Why Sheffield United can take hope from Championship play-off final

Wembley will host two teams – Leeds United and Southampton – who 12 months ago were relegated from the Premier League, as the Blades have been now.

But the controversial system of parachute payments which the Football League want to scrap gives clubs leaving the top division a big financial advantage, and Leeds, Southampton and Leicester City – who went up as champions – have shown how quickly fortunes can be turned.

"I'm looking at Southampton and Leeds, they've bounced back and there'll be a full house at Wembley," said Wilder.

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"There were fantastic scenes at Elland Road and St Mary's (for the second legs of their play-off semi-finals) and we have to work extremely hard to get ourselves in the position those teams have."

Not since 2018-19 have none of the relegated teams failed to bounce back at the first attempt. Sunday’s winners will be the seventh of 15 to do so.

A big reason is parachute payments of around £44m to adjust to the huge drop in revenue. Clubs receive a further £36m in year two and teams who have had multiple consecutive top-flight seasons (ie not Sheffield United) get £16.5m in the third year.

Championship clubs receive around £8m in TV revenue, but a new deal for next season is expected to push that closer to £12m.

All 2023-24’s newly-promoted teams came straight back down and Wilder says the Blades must return with better foundations.

"It's a team that's been put together, not on the front foot from the off," he reflected. "Luton added a couple but really got the nucleus and the ages right."