George Baldock an example to follow as Wembley-bound Sheffield United remember Bramall Lane favourite

And in the likes of Michael Cooper and Harrison Burrows, Wilder sees others who have trodden a similar path to Baldock up the English pyramid and hopes they can take the next step into the Premier League on Saturday.

The Blades meet Sunderland at Wembley with a place in the top flight the prize for the victors. Inevitably at some point minds will turn to Baldock, who left the club in the summer and died in the autumn, shortly into his Panathinaikos career.

Wilder called the tributes to Baldock from the stands during the semi-final second leg victory over Bristol City some of the most powerful emotions he had felt at a Bramall Lane stadium his life has revolved around.

But whilst the former Greek wing-back will be present with his old team, Wilder will not overplay it at Wembley.

"Every club's got their own stories," he said. "This is somebody that was an incredibly popular player for the football club that some of the players that are still with us played with and lived nine or 10 months of their lives with.

"I think the club and the players have handled it incredibly well and gone about it the right way - remembering George, which is really important.

"It won't be why if we don't get the result we want and it won't be the reason if we do get the result we want but it's just part of life.

"There's sad stories to go with happy stories but hopefully we can remember George, which we have done so far this season, in an incredibly positive way on Saturday afternoon.

"He's with us and we're proud of his contributions to our football club and incredibly sad he's not with us." Of the game against Bristol City, Wilder said: "I've had some incredible memories at Bramall Lane since I was a young boy but that was by far and away the most emotional, powerful memory I had.

"We've not tried to use it as a motivation, he's just been with us on the journey. His shirt is in the home and away dressing rooms right the way through.

"We can just use examples of how George was as a player and a person as well, incredibly motivated and drive, wanting to be the best and to play at the highest level.

"I think there's similarities with a lot of the players starting off in the lower leagues, Cooper and Burrows are similar to Baldock at MK Dons and up to Sheffield United then all of a sudden playing in the Premier League and being an international with Greece.

"Those achievements weren't given. We're never given anything, we have to fight for everything. We have to really dig deep and fight tooth and nail to achieve stuff."