Wilder paid the price for United’s agonising Championship playoff final loss against Sunderland last season. United finished third in the Championship and beat Bristol City in the playoff semi-finals before blowing the lead in a 2-1 defeat in their match against Sunderland, who scored a stoppage-time winner through Tommy Watson at Wembley. Wilder leaves Bramall Lane for the second time after a previous successful spell in charge of his boyhood team that ended in 2021.
The 57-year-old, who led the Blades into the Premier League in 2019, returned in December 2023 after Paul Heckingbottom was sacked with the club at the bottom of the top flight. “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,” a club statement said.
United’s defeat in the playoff final represented a significant setback for the team, particularly given their strong involvement in the competitive race for automatic promotion throughout the season. After a series of promising performances, the team fell short at a crucial moment, finishing the campaign with only two victories in their last seven regular-season matches. This disappointing outcome allowed their rivals, Leeds and Burnley, to clinch the coveted automatic promotion spots, leaving United fighting for a chance at promotion through the more challenging playoff route.
The situation surrounding the club was further complicated by the recent shift in ownership. The American-based consortium known as COH Sports completed a takeover of the club in December of the previous year, bringing with it new ambitions and expectations for the future. In January, they showed their commitment to the team’s long-term vision by offering manager Chris Wilder a new contract that extends his tenure until the end of the 2027/28 season. This decision signaled their faith in Wilder’s ability to lead the team back to its former glory.
In light of recent developments, the club has also made a managerial change to help steer the team in a new direction. They have officially announced that Ruben Selles, who has previously managed both Southampton and Hull City, will be taking charge of the squad moving forward.
This new appointment adds yet another layer of intrigue as the Blades aim to regroup and sharpen their competitive edge in the upcoming season. With such pivotal changes unfolding within the organization, supporters are left to wonder how these shifts will impact the team’s performance and prospects in the future.
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