When Chris Wilder is feeling down he thinks about the Sheffield United team he took from League One to ninth in the Premier League, and it inspires him to go again.

Wilder is in his third spell managing his boyhood club, but his first will take some beating. Saturday's Championship game at home to Hull City will bring back three stalwarts of that time in John Egan, John Lundstram and Oli McBurnie.

The Tigers trio are looking to cement a Championship play-off spot with five games to play.

After narrowly losing last season’s final, 2025-26 should have been a title tilt for the Blades, but the disastrous decision to sack Wilder in May – he was reinstated in September – has left them as mid-table also-rans.

"When you feel a little bit down and things aren't going your way, you look back at what has happened and what has given you success," admits Wilder, who first landed his dream job on the back of great work at Halifax Town, Oxford United and Northampton Town.

"I was looking through a player of the year presentation and all the boys got on the stage and they'd made a song. John Egan's there and he's captain at the front.

"It's always easier when you're winning but that group will have had bad times and bad periods as well. They've come through it and we will come through this.

"We're taking a bit of pain and a little bit of criticism at the moment, which we have to deal with.

REUNITED: Chris Wilder will come up against John Lundstram when Sheffield United host Hull City on Saturday (Image: Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)

placeholder image — REUNITED: Chris Wilder will come up against John Lundstram when Sheffield United host Hull City on Saturday (Image: Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)

"We need to reset that to have new Oli Macs and John Egans to talk about in the future."

It is the character of those two, plus Lundstram, Wilder is most keen to recreate.

He called the trio: "Winners who want to do it right, want to enjoy the football, want to affect people around them – culture-carriers, standard-setters with character and personality. They're not robots, they're great characters.

"All three of them are playing a major part in Hull City's achievements so far this season, which is a great achievement by the manager (Sergej Jakirovic) and the players. Regan (Slater) as well."

SPECIAL BOND: Oli McBurnie (left) and John Egan have picked up where they left off since joining Hull City (Image: Tony King/Getty Images)

The bond Wilder feels with that team which went from League One to Premier League is equally strong amongst the players.

"As soon as Oli walked through the door (at Hull), it was like we'd never even spent a day away," says Egan. "He was in Spain last season.

"I hadn't shared a dressing room with Lunny (Lundstram) for a few years and then he walks in the door as well and it's like nothing's ever happened in between."