Oli McBurnie and Hull City have strengthened Chris Wilder's Sheffield United transfer argument
Hull City clinched promotion to the Premier League on Saturday after former Sheffield United man Oli McBurnie scored the winner at Wembley.
As Sheffield United walked out at Wembley for the Championship play-off final against Sunderland exactly a year ago today, Hull City were still breathing a huge sigh of relief after narrowly avoiding relegation to League One a few weeks earlier.
The Tigers avoided relegation to the third tier on goal difference on the final day of the season after drawing 1-1 with Portsmouth at Fratton Park. Rubén Sellés, by the skin of his teeth, had achieved his brief and kept Hull in the division.
Twelve months later and Hull are celebrating an unexpected promotion to the Premier League, ending their nine-year absence from the top flight. Former United striker Oli McBurnie was on hand to score the winner at Wembley on Saturday, turning home a £200million goal in the 95th minute to seal a 1-0 win over Middlesbrough and settle a dire contest.
Unlike last year, albeit for contrasting reasons, Hull’s players were not celebrating with Sellés; he was sacked less than a fortnight after the aforementioned draw at Portsmouth and replaced by Sergej Jakirović just under a month later.
Exactly a week after Hull appointed Jakirović as Sellés’ successor, the latter ended up at Bramall Lane, replacing Chris Wilder. It was a bold move by the United hierarchy and it wasn’t long before it turned out to be a disastrous one.
Sellés appointment wrecked United’s season and altered the direction of last summer’s recruitment plans. The Blades took too many risks in last summer’s transfer window, bringing in too many signings that represented gambles.
Sellés’ disastrous start meant he was sacked six games into his tenure, opening the door for Wilder to make a swift return. Had the boyhood Blade been in charge last summer, United’s recruitment would have been very different, and there is a strong possibility McBurnie may have returned to Bramall Lane.
“He should have a red and white shirt on in my opinion, and he was available," Wilder said last October. "There was always talk about Kieffer (Moore) going, and I think everyone recognises the horses-for-courses nature of it. Different ways of playing and different forwards I've always gone with."
Wilder added: "There was always a chance that Kieffer would go in the summer, especially when the deal was made and became available.
"Obviously, I wasn’t here at the time, but speaking to Steve [Bettis], Kieffer wanted to go (to Wrexham), and the new manager didn’t feel he was part of the plan, so it was a good bit of business by Steve.
“Kieffer got an extended deal, and I think he got a couple more quid as well. I’m not being critical of him because he contributed to our 92 points last season, but I would have always been looking for a number nine, and Oli was available.
“He's somebody that I keep in contact with quite regularly. I'm a fan, not just as a player, as a personality. I thought he made a great contribution to our ninth-place finish but there was always criticism of Oli by certain, real small sections of our support."
Had McBurnie returned to Bramall Lane last summer, there is, of course, no guarantee he would have delivered the same number of goals he did for Hull this season. Hindsight in football is, of course, a wonderful thing.
However, his Wembley winner on Saturday was his 19th goal of a stellar campaign, making him the signing of the season in the Championship this term considering he arrived in East Yorkshire on a free transfer.
Wilder, following his return to the Blades in September, felt United lacked a focal point, a proper No.9, at the top end of the pitch, meaning that was why he went out and recruited Patrick Bamford, who has turned out to be an excellent addition at Bramall Lane.
Ahead of this summer’s transfer window, Wilder has addressed the importance of United recruiting players with Championship experience to move forward next season. Hull, who were under a fee restriction ban last summer, limiting their options, went down that route themselves ahead of this summer, signing the likes of Semi Ajayi, Akin Famewo, John Lundstram and Joe Gelhardt alongside McBurnie.
They were added to a squad that already featured a strong Championship spine including the likes of John Egan and Matt Crooks. Egan, another former Blade, was another key figure in Hull’s promotion, highlighting the value in experience and strong leadership.
Hull, with the utmost respect, are not a team blessed with flair players and excitement. Instead, they have industrious and driven individuals that contribute to the functioning of a hard-working, committed team.
United, many will argue, have more talented individuals than Hull, namely Gustavo Hamer, Callum O’Hare and Andre Brooks. However, Hull, certainly this season, had the spine and the character United didn’t.
It is those factors Wilder will be looking to reinstall this summer.