Chris Wilder entered the Sheffield United dugout in December for his second spell at his beloved Blades.
After a positive first couple of games, albeit suffering a defeat to start his second tenure, the performance against Liverpool and against Brentford were much improved.
It was a busy period around the festive season, as it always is in the English football calendar, and Sheffield United looked as though they had a new lease of life under Wilder. But by this point the physical and emotional damage had already been done which caused mental fragility within the Blades’ ranks.
Things could have looked a whole lot different had United held onto back-to-back victories at Aston Villa and then against Luton Town, but late capitulations manifested once more.
Since then, in the last 16 matches the Blades have lost 5-0 twice and 6-0 once, while conceding another three goals or more on five occasions.
Defensive deficiencies have been the catalyst of Sheffield United’s poor campaign having set the record for the worst defence in Premier League history – conceding 97 goals in three games with three games to spare.
Chris Wilder reflects on a poor season at Sheffield United
Speaking after the 5-1 defeat to Newcastle United, Wilder reflected on the season to SUTV: “I said to the players afterwards ‘it’s been a poor season, we all have to accept that’. I think some will accept it a little bit more than others so we’ll make those changes.
He admitted that he “quite likes this part of the season because I can be a little bit more open and honest”.
He asserted: “I’ve maybe tucked myself in a little bit recently and not really done or said how I really want to say or do because we’ve had to rely on this group of players but we’ll get it right.
“It will be a long summer and an incredibly busy one but we’ll get players in who want to play for that shirt and want to represent the football club.”
Chris Wilder makes a promise to United supporters about next season
While quite a few of the current Sheffield United players won’t be here next season the supporters will always remain. And with Chris Wilder being one of those, he made sure to reference them after the loss on Tyneside.
“The best part of the football club is those people up in that stand that stayed right the way until the end and have seen a lot of poor football this season, and they’ve travelled and they’ve earned their money and they’ve been there and supported us.
“Rightly so they’ve walked out on games, in games that I’ve been managed as well, and I’ve got absolutely no issue about that because it hasn’t been good enough but it will be good enough next year.
The Sheffield United chief affirmed: “It will be 100% be good enough next year. They won’t be walking out, they will be there in the stands home and away and we’ll get it right and we’ll get the club back where it should be.”