Paul Heckingbottom opens up for first time after speculation linking Chris Wilder with Sheffield United return

For those who have followed Sheffield United closely over the course of the last couple of years, to say that the stories that came out last weekend regarding the future of Paul Heckingbottom were a surprise, would be an understatement.

Heckingbottom is popular, in the stands, among the playing squad and staff and probably most importantly, in the boardroom. Even with the Blades struggling to as yet put points on the board this season in the Premier League - a place they hold thanks in no small part to Heckingbottom - at no point has it ever felt like the manager was under any pressure whatsoever.

That former boss Chris Wilder was being touted as a replacement, placed the reports into the April Fools Day file.

Perhaps it’s just something else that comes with life in the Premier League - the national media have a great deal of ground to cover and sometimes there’s a little miscommunication along the way.

Heckingbottom never seems like the type of person to get wound up by such a thing and that turned out to be the case as he spke for the first time about last weekend’s reports as his team prepare to face Newcastle United this weekend.

He could have said nothing and produced, instead, an Alan Partridge-esque exaggerated shoulder shrug.

Instead, the Blades boss told the media, he simply wasn’t bothered. And unlike some in the game, you believed him.

“The amount things I see or get asked questions on, that are rubbish, or... listen there’s no smoke without fire, I get that,” he said. “But the mount of things that get into the media that are total rubbish, I get asked about them all the time. Am I worried about it? No. If there was truth in it, would I worry about it? No. It doesn’t affect me one little bit.

“You are asking the wrong person, you can ask me about the players, you would need to ask the board about anything like that.”

He added: “I have spoke to Steve [Bettis], he says it is nonsense and just carry on, just wanted to make sure you are aware of that. It is always there as a manager.

“Is it unfair on me? I’m not bothered about that, I’m really not. Is it an unfair part of the job? Yes, but everyone has it. It’s not an issue, it’s just the way it is.”