Wilder best ever?

[Shakespeare blade]

I can imagine and that’s a problem for all managers but especially Wilder, as he has very little credit in the bank (no pun intended) with his critics here, after his departure in 2021.

If we don’t get promoted, the vitriol from his opponents will be intense and how would the owners react?

Equally, should we lose against Leeds and QPR, once again all the amazing work achieved thus far, will be forgotten.

Back on point, I still regard Bassett as the greatest manager in my lifetime. Maybe, I’m overly sentimental but I just found his football exciting and some of his players will never be forgotten.

undoubtedly the times were brilliant, as you say the players we got to watch

 

[metalblade]

I suppose it depends how old you are where you rank Wilder.
I'd put him just above Warnock he did keep us in the top flight for more than one season.
Top of my list is John Harris quality players and quality football, next after Harris is Basset he kept us in the top flight after dragging us up from a relegation to the then 3rd div some quality players but very basic up and at em football exciting when we were winning awful if not.

 

[The Bear]

I’ve been watching since Harry became manager and personally think he’s the only one to come close, others could have gone on to greatness but left us, as I said i didn’t think he had it to rebuild us into the team we see today absolutely incredible job, turning around Vini to be playing like he is when we all wanted him gone, maybe he needs to stay in the premier league for a couple of seasons to completely rubber stamp it, problem being the divide is so large now unless we spend £150-200 million on the right players I just can’t see us surviving even if Pep was in charge but hopefully we get to find out

His record in buying strikers is absolutely awful. Go back 60 odd years and Harris' record was unreal. Very few duffers during his time. Bassett had a better record too. Both DB and CW can make a bit of a silk purse out of a sow's ear, Dont think that is good enough for the PL.

One has to admit perhaps English managers can no longer cut it at the highest level. Although Howe has done quite well he still hasnt won anything yet. We'll see.

 

[Addison]

Harris kept us there 5 seasons.
Bassett kept us there 4 seasons.
Wilder managed 1.5 , then had a meltdown and walked out in the second
To get ahead of those 2 in my lifetime , Wilder needs to keep us there longer.

That's the new owners' objective.
On the evidence of his decisions & performances over the last 7 days, they would need a better manager to achieve it.

Wilder might scrape us out of the Championship by 1-0 , and he'd get his nice £bonus for that.
I love his love for the club I love.
But the negative way his mind works with selections & setup would not keep us there more than one abject season.
Yet again.
And the big £ he would waste in the summer is frightening.
Leaving only just enough for his payoff.

Harris got us promoted twice and managed 10 not 5 seasons in the top flight. 1961 to 1968 and 1971 to 1973. He was moved upstairs in 73 to allow Ken Furphy to take over. Harris also got to the FA Cup semi final and had a number of good runs in both the FA and League Cups. He brought through many quality young players Len Badger, Geoff Salmons and Alan Woodward being the cream of the crop. Add in Tony Currie, Eddie Colquhoun, Trevor Hockey, Gil Reece and the 1971 team played the best football I have ever seen in my lifetime. His teams competed with the best and beat them regularly in Division 1 achieving our highest post war position of 5th in 1961/62 that has not been bettered since.

Admittedly money drives the EPL now and CW will deserve the praise that comes his way if he gets us up this season but on achievements to date there is currently no comparison with the record of Harris as the best modern day SUFC manager.

 

[Shakespeare blade]

Harris got us promoted twice and managed 10 not 5 seasons in the top flight. 1961 to 1968 and 1971 to 1973. He was moved upstairs in 73 to allow Ken Furphy to take over. Harris also got to the FA Cup semi final and had a number of good runs in both the FA and League Cups. He brought through many quality young players Len Badger, Geoff Salmons and Alan Woodward being the cream of the crop. Add in Tony Currie, Eddie Colquhoun, Trevor Hockey, Gil Reece and the 1971 team played the best football I have ever seen in my lifetime. His teams competed with the best and beat them regularly in Division 1 achieving our highest post war position of 5th in 1961/62 that has not been bettered since.

Admittedly money drives the EPL now and CW will deserve the praise that comes his way if he gets us up this season but on achievements to date there is currently no comparison with the record of Harris as the best modern day SUFC manager.

Unfortunately for me Harris was before my time, not sure how we compare apples with apples in this context, but by your description I wished I’d been around to witness it

 

[Eyeball]

Harris got us promoted twice and managed 10 not 5 seasons in the top flight. 1961 to 1968 and 1971 to 1973. He was moved upstairs in 73 to allow Ken Furphy to take over. Harris also got to the FA Cup semi final and had a number of good runs in both the FA and League Cups. He brought through many quality young players Len Badger, Geoff Salmons and Alan Woodward being the cream of the crop. Add in Tony Currie, Eddie Colquhoun, Trevor Hockey, Gil Reece and the 1971 team played the best football I have ever seen in my lifetime. His teams competed with the best and beat them regularly in Division 1 achieving our highest post war position of 5th in 1961/62 that has not been bettered since.

Admittedly money drives the EPL now and CW will deserve the praise that comes his way if he gets us up this season but on achievements to date there is currently no comparison with the record of Harris as the best modern day SUFC manager.

Can I like this a thousand times???

 

[metalblade]

It also has to be said both Harris and Basset never had a great deal of backing from the boardrooms of the time both having to work on a shoestring and pick up players from the lower leagues. Warnock was the same to start with although we did spend a little bit when we were finally promoted. Wilder was by far the best backed Blades boss and still is. Some will say different times but when other clubs were paying £100,000 for our players Harris was searching for replacements in the £20,000 and below brackets Billy Dearden a prime example proving you can find diamonds in the lower leagues.

 

[crazyblade1889]

As a manager of Sheffield United Bassett is the best. If he gets us up Wilder will have had more success than Warnock here but Warnock was a better overall manager. He did it at countless other teams where Wilder had failed

 

[Keen Blade]

I mostly agree, it’s the staying up that’s the biggest issue, will take huge amounts and players willing to come with the possibility of getting dry bummed week in week out, hopefully the new owners are willing to go out on a limb to try and achieve this goal, we can only hope ( have to say whilst we all love to get there, I always find the journey better than the destination)

They say that life is a journey - not a destination - and that's all you can enjoy in supporting the Blades or in fact any other endeavour.
Once you feel you've reached your destination , you're effectively at the end , so avoid that feeling !

Sorry , I've just had a Confucius moment

 

[Keen Blade]

Half of the shout box wanted him sacked at 3:45pm yesterday.

With good reason , but then reinstated him at FT - one is permitted to be emotional during a match , not that I know what shout box is

 

[YES Blade]

He’s the best from recent times, but he’s always going to be at the same sort of level as Bassett, Warnock and Hecky. He needs to do something to take us to the next level to be clear ahead.

Obviously he’ll need a lot of financial backing, he can’t do it alone.

 

[1889]

I think the Chris Wilder of 2019-2020 season, has every right to be considered for that accolade. Sadly the 2025 version is not in the same class, he pales in comparison, devoid of any humility, often short on tactical nous and slow to implement changes.

So in the time I’ve been going to Bramall Lane, I’d say

1, John Harris
2, Dave Bassett
3, Chris Wilder 19-20
4, Neil Warnock
5, Paul Heckingbottom
6, Chris Wilder 24-25
7, Danny Wilson

 

[crazyblade1889]

I think it depends on what you’re classing as the best. He’s up there in terms of results, but his football hasn’t always been great to watch. There’s been more pragmatic managers who have played a better brand of football. Thinking managers like Spackman who may have been at the club a short time but played a brand of football which was far better to watch than what Wilder tries to play.

 

[Berkshire Blade]

I think the Chris Wilder of 2019-2020 season, has every right to be considered for that accolade. Sadly the 2025 version is not in the same class, he pales in comparison, devoid of any humility, often short on tactical nous and slow to implement changes.

So in the time I’ve been going to Bramall Lane, I’d say

1, John Harris
2, Dave Bassett
3, Chris Wilder 19-20
4, Neil Warnock
5, Paul Heckingbottom
6, Chris Wilder 24-25
7, Danny Wilson

He's often changing systems at half time?! This side are on track for more points than Heckys and without anyone as good as Ndiaye or a striker on a streak like Mcburnie had

When people compare early 90s football to the game today I think they completely forget even in the top flight overseas players were a rarity and Irish or Scottish players were the most likely non English!

 

[Nicolaus_Copernicus]

1. Bassett
2. Warnock/Wilder
4. Heckingbottom
5. Porterfield

At the moment I'd say that Bassett is no. 1. He gave us two promotions, 4 seasons in the top division & an FA Cup semi final on an absolute shoestring & took over at a time when Wednesday were a different level. At his pomp we were scared of no team in the land, signed players who became icons & put Wednesday back in their box.

I know that Warnock isn't everyone's cup of tea, but he got us promoted, and by god the triple assault season may have ended in failure, but it was probably my favourite ever season as a blade. We've never ever managed to recapture the atmosphere at BDTBL of some of those night games. If you were there v. Leeds or Liverpool or Wednesday or Forest, then you'll know it crackled. G & H Blocks were verging on lawless.

However, if we do go up this season (which I don't doubt we will), then CW moves into no. 1 spot irrespective of if we go straight back down.

 

[Bladesman]

 

[Nick Jansky]

For prolonged success managing on a shoestring, for playing the highest quality of football and for success in the transfer market nobody comes close to John Harris. Next best is Bassett. It has to be viewed in context. Anybody managing under McCabe or the Prince was extremely fortunate by comparison. The result of John Harris retiring was ultimately a trip to Division 4. Nobody we have had since would have been capable of success under the ownerships Harris & Bassett had to contend with.

 

[Shakespeare blade]

I think the Chris Wilder of 2019-2020 season, has every right to be considered for that accolade. Sadly the 2025 version is not in the same class, he pales in comparison, devoid of any humility, often short on tactical nous and slow to implement changes.

So in the time I’ve been going to Bramall Lane, I’d say

1, John Harris
2, Dave Bassett
3, Chris Wilder 19-20
4, Neil Warnock
5, Paul Heckingbottom
6, Chris Wilder 24-25
7, Danny Wilson

Obviously all down to opinions but can’t agree with the Hecky in above Wilder now, virtually every game in the championship was one on a moment of brilliance and otherwise dull, in the premier league was so uninspiring even the players stopped playing, appreciate having your best 2 players sold just before the season kicked off didn’t help his cause but I just could never get him as a manger

 

[Shakespeare blade]

I think it depends on what you’re classing as the best. He’s up there in terms of results, but his football hasn’t always been great to watch. There’s been more pragmatic managers who have played a better brand of football. Thinking managers like Spackman who may have been at the club a short time but played a brand of football which was far better to watch than what Wilder tries to play.

I agree, I did put a little nod to those managers in the original post

 

[nopigfansintown]

I think Bassett saved United as a major club. We'd almost been Notts Countyied. It was basically a miracle. His role in United's modern history can't be overstated. Warnock and Wilder picked up that post saviour version of the club in a bad or shocking situation. Not the destroyed club's ashes that Bassett did.

Wilder took a club with a good infrastructure that was on its knees and breathed new life into it with next to no backing. Somehow he even kept us up in the Prem . The disparity in wealth of United vs other clubs was absolutely huge in the Championship. Promotion was basically another miracle. The football was modern and exhilarating. Pioneering even.

He's took over a club in a bad state again this time around and is doing great. We are far from a normal parachute club this season.

I think Wilder would have to establish us in the PL whilst United's infrastructure is further developed to take it. Or win a pot.

 

[Nick Jansky]

Ahh bless you, still not figured out you can just skip any post you’re not interested in, give it a go really frees up your day

With hindsight you are quite correct, apologies. It’s actually turning out to be a decent thread as long as the poll is ignored because anyone who wasn’t around in the Harris & Bassett years isn’t really qualified to judge, depending on what we are taking “the modern era” to be.

 

[Shakespeare blade]

With hindsight you are quite correct, apologies. It’s actually turning out to be a decent thread as long as the poll is ignored because anyone who wasn’t around in the Harris & Bassett years isn’t really qualified to judge, depending on what we are taking “the modern era” to be.

Thank you

 

[Addison]

For prolonged success managing on a shoestring, for playing the highest quality of football and for success in the transfer market nobody comes close to John Harris. Next best is Bassett. It has to be viewed in context. Anybody managing under McCabe or the Prince was extremely fortunate by comparison. The result of John Harris retiring was ultimately a trip to Division 4. Nobody we have had since would have been capable of success under the ownerships Harris & Bassett had to contend with.

Dick Wragg and co made Kevin McCabe look like a saint. Harris was shabbily treated by SUFC's board throughout his tenure despite his success. Even when he said he would resign in 67 if they sold both Jones and Birchenall they went and did it over his head. JH showed his loyalty and remained but we were relegated. They repaid his loyalty a season later when after failing at the first attempt to get back up they kicked him upstairs to general manager and brought in Arthur Rowley. One season later they bring him back as team manager and the result is promotion.

Yet despite this 2 and a half years into his second term at the top table they sideline him again upstairs and bring in Ken Furphy. His retirement in 77 at age 60 I suspect was brought about because he could see the mess the Club was in and he no longer wanted to be a part of it. Our neighbours recognising his ability to spot talent offered him the Chief Scout role and he spent a number of years there under Ashurst, Charlton and Wilkinson. A talent and loyal servant never fully appreciated by the Club hierarchy.

 

[Lane Ender]

Harris got us promoted twice and managed 10 not 5 seasons in the top flight. 1961 to 1968 and 1971 to 1973. He was moved upstairs in 73 to allow Ken Furphy to take over. Harris also got to the FA Cup semi final and had a number of good runs in both the FA and League Cups. He brought through many quality young players Len Badger, Geoff Salmons and Alan Woodward being the cream of the crop. Add in Tony Currie, Eddie Colquhoun, Trevor Hockey, Gil Reece and the 1971 team played the best football I have ever seen in my lifetime. His teams competed with the best and beat them regularly in Division 1 achieving our highest post war position of 5th in 1961/62 that has not been bettered since.

Admittedly money drives the EPL now and CW will deserve the praise that comes his way if he gets us up this season but on achievements to date there is currently no comparison with the record of Harris as the best modern day SUFC manager.

Some good times under Wilder but 74/75 season under Harris was sublime

 

[crazyblade1889]

Obviously all down to opinions but can’t agree with the Hecky in above Wilder now, virtually every game in the championship was one on a moment of brilliance and otherwise dull, in the premier league was so uninspiring even the players stopped playing, appreciate having your best 2 players sold just before the season kicked off didn’t help his cause but I just could never get him as a manger

One moment of brilliance is exactly the same as this dog shit brand of football we are playing this season. Without Hamer we would be nowhere. Wilder grinds out results playing shit football and hoping for a bit of magic from Hamer

 

[Nick Jansky]

Some good times under Wilder but 74/75 season under Harris was sublime

Except 74/75 was under Furphy.

 

[Lane Ender]

Except 74/75 was under Furphy.

Oops of course it was put it down to age

 

[Nick Jansky]

Dick Wragg and co made Kevin McCabe look like a saint. Harris was shabbily treated by SUFC's board throughout his tenure despite his success. Even when he said he would resign in 67 if they sold both Jones and Birchenall they went and did it over his head. JH showed his loyalty and remained but we were relegated. They repaid his loyalty a season later when after failing at the first attempt to get back up they kicked him upstairs to general manager and brought in Arthur Rowley. One season later they bring him back as team manager and the result is promotion.

Yet despite this 2 and a half years into his second term at the top table they sideline him again upstairs and bring in Ken Furphy. His retirement in 77 at age 60 I suspect was brought about because he could see the mess the Club was in and he no longer wanted to be a part of it. Our neighbours recognising his ability to spot talent offered him the Chief Scout role and he spent a number of years there under Ashurst, Charlton and Wilkinson. A talent and loyal servant never fully appreciated by the Club hierarchy.

The club didn’t appreciate him, but the fans certainly did, including fans of other clubs. Under Harris we had a reputation, along with Everton & Spurs, of playing very high quality & intelligent football. Anyone fortunate enough to watch Currie & Hockey together would understand why Souza/Choudhury is not going to work.

I think you are spot on with the reason for his very early retirement. It then took the combination of Bassett & Dooley to turn things around under, arguably, even worse ownership. Nobody since Bassett would have been able to cope with what used to go on at this club let alone have any degree of success. Neither Warnock nor Wilder have had to cope with anything like the Jones/Birchenall or Deane/Fjortoft debacles.

 

[Shakespeare blade]

One moment of brilliance is exactly the same as this dog shit brand of football we are playing this season. Without Hamer we would be nowhere. Wilder grinds out results playing shit football and hoping for a bit of magic from Hamer

Maybe you’re right but why does Hecky go above Wilder present day if he dosent have the skills set of illy for example to call on just for context?

 

[Maidenhead]

Except 74/75 was under Furphy.

He probably meant 71/72 which was also great