From Warnock to Wilder - How Sheffield United's managers have fared ...
It’s a stark contrast to the settled, eight-year tenure under former boss Neil Warnock, with the Thursday morning sacking of Nigel Adkins following yet another disappointing campaign in League One, which saw the Blades finish 11th - eight points adrift of the play-offs.
READ MORE - New boss Chris Wilder hungry to point Sheffield United back towards top
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Hide AdJust under 12 months ago, Adkins’s predecessor Nigel Clough was himself sacked after leading the club to a play-off semi-final and a Capital One Cup semi-final.
Since the relative stability enjoyed under Warnock, the club’s lack of endurance with regard to their managers has coincided with a period which has seen them marooned in the third tier for five seasons.
And as former Halifax Town and Northampton boss Wilder takes the reins, we look at the eight managers who have come and gone through the revolving door prior to his arrival and since Warnock left back in 2007.
Neil Warnock 02/12/1999-16/05/2007: Games 388; won 165; drawn 100; lost 123; Win percentage: 42.53 per cent
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Hide AdWarnock took charge on December 2, 1999 replacing Russell Slade. He oversaw United’s most successful period in recent history, leading the club to the semi-finals of The League Cup and The FA Cup losing to both Liverpool and Arsenal. They also lost in the play-off final that season to Wolves.
In 2005-2006 season he guided the Blades to the Premier League. However, their stay in the top flight was only brief as they were relegated in the 2006-2007 season leading to Warnock’s resignation.
Bryan Robson 22/05/2007-14/02/2008: Games 38; won 14; drawn 12; lost 12; Win percentage: 36.84 per cent
A brief, unsuccessful spell in charge by the former Manchester United legend which saw the Blades struggle for consistency, including a damaging defeat to arch-rivals Wednesday that led to fans wanting him out and Robson blaming his players publicly.
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Hide AdFollowing a 0-0 draw at home to Scunthorpe, patience ran out and he was sacked on Valentine’s Day in 2008.
Kevin Blackwell 14/02/2008-14/08/2010: Games 125; won 53; drawn 36; lost 36; Win percentage: 42.4 per cent
Replacing Robson in February he transformed the struggling side from bottom-half strugglers to a ninth-place finish, only four points short of the play off zone.
The following season he guided the club to the play-off final in which they lost out to Burnley.
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Hide AdThe season after, his side finished eighth but two games into the 2010-2011 season Blackwell and United parted company.
Gary Speed 17/08/2010-14/12/2010: Games 18; won 6; drawn 9; lost 3; Win percentage: 33.33 per cent
The late Welsh legend took over from Blackwell in September 2010, but lasted only four months in charge at Bramall Lane as he was given permission by the club to talk to Wales about becoming national team boss, a position he duly took and excelled in until his tragic death in November 2011.
Micky Adams 30/12/2010-10/05/2011: Games 24; won 4; drawn 15; lost 5; Win percentage: 16.67 per cent
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Hide AdA lifelong Blades fan, Adams took over his boyhood club following Speed’s exit. However, his time in charge of the club simply didn’t work out as he managed to see the club relegated to League One in 2011 and they haven’t managed to get out of the division since.
He was relieved of his duties that summer.
Danny Wilson 27/05/2011-10/04/2013: Games 106, won 55, drawn 31, lost 20, Win percentage: 51.89 per cent
Wilson faired better than most with an impressive win ratio of above 50%. In his first full season as boss he guided The Blades to third in League One amassing an impressive haul of 90 points. His side went on to suffer an agonising penalty shoot out defeat to Huddersfield in the play off final. However following a poor run of form in the next season he left united on the 10th April 2013.
David Weir 10/06/2013-11/10/2013: games 13, won 1; drawn 2; lost 10; Win percentage: 7.69 per cent
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Hide AdWeir’s time in charge of United can only be described as miserable.
Under his leadership the club were nose-diving out of League One and he was subsequently sacked four months into his tenure following only one win on the opening day of the season.
He left with club languishing in the relegation zone.
Nigel Clough 23/10/2013-25/05/2015: Games 104; won 49; drawn 30; lost 25; Win percentage: 47.12 per cent
Signed a two-and-a-half year deal in October 2013 and saw an upturn in the team’s fortunes as well as guiding the team to an FA Cup semi-final against Hull City. He received the FA Cup manager of the season from the LMA in recognition of his side’s achievement.
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Hide AdHe guided the Blades to 11th that season, fixing the mess Weir left behind. The following season, cup specialist Clough was at it again, this time guiding the club to a semi-final in the Capital One Cup, where they lost to Spurs over two legs.
He left the club in May 2015 after a fifth-place finish preceded a play-off semi-final exit at the hands of Swindon Town.
Nigel Adkins 02/06/2015-12/05/2016: Games 46; won 18; drawn 12; lost 16; Win percentage: 40.54 per cent
Adkins replaced Clough with promotion once again the club’s primary aim after play-off disappointment the season before.
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Hide AdHowever, under his leadership the club finished 11th which was their worst league finish in 33 years, eight points adrift of the play-offs ultimately costing Adkins his job and he was sacked on May 12, 2016.