Sheffield United have confirmed the departure of manager Chris Wilder by mutual consent.
Speculation had mounted over Wilder’s future on Friday, when the Premier League club’s media duties were cancelled.
Wilder, who enjoyed great success after taking charge of his boyhood club in 2016 and guiding them from League One to the top flight, leaves with the Blades bottom of the Premier League.
Tensions between Wilder and club owner Abdullah bin Musa’ad bin Abdulaziz Al Saud have heightened recently. Only last week, Wilder stated he did not know if he would still be in charge next season, despite confirming he wanted to remain at Bramall Lane if the board and owners “stick to the plan”.
Saturday’s statement said the mutual decision had been made “following discussions”. Wilder was quoted, saying: : “Being manager of Sheffield United has been a special journey and one I’ll never forget. I was delighted to be given the opportunity back in 2016 and have been delighted with the success which we have achieved, including two promotions and a highest ever Premier League finish.
“I’d like to thank everyone who has contributed to the club’s accomplishments along the way, including the players, staff and, in particular, the supporters.”
Blades later confirmed under-23s manager Paul Heckingbottom would be taking charge of the first team at Leicester on Sunday. The former Barnsley, Leeds and Hibernian manager is set to remain in charge for the remainder of the 2020-21 campaign, the club added, with Jason Tindall, the former Bournemouth manager, to join Alan Knill as part of the backroom staff.
“It is a great honour to be considered to lead this club until the end of the season and I thank the board for putting their trust in me,” Heckingbottom said. “We have a lot of work to do, but have a great support network, all of whom will bring valuable knowledge and experience, as we look to finish the season strongly.”
The Blades are marooned at the foot of the Premier League table with just 14 points from 28 matches and will have to stage the most extraordinary revival in top-flight history in their 10 remaining matches to escape relegation to the Championship.
United’s struggles this season are in stark contrast to the success that Wilder inspired for most of his reign. He was hired in May 2016 after guiding Northampton Town to the League Two title and won League One in his first season in charge of United, the club he has supported since childhood and for whom he made over 100 appearances during two stints as a player.
It took him just two seasons to lead United out of the Championship and then, last season, his team took the Premier League by storm, defying predictions of instant relegation by soaring up the table with an energetic and tactically innovative style. After flirting with European qualification, they ended their maiden season in the top flight in ninth..
The club spent around £50m in an effort to build on that achievement, including a record fee for Rhian Brewster, but most of the recruits have failed to excel and that fact, combined with injuries to key players, contributed to a dreadful start to the campaign from which United have never recovered. Wilder expected to be given funds last in January to repair his squad and mount a fight for Premier League survival, but they did not materialise.
• This article was amended on 13 March 2021. Chris Wilder won League Two in his final season with Northampton Town, not League One as an earlier version said.
