Chris Wilder’s celebrations after Steel City derby win show exactly why Sheffield United fans love him

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Chris Wilder and Sheffield United secured the bragging rights on Sunday afternoon with victory in the Steel City derby against Sheffield Wednesday.

Sheffield United clinched a league double over their city rivals for the first time since 2005/06, which also dented Danny Rohl’s side and their fading play-off hopes.

Position	Team	Played MP	Won W	Drawn D	Lost L	For GF	Against GA	Diff GD	Points Pts
1	LeedsLeeds	38	23	11	4	76	25	51	80
2	Sheff UtdSheffield Utd	38	25	7	6	53	28	25	80
3	BurnleyBurnley	38	21	15	2	52	11	41	78
4	SunderlandSunderland	38	19	12	7	55	37	18	69
5	CoventryCoventry	38	17	8	13	55	48	7	59
6	West BromWest Brom	38	13	18	7	48	34	14	57

With results elsewhere in the Championship this weekend, the Blades are now level on points with Leeds United at the top of the table after the Whites could only manage a draw away to QPR.

Suffice to say, the red half of Sheffield was pleased as punch with the win, and none more so than Chris Wilder.

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Chris Wilder shows his class after Sheffield United defeat Sheffield Wednesday

It was a record-breaking win for the Blades after they extended their winning away run, leading to some interesting celebrations in the city of Sheffield after full-time, including from the Sheffield United boss yet again.

Wilder called Sheffield Wednesday’s season over post-match, but there is still plenty to play for with his side chasing the Championship title, which is reflected in the scenes after the game.

Firstly, Chris Wilder showed his class as both a man and a manager. He went over to the away end to hold George Baldock’s shirt aloft in remembrance of one of the Blades’ former fan favourites, and a player who helped Wilder gain promotion previously in 2019 (as shown above).

Then, Wilder was seen joining in with the ‘mind the gap Sheffield Wednesday’ chants in a local establishment with a number of other Sheffield United fans having a party after their Championship double over their inter-city rivals.

Wilder taught Rohl a lesson back in November, and did it again this weekend. Last time out, he celebrated by mocking Wednesday in changing the words of Danny Rohl’s Sheffield Wednesday chant to ‘sausage, sausage roll’ instead.

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Sheffield United and Chris Wilder are a match made in heaven

Of course, there is the classic line of Wilder knowing the club, which is evidently important. However, it’s so much deeper than that for him. There are very few managers that a club would want during the crunch period of the season and the run-in.

The victory in S6 marked a momentous landmark for Wilder’s team, who matched a record that was set way back in the 1892/93 campaign. But, more than anything, it underlines their quality to dig in and win scrappily when it counts, which is what Wilder is the ideal motivator for.

It’s no great surprise that no team in the division has more 1-0 wins than the Blades, while only Leeds have more 2-0 victories so far this season, such is the efficiency of Wilder’s well-oiled machine.

Numerous players also play a part in that, including Michael Cooper. On Sunday, it could all have been very different had Michael Smith buried his early chance instead of heading straight at Cooper in the Blades goal.

Is there a better fit between club and manager in the EFL? We’re not sure there is, actually.