Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder reveals how a Sheffield Wednesday legend first introduced him to Bristol City's Dean Holden

Tonight, when Chris Wilder and Dean Holden meet on the touchline before kick-off at Bramall Lane, two men who first became friends thanks to their mutual acquaintance John Sheridan will have plenty to discuss.
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Wilder, the Sheffield United manager, has seen his season ruined by injury. Holden, whose Bristol City side are mid-table in the Championship, is missing several major players too. With both clubs’ league campaigns likely to end in disappointment, the FA Cup represents arguably their most realistic hope of achieving some success following a difficult few months - something which has imbued this fifth round tie with an even greater sense of importance than might otherwise be the case.

“I’ve known Dean since he was at Chesterfield through Shez,” Wilder said, revealing how he first got to know his counterpart at Ashton Gate. “I’ve come across him a few times since and he’s doing really well in his first job in management. They’ve had a few fitness issues too, some big ones, and that hits you hard.”

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Although bridging the 12 point gap between United and Premier League safety remains Wilder’s number one target, his priorities have subtly shifted of late. Rather than viewing knockout competition as an opportunity to prevent those on the periphery of his starting eleven from gathering ring rust, Wilder now views reaching the later stages as an integral part of United’s survival masterplan. After securing their first win since July at Bristol Rovers last month, the confidence Wilder’s men took from that result has translated into a series of more productive performances at top-flight level. Narrowly beaten by Chelsea on Sunday, United have prepared for this match having won five of their last eight outings - a sequence which includes victories over Newcastle, Manchester United and of course Plymouth Argyle in the previous round.

Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder: Andrew Yates/SportimageSheffield United manager Chris Wilder: Andrew Yates/Sportimage
Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder: Andrew Yates/Sportimage

After losing three in a row, City also view the fixture not only as a chance to secure a place in the quarter-finals but also to regain some momentum as they chase play-off qualification. Chris Martin and Callum O’Dowda are among those unavailable to Holden, who also represented Bolton Wanderers and Shrewsbury as a player before taking charge of City in August. But Tomas Kalas, a Czech Republic international, Nahki Wells and new signing Henri Lansbury remain at his disposal. Andreas Weimann, who scored a hat-trick when these two teams met at Bramall Lane two years ago, is a long-term absentee as he recovers from a torn ACL.

Noting how meetings between United and City “tend to be tight”, Wilder nevertheless hopes his squad’s experience since achieving promotion a month after Weimann’s goal spree condemned them to a 3-2 defeat will prove crucial. Speaking earlier this month, Wilder acknowledged the athleticism of top-flight footballers has grown beyond all recognition in recent seasons.

“In the past, there was always more of an opportunity to cause a big one because if you were from a lower division you could play in a manner the lads at the pinnacle weren’t used to,” he said, outlining his own theory about why upsets are growing increasingly rare. “That’s not the case as much anymore, because the conditioning of the boys in the Premier League is phenomenal. “There’s always opportunities for one though. We have to make sure there isn’t one here.”

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