43 moments of quintessential Wilderballs

Andrew Senior takes a sideways look at the post-match words of our straight-talking, no-spin, says-it-as-it-is manager.

Andrew Senior

My house sits atop one of Sheffield’s various hills and on the evening of 6 December 2023, en route from my backdoor to the garden shed to retrieve some bird seed, I was greeted by a distant, joyous sound, borne on the wind. It was the sound of 30,000 voices in full song. The sound of a rejuvenated football crowd heralding the return of one of their own. The return of a man who knows Sheffield United Football Club inside and out, a man who knows Sheffield, a man who knows what it’s all about. It ended badly that season but now we’re a club that’s on the up once again. To quote the man himself, during his first tenure: “We’re alive, we’re together and we’re going to give it a right go.”

One of the many benefits of Wilder’s managerial reinstatement is the precious five to seven minutes after each game: the much-anticipated post-match interview.

‘Chris, what did you make of your team’s performance today?’

‘Chris, your thoughts on the game this afternoon…’

‘Chris, congratulations on a huge victory tonight…’

Here it comes. The rub of the chin. The tug of the ear lobe. The finger across the columella. The narrowed, scrutinising eyes. The sharp intake of breath through slightly clenched teeth. The quick shrug of the shoulders. Then the waxing lyrical about “finding that little bit of quality”, “giving everything for the shirt”, “getting the job done”, “a proper Championship side”, “never an easy place to come”, and the animated discussion of new players, young players and injured players.

I love listening to it, as many thousands do. Straight talking. No spin. Says it as it is. Proper football man. Proper football supporter.

But undoubtedly the highlight are those moments when the need to say something outweighs what is actually said. The moments when the right words remain just out of reach and the response veers towards the unusual, and sometimes the nonsensical, albeit—like the man’s attitude to the game itself— with an unflinching desire to press on and get the thing done. And the moments when his talk momentarily descends into absolute gibberish.

These moments are quintessentially Wildonian and thus to be cherished and celebrated above all other utterances. And there has been a steady flow so far this season.

Here are the edited highlights:

Emphasis on importance (following 2-2 draw with QPR 17-Aug-24):

“They’re going to be important players. An important part of the group is important.”

On falling just short of being full ding-dong (following 1-1 draw with Norwich 24-Aug-25):

“It was a bit ding dongy-ish in the second half”

On confusion about what a debut is (following 1-0 victory over Watford 01-Sept-24):

“Yet again Rak-Sakyi is making his home debut.”

A plea concerning basketball (following 1-0 victory over Derby 21-Sept-25):

“It doesn’t have to be a game of basketball.”

An insight into what the game isn’t all about (following same game):

“The game isn’t all about silky stuff and flicks and great passes and this, that and the other.”

On Michael Cooper’s regional-based personal attributes (following 0-0 draw with Portsmouth 28-Sept-24):

“He’s just one of those West Country boys, nothing flaps him.”

On a new form of study (following 2-0 loss to Leeds 18-Oct-24):

“We’ve done a heavy study of them.”

On falling just short of being full cat and mouse (following 1-0 loss to Middlesborough 23-Oct-24):

“It was a little bit cat and mouse-y.”

On double disappointment (following 2-1 victory over Bristol City 05-Nov-24):

“What I will say is, you know, what I talked about, the disappointment of how we handle disappointments.”

In defence of celebrating (following 1-0 victory over SWFC 10-Nov-24):

“We’ll definitely celebrate, as you can understand and imagine. And why not?”

Overwhelming praise when asked just how good Femi Seriki was (following 3-0 victory over Oxford United 26-Nov-24):

“He was good.”

Exasperation that previous basketball plea was ignored (following 1-0 victory over Sunderland 29-Nov-24):

“It just became a game of basketball.”

On frustration at team performance (following same game):

“I was banging my head against the dugout wall.”

Creepy analysis of the opposition (following 2-2 draw with West Brom 08-Dec-24):

“Deservedly they went one nil up and I’m looking, I’m going, now, let’s have a little look at yer, let’s have a little peek at yer, to see what you’re all about.”

Explanation of anti-basketball stance (following same game):

“We’d have liked to have had a bit more control in the game but it became a game of basketball.”

On the invaluable experience of getting back on a Thursday morning (following 2-0 victory over Plymouth 14-Dec-24):

“They stick their lot in against West Brom, difficult place to go and get a result, Millwall, and then getting back on a Thursday morning, so…so a big experience for us.”

On anticipated insomnia (following the same game):