Sheffield United are confident going into this weekend’s Steel City derby against Sheffield Wednesday, as they continue their pursuit of a spot in the Championship play-offs after a poor start to the season.

The Blades still have a chance of reducing the gap on the top six in the coming weeks, and there will be expectations at Bramall Lane on Sunday that three points will stay in the red half of the city, with the Owls clinging to their second-tier status for the time being.

While Chris Wilder’s side has the potential to relegate its neighbours, the work may have be done if results against Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday go their way, making them the quickest side to be demoted from the Championship in its history.

Nonetheless, Sheffield United’s chief executive, Stephen Bettis, has spoken about a number of current difficulties at the club and how the ownership is adjusting, including one that occurred over the summer.

Stephen Bettis outlines the crucial Sheffield United decision that COH Sports got right.

Wilder was fired by the Blades following his team’s play-off final loss to Sunderland in May. However, after Ruben Selles faced the same fate earlier this season, the 58-year-old was invited back to assist the club turn their season around.

When Sheffield United first decided to part ways with their iconic manager, questions were raised, and Bettis has spoken out about what COH Sports learned from that error. He stated (via Danny Hall): “This has been talked extensively… the lads recognize that they have minimal experience and have made some blunders. The positive aspect of the situation is that they were willing to admit their mistakes and accept responsibility.I doubt many owners would have done what they did. They realised it wasn’t working with Ruben Selles, and I doubt many would have returned to the former management. But they were large enough to admit that Chris Wilder was the best guy for the job and big enough to reverse course.

“They’ll learn that they need to trust us. It’s a new connection, and they’re learning to trust us, understanding our strengths and shortcomings, and loving them while allowing us to show them what we’re capable of.”

Chris Wilder’s record at Sheffield United is amazing.

Wilder has managed the Blades in the Premier League, Championship, and League One, and his influence on the team has been enormous. While his choice to leave while the squad was on the verge of relegation to the top division was criticized, he has more than compensated.

The former Middlesbrough manager has won 153 of his 333 games in charge of Sheffield United, drawing 60 and losing the remaining 120. It’s a tremendously fantastic record, and it has earned him the prominence that he deserves in S2.

He has two promotions with the Blades, the first in the 2016/17 season when his side advanced from League One to the Championship, and the second two years later when the South Yorkshire club returned to the Premier League for the first time in more than a decade.

While this season has not gone quite as planned, there is still time for Wilder to perform his magic and propel Sheffield United into the crucial play-off spots.