Football Season Guide

Sheffield United’s injury-time defeat to Sunderland in the 2025 play-off final may prove to be one of the biggest turning points in the club’s history. The Blades went from being in touching distance of the Premier League to becoming a potential candidate for relegation from the Championship. The drop-off started with the baffling decision to get rid of local hero Chris Wilder and go in a completely new direction under Rubén Sellés. It backfired spectacularly after six defeats from his opening six games left his position untenable. A new transfer strategy of using AI to sign players was also a complete disaster with every single one of them proving to be flops. The club ultimately went back tail between legs to Wilder but it wasn’t the quick fix they perhaps expected. Too much damage had been done. Wilder did eventually manage to steady the ship and lift United off the bottom of the table. A mid-season surge even saw hope of making the play-offs but it all fell apart towards the end of the campaign with too many poor performances that saw them finish 13th. Despite the shocking recruitment last summer, the Blades still have a very talented squad that should be capable of better. How many of them will remain for the upcoming season remains the biggest question. The club have already surprisingly sold one of their standout performers in winger Andre Brooks to potential direct rivals Norwich. Gus Hamer, who was Championship Player of the Season in 2024/25, looks almost certain to follow him out the door. They are still expected to have the likes of Femi Siriki, Japhet Tanganga, Sydie Peck, Oli Arblaster, Callum O’Hare and Patrick Bamford, who are all quality players at this level. Recruitment has again left a lot to be desired so far this summer. Experienced right-back Matt Doherty and largely unproven teenage winger Romelle Donovan are the only new faces so far. Having been a ball boy, player and lifelong supporter of the club, no one can question Wilder’s commitment, but is he still the same manager that got them to the Premier League back in 2019? That looks set to be tested severely in the upcoming season.