Wilder as a player

[SelbyBlade]

Can anyone offer any insight into what he was like as a player for us (and for other clubs)? Heart on sleeve type character?

I'm too young to have seen him play.

He was in a class of his own at Sheffield schoolboy level. Some of the lads that played with him were picked up also that were no-where near as good so has a footballing pedigree. I can't remember his debut at the lane he just seemed to be there can't remember when he left either I think he went to Rotherham??? not sure. Bassett always said the CW thought he was going to be sold as he didn't fit in with the type of football. CW is a mild mannered decent guy who (presumably because of his career) doesn't like big time Charlies. A close friend of mine who knows him said that he wasn't keen on John Gannon for this reason. Having met John Gannon I know what he means.
To me he is the stand out character and we have to get him. I know he played for us and is a massive Blades fan but he is also a good level headed successful football manager.

 

[Karaoke Blade]

In his first spell for us, I thought he was an excellent right back. I recall saying at the time 'This lad will play for England'. (OK, he was'nt that good!) but he had plenty of skill. As I recall, he was excellent at getting forward, but did seem to struggle to get back down the pitch to defend. This is probably why Bassett was'nt too impressed with him.

 

[Kenilworth]

Can anyone offer any insight into what he was like as a player for us (and for other clubs)? Heart on sleeve type character?

I'm too young to have seen him play.

Here's some insight from the man himself - taken from an interview when he joined Northampton in 2014 - just been put up again on the RS site

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p03twwtl

 

[Silent Blade]

I remember Bassett making him captain for the visit of Southampton (his former club) just after we beat Forest for our first win and we thumped em. 4-1 I think but my memoryfor scores isn't great and I can't be bothered to look it up.

I'm sure that Darren or Silent will be along later if I'm wrong

Yes, he captained us in that 4-1 win against the Saints. He played for Saints youth team (he decided to go there because Blades youth set up wasn't good then- same reason for Bradshaw going to Wendy). His speciality was to skillfully get the ball out of a tight situation and then pass the ball back to the keeper's hands, the new back rule (started in 1992, I think) must have caused him problems like it did to the injured Alan Kelly against West Brom in April 1998 (Lee Hughes took advantage and scored). His distribution was quite good but his pace was limited. I liked him as a right back. He might not have been as fast as Colin Hill or John Pemberton but was deffo a better ball player than them

 

[Silent Blade]

Bassett had a habit of discarding some players who seemed to do well and were skilful but perhaps weren't combative enough for him. Wilder was one of these. Alan Roberts was another.

Someone told me quite recently that Roberts had a drink problem and was always tired after about 60 mins.

 

[Rodders]

Now he's back in Sheffield, here's hoping he doesn't get any more hand injuries from "falling over the dog"

 

[Kenilworth]

I remember Bassett making him captain for the visit of Southampton (his former club) just after we beat Forest for our first win and we thumped em. 4-1 I think but my memoryfor scores isn't great and I can't be bothered to look it up.

I'm sure that Darren or Silent will be along later if I'm wrong

Booker got a brace in that match, I recall - ditto your last statement Maiders

 

[Kenilworth]

Someone told me quite recently that Roberts had a drink problem and was always tired after about 60 mins.

Probably describes most of us on here, Silent

 

[1danewhitehouse]

Barely remember his first spell as I was very young. In his 2nd spell, he was a big downgrade having been watching Borbokis previously but he gave his all and got stuck in.

 

[MiserableBlader]

I honestly believe that Wilder was very much underrated as a player. For a full back, he had a lot of technical football ability. Was unlucky not to play more for the Blades IMHO.

UTB.

That!
He was very skilful.
Can't help but think he wanted to be the next Len Badger.
(But had a real steel streak!)
Bombed out by Basset because he wanted to fill his team with ex Wimbledon players
In this case Kevin Gage.
You could argue that Gage was better balanced as an attacking player
but Wilder was the better all round player.
Loved by the Rotherham fans was my impression from the Radio Sheffield of the time.

 

[JohnDenver]

My work buddy goes drinking with Wilder. He tells me Wilder can out drink any of them.

Unfortunately said colleague is a Man U fan so doesn't talk football.

 

[Blade58]

My memories of Wilder were that he was a bit of a dirty twat

We used to love those types in them days!

 

[Deadbat]

Remember him stood near us with his mates before the Palace game (when we drew under Blackwell and nearly went up) and he was drinking cans in the street with the rest of us. Just seemed a normal bloke and a Blades fan. Think he had been managing a league game day before. Clearly loves Blades and most of his mates big fans too.

 

[Silent Blade]

Remember him stood near us with his mates before the Palace game (when we drew under Blackwell and nearly went up) and he was drinking cans in the street with the rest of us. Just seemed a normal bloke and a Blades fan. Think he had been managing a league game day before. Clearly loves Blades and most of his mates big fans too.

He was a Rotherham player when I saw him a few rows in front of me singing and cheering for the Blades at Everton in May 1993. We won 2-0 (Bradshaw. Hodges)

 

[bladeinspaceandtime]

I knew this nickname Sitwell. But not why ?

Dodgy hairdo perhaps ?

UTB

Unruly pubic hair?

 

[Deadbat]

Wilder was a really good footballer as a kid particularly going forward being able to dribble well and advance with the ball; when he came through under McEwan I think it was in a team that had some ageing players but gradually a shift to youth with Mendonca, Duffield, Marsden, Smith etc being brought through. Thought he would be excellent for us and be a regular but lacked consistency and as I say not great against pacey wingers like those mentioned. Slater of West Ham tore him a new one at the Boleyn...sorry Upton Park in a 5-0 defeat in our promotion season.


He was in and out under Bassett but played in the win at Leicester (5-2) and in some of the games in our first season of the Premier League. Eventually Gage ousted him and he ended up at Rotherham. Managed to go back up the leagues with Bradford and was decent there prompting Steve Thompson to sign him back. He never looked same in second spell and became more of a tackling type and bit dirty from what I recall. Did not seem the ball playing full back I remembered and was not with us that long I do not think. He only played 12 times and went on loan before signing for Brighton and then Halifax in bottom tier. Then drifted into non league before getting the Halifax job.

Quiz question - he only scored one goal - who was it against and what was unique about it?

 

[Lord Bos of Eckington.]

He was a damn good full back. Better than Colin Hill, in my view, who was a better CB than FB.
Look at our record in the 90/91 season and the upturn in form when Wilder was brought into the team at RB in November (at which point we hadn't won a game).

I just thank fuck he has come back to manage and not play or some would be moaning he his steeling a wage , his legs have gone , he is shit.

 

[Pollingtonblade]

Wilder was a really good footballer as a kid particularly going forward being able to dribble well and advance with the ball; when he came through under McEwan I think it was in a team that had some ageing players but gradually a shift to youth with Mendonca, Duffield, Marsden, Smith etc being brought through. Thought he would be excellent for us and be a regular but lacked consistency and as I say not great against pacey wingers like those mentioned. Slater of West Ham tore him a new one at the Boleyn...sorry Upton Park in a 5-0 defeat in our promotion season.


He was in and out under Bassett but played in the win at Leicester (5-2) and in some of the games in our first season of the Premier League. Eventually Gage ousted him and he ended up at Rotherham. Managed to go back up the leagues with Bradford and was decent there prompting Steve Thompson to sign him back. He never looked same in second spell and became more of a tackling type and bit dirty from what I recall. Did not seem the ball playing full back I remembered and was not with us that long I do not think. He only played 12 times and went on loan before signing for Brighton and then Halifax in bottom tier. Then drifted into non league before getting the Halifax job.

Quiz question - he only scored one goal - who was it against and what was unique about it?

Penalty v Bury at the Lane?

 

[Dec]

does it really matter what sort of player he was, surely its more important to know how he had northampton playing, they have walked league 1 and if he can identify the right players either from northampton or elsewhere, get us playing the right kind of football, hopefully to get us promoted

I was just asking out of interest.

Do full stops really matter? I guess not.

 

[Deadbat]

Penalty v Bury at the Lane?

Correct. Only penalty he ever took for us too I think.

He only scored 14 goals in 414 games and 11 of them were for Rotherham.

 

[Pollingtonblade]

Correct. Only penalty he ever took for us too I think.

He only scored 14 goals in 414 games and 11 of them were for Rotherham.

We won 2-1 Was always surprised Deane never took pens.

 

[blade67]

He was in a class of his own at Sheffield schoolboy level. Some of the lads that played with him were picked up also that were no-where near as good so has a footballing pedigree. I can't remember his debut at the lane he just seemed to be there can't remember when he left either I think he went to Rotherham??? not sure. Bassett always said the CW thought he was going to be sold as he didn't fit in with the type of football. CW is a mild mannered decent guy who (presumably because of his career) doesn't like big time Charlies. A close friend of mine who knows him said that he wasn't keen on John Gannon for this reason. Having met John Gannon I know what he means.
To me he is the stand out character and we have to get him. I know he played for us and is a massive Blades fan but he is also a good level headed successful football manager.

I think him and Bradshaw were in the same age group. I remember Wilder as a skilful gobby centre midfielder at schoolboy level. Not sure if he converted to RB at Soton or if I'm talking shit again

 

[Deadbat]

We won 2-1 Was always surprised Deane never took pens.

He did start taking a few in the Premier League. Did he score one at Wimbledon when Fashanu started handballing it? Scored one v Man Utd (after he had scored first Premier League goal). Did miss one v Leeds I remember.

Also in his second spell missed one at Oxford.

Did he take any others?

 

[Gavlar]

Wilder as a player? Well I knew our defence was bad this season but still............)

 

[Pollingtonblade]

He did start taking a few in the Premier League. Did he score one at Wimbledon when Fashanu started handballing it? Scored one v Man Utd (after he had scored first Premier League goal). Did miss one v Leeds I remember.

Also in his second spell missed one at Oxford.

Did he take any others?

Yeah he scored at Wimbledon - by that point he did take pens.

I meant 88-90 he generally didn't, that said Duffield did well

 

[Silent Blade]

Penalty v Bury at the Lane?

After scoring he ran towards his mates in the John Street West Terrace and waving to them

 

[finlaytheblade]

Yes, he captained us in that 4-1 win against the Saints. He played for Saints youth team (he decided to go there because Blades youth set up wasn't good then- same reason for Bradshaw going to Wendy). His speciality was to skillfully get the ball out of a tight situation and then pass the ball back to the keeper's hands, the new back rule (started in 1992, I think) must have caused him problems like it did to the injured Alan Kelly against West Brom in April 1998 (Lee Hughes took advantage and scored). His distribution was quite good but his pace was limited. I liked him as a right back. He might not have been as fast as Colin Hill or John Pemberton but was deffo a better ball player than them

Yep Wilder was a good footballer Silent but his lack of pace let him down badly when in forward positions he would get badly exposed and his lack of pace was embarrassing. But still a good reliable player.reminded me in some ways of Cec Coldwell who also was a very good fullback who had one weakness pace,but he played in Uniteds best ever defence during my years of watching the blades.

 

[SUFC Handsworth]

Wasn't Wilder one of the original 'slaps' (ie Sheffield lads) along with Bradders, Dane and Wardy. Think Bassett always got it right with having a decent number of Sheffield lads (and through & through Blades at that) in his squad. A policy Wilder might want to promote a bit more next season, we've got Sharp and Long (at the minute at least) and I believe CW has the same agent as a certain league 1 striker (from Sheffield and a Blade) so who knows he might end up at the Lane too???

As for Wilder the player, I always felt he was a decent attacking right-back, who could pass the ball well and when overlapping could deliver a decent cross into the box (something this season's team has been sadly lacking). While he could be relied on to get stuck in he could sometimes get caught out defensively, as some have mentioned he got a right run around from Stuart Slater at Upton Park in the promotion season run in, in 1990. He was a regular in the first promotion season under Bassett in 88/89 but after that was more of a squad player. I don't think DB quite fancied him as a full-back, preferring Colin Hill and then John Pemberton, so he did well to force his way into the first team picture in both the promotion season and the first season in Div 1.

Personally I thought Wilder was better than a div 3 player as some have alluded to. He generally played well in the 2nd division in 86/7 and 87/8, the promotion season in 88/9 and when given a chance in 89/90 and 90/1. Of course some fans might remember his broken arm that curtailed some of his involvement in the run in to the 90/91 season, when he allegedly 'fell over his dog'. I'm sure CW will be able to swap a few stories with Selahattin Baki on just this subject

 

[Pollingtonblade]

Wasn't Wilder one of the original 'slaps' (ie Sheffield lads) along with Bradders, Dane and Wardy. Think Bassett always got it right with having a decent number of Sheffield lads (and through & through Blades at that) in his squad. A policy Wilder might want to promote a bit more next season, we've got Sharp and Long (at the minute at least) and I believe CW has the same agent as a certain league 1 striker (from Sheffield and a Blade) so who knows he might end up at the Lane too???

As for Wilder the player, I always felt he was a decent attacking right-back, who could pass the ball well and when overlapping could deliver a decent cross into the box (something this season's team has been sadly lacking). While he could be relied on to get stuck in he could sometimes get caught out defensively, as some have mentioned he got a right run around from Stuart Slater at Upton Park in the promotion season run in, in 1990. He was a regular in the first promotion season under Bassett in 88/89 but after that was more of a squad player. I don't think DB quite fancied him as a full-back, preferring Colin Hill and then John Pemberton, so he did well to force his way into the first team picture in both the promotion season and the first season in Div 1.

Personally I thought Wilder was better than a div 3 player as some have alluded to. He generally played well in the 2nd division in 86/7 and 87/8, the promotion season in 88/9 and when given a chance in 89/90 and 90/1. Of course some fans might remember his broken arm that curtailed some of his involvement in the run in to the 90/91 season, when he allegedly 'fell over his dog'. I'm sure CW will be able to swap a few stories with Selahattin Baki on just this subject

Who's the striker ?

 

[beastarman]

Seriously though... He was neat, tidy and quite skilful for a full back of his time. There was a bit of a Wilder or Colin Hill debate at the time. I preferred Hill's no nonsense version of full back play, so did Dave Bassett too..

Colin Hill was always better at Centre Back imho!