Chris Wilder joined Sheffield United fans in the pub after his side beat Sheffield Wednesday in the Steel City Derby on Sunday.
United moved joint-top of the Championship with Sunderland after Tyrese Campbell’s goal secured a 1-0 win at Bramall Lane. More importantly, Wilder’s side took home the bragging rights against their fierce rivals.
Wilder didn’t take his bragging rights home straight away – instead he headed to the pub on Sunday evening to enjoy a sing-along with supporters. A video posted on social media by a Blades fan showed Wilder climbing onto a table to start a chant, watched on by England cricket legend Joe Root.
Root is a huge Sheffield United fan and was there with a huge grin on his face as they revelled in a first win over Wednesday since September 2017. Wilder’s presence went down a storm among Blades fans, with the caption to the video on X stating: “He just gets it doesn’t he?”
Wilder re-joined the club in December with the side in dire straits and heading towards relegation from the Premier League. He couldn’t prevent them slipping into the Championship, with United shipping 104 goals to end on 16 points, but has overseen a remarkable turnaround this season.
The 57-year-old decided to revamp the squad and has been rewarded with 10 wins in 15 league matches. He has reunited the squad and is now aiming to repeat Sheffield United’s promotion from the Championship under his guidance back in 2018/19.
"We can't achieve anything when we're not connected. It's a word I use a lot," Wilder said in the more sober surroundings of the post-match press conference. "We'll have bumps in the road but what you'll have is what you see in those last five or 10 minutes when the boys put everything on the line.
"We were miles off it last year. The club wasn't prepared to go into the Premier League. I don't want to get too caught up in it but it was a difficult time. The players were undercooked and the Premier League is a ruthless division."
Seven of the starting 11 on Sunday arrived in the summer as Wilder provided a fresh start after the bruising Premier League relegation campaign. "It was time to make changes in terms of players and the way we play," he added.
"A lot of hard work went into the summer recruitment but it's down to the players and their attitudes. I'm enjoying working with them. You've seen the scenes at the end, subs who didn't get on and other players are all going out on the pitch. The way they all get on is fabulous to see."
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