Chris Wilder has shared his thoughts on whether Sheffield does enough to promote its status as the home of football

Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder believes the Steel City should be more vocal about being the home of football.

Wilder was quizzed on whether he feels Sheffield does enough as a city to shout about its history as the birthplace of the most popular sport on the planet after news broke of Jon McClure’s decision to venture into the world of football as chairman of the sport’s oldest club, Sheffield FC.

The Stocksbridge-born coach explained: “No I’ve said it before. Manchester, Leeds, London, Birmingham, Liverpool would all be much more vociferous and vocal about that. And there’s so many good things happening in this city from every cultural aspect of it, and football is obviously a massive part of everybody’s everyday life.

“So oldest ground in the world, oldest football club in the world, rules of football drawn up in Sheffield. It’s an absolutely unique city in terms of that. And no we don’t from a council point of view and every aspect we don’t promote it enough. But the profile Jon and Chris have got, in the work they're doing, high profile guys they’re pushing it and I know how keen and passionate they are about it. And about Sheffield Wednesday of course as we are with our football club, but also about the city.”

Wilder thinks McClure has an ‘invaluable’ role to play at Sheffield FC

Wilder has heaped praise on musician Jon McClure describing him as a ‘massive supporter of Sheffield’.

McClure, the frontman of the band The Reverend and the Makers, has assumed the role of chairman of the 168-year-old club, teaming up with leading music executive David Bianchi, who is also part of a consortium which is taking a sizable share of the club.

Their mission is to help the 168-year-old club climb up the leagues in the years to come, while also enhanching the profile of the Steel City by further promoting its status as the home of football and the place where the rules of the game were first written.

Wilder knows McClure and his brother, Chris, as he teamed up with both to support for the Weston Park charity push.

“The Weston Park hospital is something that’s close to everyone's heart in the area and beyond,” explained Blades boss Wilder.

“Getting over the line with the big push to secure the new machine that’s going to affect everyone. And they’ve both been brilliant people to work with and I’ve got to know them.

“He (Jon) asked me a couple of things about progression on the football side of it and I’ve tried to help him and advise him a little bit. I’m a massive supporter of Sheffield football and I often go and see Richard Pillinger and Hallam FC.

“I think Sheffield FC should be in a better position than what it is. But hopefully with John’s massive enthusiasm about helping Sheffield FC, the oldest club in the world, opening that up and opening Sheffield as a city from a football point of view [it will improve].

“His enthusiasm, his contacts, they are going to be invaluable. And I have no doubt that it will get up to a level on and off the pitch that represents the city. And I’ll be delighted if any small way I can help with Jon and hopefully see a bit of progression with both clubs in the city.”