Chris Wilder leaves Sheffield United after promotion near miss

Sheffield United have parted company with manager Chris Wilder.

The 57-year-old, who guided his hometown club from League One to the top flight at the end of the 2018-19 season, leaves Bramall Lane for a second time after failing to lead the Blades to the Premier League last season.

Wilder returned to the Blades in December 2023 after Paul Heckingbottom was sacked with the club bottom of the Premier League.

A club statement said: “Sheffield United can confirm a mutually agreed decision has been reached for manager Chris Wilder to leave the football club.

“Chris will leave alongside coaches Alan Knill and Matt Prestridge, and in doing so depart with the best wishes and gratitude of everyone connected with Sheffield United.

“A Blade through and through, the legacy Chris and his staff have created here will never be forgotten, going right back to 2016 when he initially took the job with the club rooted in League One.

“Between 2016 and 2021, he guided the club to two promotions and a ninth-place finish in the Premier League, creating an era which will go down as one of the most fondly remembered in the club’s history.”

The statement added: “After returning to the club during a difficult period in 2023, he has provided stability and created a new team which earned a Steel City derby double amongst other notable highlights last season.

“Showing his calibre as a manager, he guided the club to (a) third-place finish, collecting 92 points, before a heartbreaking conclusion in the play-off final.

“Our owners, COH Sports, would wish to place on record our thanks to Chris and his staff for their efforts whilst at the helm and will be extending their own appreciation in due course.”

Under Wilder, the South Yorkshire club finished third behind Leeds and Burnley and were beaten by Sunderland in the play-off final at Wembley despite taking the lead.

That came as a huge disappointment, with United having been heavily involved in the race for automatic promotion before winning just two of their final seven regular-season games to slip 10 points off the pace.

Former Blades defender Wilder made 126 appearances for the club in two spells during a playing career which also involved stints with Southampton, Rotherham, Notts County, Bradford, Brighton and Halifax.

American-based consortium COH Sports, who completed a takeover in December last year, had handed Wilder a new contract until the end of the 2027-28 season in January.