Alan Biggs at Large: Hecky a victim of his own success

And I think they are, much as Chris Wilder’s return is rightly and resoundingly welcomed.

Mainly because Heckingbottom was by no means the main architect of his own demise. His house blew down because it was made of straw.

And admittedly so were many performances which, more than results and for which he was ultimately responsible, condemned an already condemned man.

There is a way to lose but equally there is a way to prepare for a return to the Premier League. The club fell well short in both areas.

And, for all the unacceptability of those shocking no-shows, making the departure of one of the club’s highest-achieving modern managers inevitable, nothing much will change unless the hierarchy does.

Heckingbottom was a classic victim of his own success in getting Sheffield United promoted to a level that neither he, nor any other manager, had much chance of sustaining.

And that task became even more mountainous when he entered the season stripped of his two best players and had to integrate signings on the run.

That’s even before an injury crisis. Which is not excusing results but fully understanding them. Overall, extremely unlucky, in this column’s view.

The return of Chris Wilder is a separate issue. This was the best and most logical course of action, although he won’t find the task any easier than anyone else.

As per a recent column, Wilder’s DNA has run through the club virtually uninterrupted since he arrived in 2016 to lever the first of two promotions.

His template was one Hecky himself has worked to, maintaining similar team shape and mentality. Until this season it worked, posing a question against it for the future.

Some of Wilder’s critics, a minority, insist they can’t forgive him for “walking out” on a club doomed to relegation from the Premier League in March, 2021.

In truth, they walked out on each other. Both owner and manager regret the hard-line stances they took. They accept the parting should never have happened and have made up.

Wilder, for his part, has “owned” the relegation that followed.

But here’s a thing. Listening to some of his detractors, it’s as if the previous season’s ninth place in the top flight has been airbrushed out of history.

That was, and remains, pretty darn amazing and worthy of more than one three-quarter season of grace.

Sometimes I can’t believe how brutal and unforgiving a small section of Blades can be in their judgment of against-the-odds achievers.

United’s struggle and Hecky’s demise go hand in hand. Both inevitable.

The “new” manager and his predecessor are two of the club’s post war finest, alongside John Harris, Dave Bassett and Neil Warnock.

United are extremely fortunate to be able to switch from one to the other.