Chris Wilder

This article is about the footballer and manager. For the serial killer, see Christopher Wilder.

**Christopher John Wilder** (born 23 September 1967) is an English professional football manager and former player who played as a right-back. He was most recently the manager of Template:English football updater club Sheffield United.

His extensive professional playing career saw spells at Sheffield United (twice), Rotherham United, Notts County, Bradford City, Brighton & Hove Albion and Halifax Town. He also had loan spells at five clubs.

After retiring, he became a manager and was in charge of Alfreton Town, Halifax Town (their last manager before liquidation), Oxford United and Northampton Town before his appointment at Sheffield United. He won promotion from the Conference Premier with Oxford via the play-offs in 2010, from League Two as champions with Northampton in 2016, from League One with Sheffield United as champions in 2017, and from the Championship with the same club two years later.

## Early life

Wilder was born on 23 September 1967 in Stocksbridge, West Riding of Yorkshire.

## Playing career

Wilder started his football career as a trainee at Southampton and was released without making it into the first team.

He moved on to Sheffield United in August 1986. In December 1987, defender Wilder was sent off for a crude tackle on Milwall's Jimmy Carter in a season which saw the Sheffield club relegated to the third division. The following season Wilder was on the receiving end, being elbowed in the face. Swansea's Bryan Wade received a three match ban for violent conduct as a result. Wilder was a regular in the team that finished second and therefore clinched promotion back to the second division at the first attempt in the 1988–89 season, and was also part of the squad that gained a further promotion the season after, this time back to the first division, after an absence of fourteen years. Wilder was a regular during the following season back in the first division, but thereafter found appearances harder to come by, hence Wilder left for nearby Rotherham United in 1992, staying for a further four years and amassing his largest number of games for one club.

In 1998 Wilder returned to Sheffield United, and a year later he was brought to  Brighton by Micky Adams before joining Halifax Town that same year.

## Managerial career

### Alfreton Town

Wilder began his career in management at Alfreton Town. He took over at the club in late October 2001 and in the 27 weeks he was in charge won four trophies: the Northern Counties (East) League Premier Division, the League Cup, the President's Cup and the Derbyshire Senior Cup.

### Halifax Town

Wilder returned to Halifax Town as manager on 2 July 2002. He replaced caretaker manager Neil Redfearn, who had in turn replaced Alan Little (who left on 8 April after falling ill with appendicitis in March). Halifax had been relegated to the Conference at the end of the season.

Wilder was in charge at Halifax for more than 300 games until the club went into liquidation on 30 June 2008, and he decided to join former Halifax defender Alan Knill, as the assistant manager of Bury.

### Oxford United

After fewer than six months at Gigg Lane, Wilder was appointed as the manager of Conference National club Oxford United on 21 December 2008 (replacing Jim Smith who had been caretaker manager in the wake of Darren Patterson's sacking), where he only just missed out on a play-off place in his first season. Wilder's first full season in charge of Oxford began successfully and by mid-season they were top of the Conference table by five points with a game in hand. However, Oxford were overtaken by Stevenage, who would go on to win the title and take the automatic promotion place, consigning the Us to the playoffs with Luton Town, Rushden & Diamonds and York City. They defeated Rushden & Diamonds to reach the play-off final, and gained promotion to the Football League by beating York City 3–1.

In their first season back in the Football League in four years, Wilder guided Oxford to mid-table safety. The team finished 12th, in the top half of the table, their highest finish in seven years. The next season Oxford finished ninth, after poor form late in the season led to the team dropping out of the play-off position they had occupied for most of the year. Oxford's chairman Kelvin Thomas gave Wilder his backing, meaning he would remain manager for the 2012–13 season. Despite failing to achieve a play-off place again in Oxford's third season back in the League, and intense speculation about his future at the club, Wilder was offered and accepted a further one-year contract for the 2013–14 season.

On 26 January 2014 he resigned as Oxford manager with the intention of joining League Two rivals Northampton Town as their manager.

### Northampton Town

On 27 January 2014, Wilder was appointed manager of Northampton Town, signing a three-and-a-half year contract. Wilder successfully battled against relegation to the Conference, after taking over the club in the relegation zone in League 2. He led the side to a mid-table finish in the 2014–15 season, and then to the League Two title the following season with 99 points, despite significant financial difficulties at the club resulting in players and staff not being paid during October and November 2015.

### Sheffield United

On 12 May 2016, Wilder joined his boyhood club Sheffield United as their new manager on a three-year contract, following the parting of company with Nigel Adkins. In the pre-season, despite little financial backing, he was able to bring some new players in, many of which were free transfers. He then made Sheffield born Billy Sharp club captain. However, Wilder’s League One managerial debut got off to a poor start, only gaining a single point from the first four games, which left Sheffield United at the bottom of League One. Despite this, the club pushed on and went on to become League One Champions, securing 100 points in the process, a club record.

His second season was full of highs and few lows. His managerial Championship debut against Brentford ended in a 1–0 win for Sheffield United. Then in September 2017, United beat city rivals Sheffield Wednesday 4–2 at Hillsborough, a record for goals scored by United against Wednesday at Hillsborough. By the end of October, after beating local rivals Leeds United 2–1 at Elland Road, Sheffield United were top of the Championship.

On 28 April 2019, it was confirmed that Wilder had led the Blades to the Premier League following nearest rival Leeds' 1–1 draw at home. This ensured his second promotion in just three years at the club. This achievement earned him the LMA Manager of the Year award.

In July 2019, Wilder signed a new three-year contract with the club. On 10 January 2020, Wilder signed a four-year contract extension with the club. Sheffield United went on to finish ninth in their first season back in the top flight, their best since 1991–92.

On 13 March 2021, Wilder left the club by mutual consent, with the club bottom of the Premier League, with 14 points from 28 games.

## Career statistics

### Playing statistics

Source:

Template:Notelist

## Honours

### Manager

**Alfreton Town**

* Northern Counties East Football League Premier Division: 2001–02
* Northern Counties East Football League League Cup: 2001–02
* Northern Counties East Football League President's Cup: 2001–02
* Derbyshire Senior Cup: 2001–02

**Halifax Town**

* West Riding County Cup: 2003–04

**Oxford United**

* Conference Premier play-offs: 2010Template:Citation needed

**Northampton Town**

* Football League Two: 2015–16

**Sheffield United**

* EFL League One: 2016–17
* EFL Championship runner-up: 2018–19Template:Citation needed

**Individual**

* Football League Two Manager of the Month: January 2015, November 2015, January 2016, February 2016
* LMA League Two Manager of the Year: 2015–16
* EFL League One Manager of the Month: April 2017
* LMA League One Manager of the Year: 2016–17
* LMA Special Achievement Award: 2016–17Template:Citation needed
* EFL Championship Manager of the Month: February 2019, April 2019
* LMA Championship Manager of the Year: 2018–19
* LMA Manager of the Year: 2018–19

## References

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3. ↑ *Millwall advance their Christmas goal rush*, The Times, 29 December 1987
4. ↑ Taylor, Louise. *Clubs face fines for sending weakened sides to tournament*, The Time, 13 December 1988
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Template:ENFA
6. ↑ **Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".**
7. ↑ Alfreton Town Football Club History. Alfreton Town F.C..
8. ↑ **Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".**
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11. ↑ **Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".**
12. ↑ **Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".**
13. ↑ **Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".**
14. ↑ Chris Wilder signs new Oxford United deal. BBC Sport (25 April 2013).
15. ↑ **Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".**
16. ↑ Chris Wilder appointed new manager. Northampton Town F.C..
17. ↑ Northampton Town FC History. Northampton Town F.C..
18. ↑ Northampton Town players and staff paid after Thomas takeover. BBC Sport (3 December 2015).
19. ↑ Blades appoint Wilder as new manager. Sheffield United F.C. (12 May 2016).
20. ↑ **Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".**
21. ↑ Millwall 2 v Sheffield Utd. 1 : Match Report.
22. ↑ Template:Cite journal
23. ↑ Sheffield Utd. 1 v Brentford 0 : Match Report.
24. ↑ Sheffield Wednesday 2 v. Sheffield Utd. 4 : Match Report.
25. ↑ Leeds Utd. 1 v Sheffield Utd. 2 : Match Report.
26. ↑ Sheffield United promoted to the Premier League (en).
27. ↑ 27.0 27.1 27.2 Boss scoops double. Sheffield United FC (15 May 2019).
28. ↑ Sheffield United: Chris Wilder signs new three-year deal as manager. BBC Sport (9 July 2019).
29. ↑ Sheffield United: Chris Wilder: Sheffield United boss extends his contract until 2024. BBC Sport (10 January 2020).
30. ↑ Sheffield United confirm manager Chris Wilder's departure. BBC Spott (13 March 2021).
31. ↑ Managers: Chris Wilder. Centurycomm.
32. ↑ Club Honours. Alfreton Town FC.
33. ↑ 33.0 33.1 33.2 33.3 Club Honours (22 April 2020).
34. ↑ Storton in need of morale booster. *Telegraph & Argus* (18 February 2004).
35. ↑ 35.0 35.1 League Managers Association - Chris Wilder. League Managers Association.
36. ↑ **Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".**
37. ↑ Chris Wilder named Sky Bet League 2 Manager of the Month (en-gb).
38. ↑ Chris Wilder named Sky Bet League 2 Manager of the Month (en-gb).
39. ↑ Chris Wilder named Sky Bet League 2 Manager of the Month (en-gb).
40. ↑ Chris Wilder named Sky Bet League 2 Manager of the Month (en-gb).
41. ↑ 41.0 41.1 More honours for boss Wilder. Sheffield United FC (23 May 2017).
42. ↑ Chris Wilder named Sky Bet League One Manager of the Month.
43. ↑ Sky Bet Championship: February Manager of the Month winner.
44. ↑ Sky Bet Championship: April Manager of the Month winner.
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## External links

* Template:Soccerbase
* Lincoln City F.C. Official Archive Profile

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