Sheffield United: Northampton Town can expect no favours from former boss Chris Wilder

Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder is determined to put the boot into Northampton Town tomorrow despite admitting he still has a great deal of affection for his former club.
Chris Wilder (right) and his assistant Alan Knill helped Northampton Town win the League Two title last season. Pic Simon Bellis/SportimageChris Wilder (right) and his assistant Alan Knill helped Northampton Town win the League Two title last season. Pic Simon Bellis/Sportimage
Chris Wilder (right) and his assistant Alan Knill helped Northampton Town win the League Two title last season. Pic Simon Bellis/Sportimage

Wilder spent 28 months at Sixfields, winning last season’s League Two title despite a serious financial crisis, before taking charge of United in May.

But, speaking ahead of their meeting at Bramall Lane, the 49-year-old said: “They are a good solid club. There’s no doubt about it, there’s an affiliation, there can’t not be after two-and-a-half years and I always look for their result.

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“But there’s won’t be anything handed out from me and there won’t be anything handed out from them because I want to turn them over and they’ll want to do the same to us.”

Wilder’s side enter the match second in the League One, a point behind leaders Scunthorpe, after beating Oldham Athletic on Boxing Day. Northampton, now managed by former United defender Robert Page, are 13th following their victory over Oxford.

“I’ve got a lot of respect for Rob, I know him pretty well,” Wilder, a lifelong United supporter, added. “There’s proper people at board level and to work for two or three months without getting paid shows what their commitment is like. They are proper people, proper men and proper professionals.”