google because I didn't know about this. Found pictures of Wilder managing in suits, long coats and all sorts at Northampton, before he turned into a reyt scruff.
 
grafikhaus said:
Here's a reminder...:(



Then, 4 days later, we lost 1-2 at Mi'woh. One point out of the first 12.

The turning point was our next (fifth) game. 0-1 down at home to Oxford at home at HT, we chiselled out a 2-1 win, the first in a run of 15 games unbeaten until we lost at home to our old friends...Walsall. Six straight wins followed until we lost away to...Walsall (Jan. 14, 2017).

After that, we only lost one more game till the end of the season - a 0-2 home defeat to Fleetwood ( Jan. 14, 2007) in a run of 19 league games.

Chris was managing at a level he'd never experienced before, but he got it right. Something to consider next season?
Click to expand...

A very sobering reminder. If there is one aspect of Wilder’s management that can be marked ‘Could do better’, it is the poor starts to seasons and after international breaks, which could have cost us. No idea whether it is more than coincidence, but it is a detail where improvement would be welcome. Not that I’m complaining.
 
Cerberus Blade said:
I'm pleased to say I missed the next game - a 0-3 at home to Southend. I don't know what the story was there - although I remember O' Connell being at fault for one of the goals.
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Seem to recall he brought Coutts on at half time and he had a lot of the ball - albeit with no goal threat and Southend going through the motions. I often think though that that is where it all began.
 
Poor starts to seasons are a United “thing”. I remember Bassett having the Christmas party in the Summer in an attempt to start us playing from the start of the season instead of after Christmas!
 
JimW1889 said:
Decided to have a quick Google because I didn't know about this. Found pictures of Wilder managing in suits, long coats and all sorts at Northampton, before he turned into a reyt scruff.
Click to expand...

Well now we are among the elite it's to be hoped he smartens himself up. I'm expecting Savile Row suits, Italian shoes and silk ties in the technical area, and when giving after match interviews I want him to express himself in calm cool measured tones like Jacob Rees-Mogg, only without the complete bollocks that JRM spouts.

This is needed because as has been pointed out to us recently, we have no class. :(
 
Sparky said:
Poor starts to seasons are a United “thing”. I remember Bassett having the Christmas party in the Summer in an attempt to start us playing from the start of the season instead of after Christmas!
Click to expand...

I remember that.

golden-goal-brian-deane-for-sheffield-united-v-manchester-united-1992


I would bet everything i have on us being bottom after 4 games next season. Not to mention how ll the pundits going on about how we'll go the whole season without a victory, worst Prem side ever etc, not realising that being bottom after 4 games is a Wilder tradition, all to do with giving the opposition a sporting chance.
 
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