Chris Wilder - ‘100th win is about Sheffield United players, not me’

Chris Wilder claimed his 100th win as Sheffield United manager before insisting the FA Cup victory at Bristol Rovers was all about his team’s first success of the season, and not about him.
Jayden Bogle: Made his mark with a goal that ended Sheffield United’s long wait for a win. (Picture: Darren Staples/Sportimage)Jayden Bogle: Made his mark with a goal that ended Sheffield United’s long wait for a win. (Picture: Darren Staples/Sportimage)
Jayden Bogle: Made his mark with a goal that ended Sheffield United’s long wait for a win. (Picture: Darren Staples/Sportimage)

Oliver Burke and Jayden Bogle added to an early Joe Day own goal as the Premier League’s basement club beat Bristol Rovers 3-2 at the Memorial Stadium.

Alfie Kilgour and Max Ehmer had scored equalisers after United’s first and second goals to give the Sky Bet League One club hope of causing an upset.

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But it was not enough to stop United bagging a first success at the 19th attempt this season and Wilder taking his victories as Blades manager into three figures, six months after win No 99 came against Chelsea in the Premier League.

Oliver Burke of Sheffield Utd celebrates scoring the second goal during the FA Cup (Picture: Darren Staples/Sportimage)Oliver Burke of Sheffield Utd celebrates scoring the second goal during the FA Cup (Picture: Darren Staples/Sportimage)
Oliver Burke of Sheffield Utd celebrates scoring the second goal during the FA Cup (Picture: Darren Staples/Sportimage)

“It’s never ever been about me,” said Wilder, after a week when he had to answer speculation about his future.

“It’s always been about putting the football club first and the whole football club needed a win.

“We needed a win because of the form and the results we’ve produced so far. We needed a win for the players and the football club, and we went as strong as we could.

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“It’s not a huge game for people outside our football club.

Chris Wilder celebrated a 100th win (Picture: Darren Staples/Sportimage)Chris Wilder celebrated a 100th win (Picture: Darren Staples/Sportimage)
Chris Wilder celebrated a 100th win (Picture: Darren Staples/Sportimage)

“But it’s a big win for the run we’ve been in and we had to get a result for the players and the supporters.

“The players have taken a hit in confidence and belief, but we’ve got through a tricky tie that a lot of people in the football world would have expected us to lose.”

Rovers are just above the League One relegation zone but Paul Tisdale’s side had won four of their last five games heading into this one. “They are currently in decent nick and we’re not,” said Wilder. “We had opportunities to kill the game off, but they had nothing to lose and we had everything to lose.”

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Bristol Rovers: Day, Ehmer, Kilgour, Baldwin, Leahy, Westbrooke, Upson (Rodman 80), McCormick, Oztumer (Grant 60), Hanlan, Ayunga (Barrett 60). Unused substitutes: van Stappershoef, Little, Kelly, Hargreaves, Harries, Koiki.

Sheffield United: Ramsdale, Basham, Egan, Ampadu, Bogle, Lundstram (Bryan 74), Norwood, Fleck (Lowe 86), Osborn, McGoldrick, Mousset (Burke 53). Unused substitutes: Sharp, Jagielka, Verrips, Brewster, Gordon.

Referee: K Stroud (Hampshire).

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