Sheffield United: 'Grounded' Blades are told to only look forward, not back

United hit the 100-point mark in winning the League One title last term, and seven victories from their first 11 Championship games suggests that winning habit has certainly carried over.

But Wilder, whose side return to action at home to Ipswich Town tomorrow afternoon after the international break, insists his side are not just fixated on the past.

“We have talked about it, but it’s no good patting ourselves on the back,” he said.

“The biggest thing now is the next game coming up. But the players needed rest and a little bit of downtime, so they had that in the break.

“We also had a review of the season so far. Not just on the good things and results, but the other things as well.

“It’s important when we review, we touch on every aspect.

“We are obviously delighted with the position we are in, but we totally understand that there are still three quarters of the season to go.

“The players keep themselves grounded, so I’m not being arrogant about that but they don’t need that chat from me. We are in a good place and want to keep that going.

“But I’m delighted at how we have started, I don’t think anybody can be with the results we have had and the way we have gone about it.”

That included defeat at Nottingham Forest in their last outing, despite going ahead though John Lundstram and dominating for large periods of a game which led Wilder to afterwards declare: ‘We’ve arrived in this division now’.

“Yes, we didn’t get a result at Forest,” Wilder conceded, “but the way we went about the game, pushing for a result, was not a side who takes a backwards step.

“That’s not something we want to do, right the way throughout the season.

“And that won’t ever change.”

Meanwhile, United’s popular matchday ground tour will return for the back-to-back home fixtures against Ipswich and Reading.

Led by John Garrett from 12.50pm, the tours take fans behind the scenes at Bramall Lane and into the tunnel, Wilder’s technical area and the directors’ box, concluding in United’s Legends of the Lane museum.

The tour, which isn’t recommended for younger Blades, is £6 for adults and £4 for concessions and can be booked over the phone (0114 253 7200) or at the Bramall Lane ticket office.