Chris Wilder's 'masterstroke' amid praise from Premier League and former Sheffield United star

A former Sheffield United loanee and England international has credited one decision Chris Wilder has made since returning to the club as a ‘masterstroke’ as the Blades’ turnaround in fortunes continues.

United’s win over Sheffield Wednesday at the weekend, threw Wilder and his side back into the national spotlight following their top flight relegation last season and prompted praise for the manager for how he has quickly swept away the negativity of that desperate year in the Premier League.

One decision at the time of his return raised eyebrows but has since been deemed a great call; that of promoting boyhood Blade Ollie Arblaster to captain at the age of 19.

Now 20, Arblaster has kept hold of the armband with Jack Robinson yet to break back into the team after recovering from injury and led out the team in the derby at Bramall Lane on Sunday.

“I think that was a masterstroke,” said Leicester City’s former Blade Conor Coady on BBC Radio 5 Live’s Monday Night Club. “I know Jack Robinson who's still there and still captain but little things like that [make a big difference].”

Coady went on to add: “I think over the years what we have seen from Chris Wilder, sometimes it just fits doesn’t it? A manager and a football club just fits. We seen it the first time they got promoted and they were playing that way and how clever he was when he was playing that way and you see now, he's changed the formation from back then and the way he has got the team playing now is brilliant.”