Sheffield United: Were the Blades right to sack Paul Heckingbottom and hire Chris Wilder?

It had been a bad start to the season for Sheffield United.

Two important players had been sold. And now the manager who led the Blades to promotion to the Premier League just a few months ago, Paul Heckingbottom, has been sacked and replaced with former boss Chris Wilder.

Have the club done the right thing? The Star went out onto the streets of Sheffield to find out the views of fans of clubs on the wisdom of the change, which followed the 5-0 defeat at Burnley.

Stuart Kendell, speaking to The Star outside Sheffield Cathedral, described himself as a Rotherham United fan, and thought it was too early to judge.

He said: “Unfortunately, only time will tell. It could have been a lot worse. It’s a difficult position that they’re in, but at least Chris Wilder knows the scene, he knows the score. I think he’ll get the most out of the players he possibly can, but I have to say that my allegiance is with Rotherham United, not Sheffield United, and we’re looking for a new manager as well.”

Speaking at the bottom of Fargate, Karen Jenkinson, from Stradbroke, said she thought the club had done the right thing in changing the manager, but was not sure about the choice of successor. She said: “Yes, I do. But I’m not sure about fetching Chris Wilder back, because I don’t think the fans are too keen.”

Blades fan Jannine Latham believes they have made a mistake. Speaking on Fargate, she said: “I like Hecky, but I don’t think they should have got rid of him because it’s the people above him not giving him what he needs. We haven’t got the funding or anything to buy new players. He can only work with what he’s got. No matter who comes in has to work with the same people he’s got.”

Blades fan Phil Barlow, from Richmond, thought the club had done the wrong thing. He said: “If Wilder had been that good, someone else would have come in for him months ago.” He said he thought Heckingbottom had tried his best. “It’s the players,” he said. “They’ve let him down.”

Speaking to the Star on Fargate, Jake Edwards, from Stannington, added: “Consensus seems to be in my office that yes, it was the right thing to do.”