Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder makes Billy Sharp admission after shock retirement U-turn
Sheffield United hero Billy Sharp has agreed to join AFC Rushden & Diamonds on a short-term deal
Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder has responded to Billy Sharp’s retirement U-turn after he returned to Rushden & Diamonds FC.
United legend Billy Sharp announced his retirement only last month after he was confirmed as an N5 player in the Baller League and has played two games and scored one goal so far.
Sharp has now come out of retirement to join Northern Premier League side AFC Rushden & Diamonds as they prepare for their FA Cup match against Burton Albion on Saturday.
Sharp played for Rushden & Diamonds in 2005 on loan from Sheffield United, scoring nine goals in 16 appearances.
The eighth-tier club hinted that the Championship top scorer has signed a short-term deal that sees him available to play against Burton in the FA Cup only after Rushden were left without any striker options due to injuries and suspensions.
The club announcement stated he would be ‘putting on the shirt for the final time’ against the Brewers.
On the matter, Wilder said: “He's got fingers in pies all over the place, hasn’t he? He's playing golf. He's on Sky. He's doing podcasts. He's on the EFL show this afternoon, or something like that.”
When asked if he thought that the United legend still had the ability to play at a higher level than what he is, he responded: “Yeah, I was surprised he retired. I thought that knowing Billy, personally, he'd have a little go for the record.
“ (He) still keeps himself incredibly fit. I think he's playing a bit of padle as well.
“I mean, there's plenty of players playing Sunday league football and playing vets football as well, isn't there? They can't give it up, and they're at charity games as well, but he obviously has a connection down there, playing for them when he went out on loan from us, when he was a young boy, when they were in the Football League.”
Due to the game being played at 3 pm on Saturday afternoon, it is not available to be broadcast in the UK, meaning fans will have to attend the Pirelli Stadium to watch the match live.