Sheffield United: Chris Wilder won't apologise for goal celebrations

Wilder, a lifelong United supporter, charged out of the technical area to celebrate with his players after Ethan Ebanks-Landell’s late equaliser at Fleetwood Town earlier this month.

Speaking ahead of tomorrow’s League One match against Port Vale, Wilder said: “That’s why we are in the game, for moments like that. I am not embarrassed by it. I want my players to play with passion, commitment and pride and they are doing that. I am a big believer that, if I haven’t got any passion or my staff haven’t to work for this football club, then how’s that going to look to the players?

“If you run about, people say you have lost your head. If you stand still, you have no passion. You just have to be yourself, and that’s me. I won’t apologise for anything. It’s not going to happen every week but it was an afternoon which was frustrating (until the equaliser).”

United enter their meeting with Bruno Ribeiro’s side eighth in the table and unbeaten in their last seven league games.

Wilder, who made 127 appearances for United as a player, said: “That’s my emotion for my football club. You saw the reaction from the staff and the players and more importantly the supporters.

“Scoring a goal is the hardest thing in football, so when you do score, you have to celebrate. I didn’t get that opportunity to do that many times in my playing career. Once I scored and ran to my pals in the John Street and nobody followed me. They were all wondering ‘Where’s he off too?’”