Sheffield United's biggest success this season as Chris Wilder's latest revolution banishes Prem hangover fear

The Championship league table, as the division broke off for the current international break, spoke volumes about the start to the campaign enjoyed by Sheffield United. More wins than any other team, and more points won. The second-best defensive record in the division, joint top of the league. And the small matter of a Sheffield derby win over Wednesday sent them there for good measure.

But some things can’t be measured as easily, the intangibles that potentially please boss Chris Wilder more than any statistic or league table. Just months after coming down from the Premier League beaten, battered and bruised, United are once again a connected football club and the scale of that turnaround shouldn’t be underestimated.

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Last season was such a sobering experience that there were genuine fears over the future amongst sections of the fanbase. Some even believed United were more likely to get out of the Championship through the relegation trapdoor than be promoted again. But a huge summer overhaul banished any fears of a hangover and has completely changed the mood around Bramall Lane. And 10 wins from 15 games so far is just reward.

“We need to be that football club,” boss Wilder said. “We can't win or achieve anything when we're not connected. At times we're not and I've been critical. People are saying things and showing us signs at Boro, and it’s bang out of order. The players gave it their all at Leeds and Middlesbrough, and we just weren't good enough.

“Whether that’s me, in terms of not picking the right team or formation ... but we'll have bumps in the road and we’ll all make mistakes. But what you’ll see is the last 10 minutes [against Wednesday], when they’re putting everything on the line to get that result. They put everything on the line to make it a special night for everybody.”

The blueprint has already been laid out for United, going back to Wilder’s first spell in charge at Bramall Lane when that remarkable connection between manager, players and supporters helped catapult them to two promotions in three years and a remarkable tilt at Europe that was only derailed by a global pandemic. United could not replicate such heroics in the top flight last season but their quest for another crack at the first attempt could barely have gone better.

"We were miles off of it last year,” admitted Wilder, who returned in December after Paul Heckingbottom was sacked. “Miles off. It was a difficult season, of course. The club weren't prepared to go into the Premier League and it was a real difficult time - difficult for Paul, and difficult for me. The players were undercooked and the Premier League is incredibly ruthless in what it can do to you.

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"So to bring it all back together was key. It was time for a change, I think everyone recognises that. I speak to Flecky [John Fleck, one of a number of players moved on] and those boys and the majority understood it all. It was time to change the way we played and bring some energy from the academy. For an 18-year-old boy [Ryan One] to be our centre-forward off the bench was a great experience for him, for Femi Seriki and Sydie Peck to come on.

"Bringing those boys in, smart signings we've made, the fees that we paid for Michael Cooper and Harrison Burrows. A lot of hard work went into this summer's recruitment, added to their attitudes and personality in terms of wanting to run around and be a player. And be a player for this football club. We're all enjoying working with them, me and Knilly. They were all together at the end; the subs who didn’t get on aren’t walking down the tunnel. They’re together, and you need that. And you especially need it here at Sheffield United.”