Doncaster Rovers boss lifts lid on Chris Wilder talks after Billy Sharp was given Sheffield United offer
Billy Sharp was offered the opportunity by Chris Wilder to return to Sheffield United in a coaching capaicty last year.
Doncaster Rovers manager Grant McCann has admitted he had a discussion with Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder about the prospect of granting Billy Sharp a move to Bramall Lane earlier this year.
Sharp, who announced his retirement from football at the age of 40 earlier this month, revealed in a recent interview with BBC Radio Sheffield that he was offered the opportunity to return to Bramall Lane around this time last year in a coaching capacity.
He admitted that he had been ready to retire in 2025 to take up a coaching role at Bramall Lane after Wilder had approached him with an offer to join his backroom team. United were keen to strengthen their coaching department following Jack Lester’s move to Brentford and Sharp was keen on the idea.
After returning to Doncaster in the summer of 2024, Sharp signed a new one-year deal with the League One side in May 2025, meaning he was only a few months into his contract when Wilder approached him. Sharp informed McCann of his interest in the role, admitting that he was ready to retire from playing.
However, the former striker remained with Rovers and finished the season with 14 goals, including a hat-trick against Peterborough United on the final day. Despite his impressive tally, he was not offered a new contract and was subsequently released by the club. He therefore brought his playing career to an end with 299 goals to his name.
“We didn't really know what he wanted to do because he spoke to me around this time last year about getting into coaching at Sheffield United,” McCann said, as quoted by the Doncaster Free Press.
“Did he want to continue to play and get the 300? Did he want to go into coaching? I actually spoke to Chris Wilder about it. I said, ‘Chris, listen, if you can wait until January, you can have him.’
“I'm not going to stand in Billy's way of coming back to a club that he loves. I think Chris ended up appointing Gary McSheffery into the role.”
Now that Sharp has called time on his playing career, it remains to be seen whether he will return to S2 in a coaching role. However, McCann has not ruled out the possibility of Sharp taking up a similar role at Rovers.
“Never say never,” added the Rovers boss. “To have somebody with his experience in and around, you know, what we already have, then, for sure.
“But I know that his heart's set on getting in and coaching around Sheffield United.
“If I could create a role for him, then I would do my best to do that. But at the minute, I think his focus is on the media stuff, the Baller League and maybe, at some point, getting back involved with Chris.”