Chris Wilder

This article is about the footballer and manager. For the serial killer, see Christopher Wilder.
Chris Wilder

Chris Wilder

Wilder with Bury in 2008
Personal information
Full name Christopher John Wilder
Date of birth (1967-09-23) 23 September 1967
Place of birth Stocksbridge, West Riding of Yorkshire, England
Playing position Defender
Club information
Current team
 Sheffield United (manager)
Youth career
1982–1986 Southampton
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1986–1992 Sheffield United 93 (1)
1989 → Walsall (loan) 4 (0)
1990 → Charlton Athletic (loan) 1 (0)
1991 → Charlton Athletic (loan) 2 (0)
1992 → Leyton Orient (loan) 16 (1)
1992–1996 Rotherham United 132 (11)
1996–1997 Notts County 46 (0)
1997–1998 Bradford City 42 (0)
1998–1999 Sheffield United 12 (0)
1998 → Northampton Town (loan) 1 (0)
1999 → Lincoln City (loan) 3 (0)
1999 Brighton & Hove Albion 11 (0)
1999–2001 Halifax Town 51 (1)
Total 414 (14)
Teams managed
2001–2002 Alfreton Town
2002–2008 Halifax Town
2008–2014 Oxford United
2014–2016 Northampton Town
2016– Sheffield United

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.


Christopher John "Chris" Wilder (born 23 September 1967) is an English former professional footballer, and is the manager of League One club Sheffield United.

His extensive professional playing career saw spells at Sheffield United (twice), Rotherham United, Notts County, Bradford City, Brighton & Hove Albion and Halifax Town. He also had loan spells at five different clubs.

After retiring, he became a manager and was in charge of Alfeton Town, Halifax Town (their last manager before liquidation) and Oxford United before his appointment at Northampton Town.

Playing career

He started his career as a trainee at Southampton and was released without making it into the first team.[1] He moved on to Sheffield United in August 1986 and during his career he played for 11 clubs, including a long spell at Rotherham United before joining Halifax Town in 1999.

Management career

Alfreton Town

Wilder began his career in management at Alfreton Town. He took over at the club in late October 2001 and in the 27 weeks he was in charge won four trophies: the Northern Counties (East) League Premier Division, the League Cup, the President's Cup and the Derbyshire Senior Cup.

Halifax Town

Wilder returned to Halifax Town as manager on 2 July 2002.[2][3] He replaced caretaker manager Neil Redfearn, who had in turn replaced Alan Little (who left on 8 April after falling ill with appendicitis in March). Halifax had been relegated to the Conference at the end of the season.

Wilder was in charge at Halifax for more than 300 games until the club went into liquidation on 30 June 2008, and he decided to join former Halifax defender Alan Knill, as the assistant manager of Bury.[4]

Oxford United

After less than six months at Gigg Lane, Wilder was appointed as the manager of Conference National club Oxford United on 21 December 2008,[5] where he only just missed out on a play-off place in his first season. Wilder's first full season in charge of Oxford began successfully and by mid-season they were top of the Conference table by five points with a game in hand. However, Oxford were overtaken by Stevenage Borough, who would go on to win the title and take the automatic promotion place, consigning the Us to the playoffs with Luton Town, Rushden & Diamonds and York City. They defeated Rushden & Diamonds to reach the play-off final, and gained promotion to the Football League by beating York City 3–1.[6]

In their first season back in the Football League in four years, Wilder guided Oxford to mid-table safety. The team finished 12th, in the top half of the table, their highest finish in seven years.[7] The next season Oxford finished ninth, after poor form late in the season led to the team dropping out of the play-off position they had occupied for most of the year.[8] Oxford's chairman Kelvin Thomas gave Wilder his backing, meaning he would remain manager for the 2012–13 season.[9] Despite failing to achieve a play-off place again in Oxford's third season back in the League, and intense speculation about his future at the club, Wilder was offered and accepted a further one-year contract for the 2013–14 season.[10]

On 26 January 2014 he resigned as Oxford manager with the intention of joining League Two rivals Northampton Town as their manager.[11]

Northampton Town

On 27 January 2014 Wilder was appointed manager of Northampton Town, signing a three-and-a-half year contract. Wilder successfully battled imminent relegation to the Conference, after taking over the club in the relegation zone in League 2.[12] He led the side to a mid-table finish in 2014–15, and then to the League Two title the following season with 99 points.

Sheffield United

On 12 May 2016, Wilder joined his boyhood club Sheffield United as their new manager on a three-year contract, following the parting of company with Nigel Adkins.[13][14]

Managerial statistics

As of match played 4 December 2016
Managerial record by team and tenure
Team From To Record Ref
PWDLWin %
Halifax Town 2 July 2002 30 June 2008 312 120 77 115 38.5 [15]
Oxford United 21 December 2008 26 January 2014 269 121 70 78 45.0 [15]
Northampton Town 27 January 2014 12 May 2016 126 61 28 37 48.4 [15]
Sheffield United 12 May 2016 Present 26 13 6 7 50.0 [15]
Total 733 315 181 237 43.0 —

Honours

As a manager

Alfreton Town

Oxford United

Northampton Town

References

  1. ↑ Holley, Duncan; Chalk, Gary (2003). In That Number – A post-war chronicle of Southampton FC. Hagiology Publishing. p. 615. ISBN 978-0-9534474-3-5.
  2. ↑ "Wilder quits for Halifax". Derbyshire Times. 4 July 2002. Retrieved 22 January 2016.
  3. ↑ "Alfreton Town Football Club History". Alfreton Town F.C. Retrieved 9 June 2010.
  4. ↑ "Wilder leaves Halifax for Shakers". BBC Sport. 30 June 2008. Retrieved 1 July 2008.
  5. ↑ "Wilder is new Oxford United boss". BBC Sport. 21 December 2008. Retrieved 21 December 2008.
  6. ↑ "Oxford United 3–1 York City". BBC Sport. 16 May 2010. Retrieved 17 May 2010.
  7. ↑ "Shrewsbury 3–0 Oxford Utd". BBC Sport. 8 May 2011. Retrieved 8 May 2011.
  8. ↑ "Port Vale 3–0 Oxford Utd". BBC Sport. 5 May 2012. Retrieved 13 May 2011.
  9. ↑ "Thomas pinning faith in Oxford United boss Wilder". Oxford Mail. 12 May 2012. Retrieved 13 May 2011.
  10. ↑ "Chris Wilder signs new Oxford United deal". BBC Sport. 25 April 2013. Retrieved 25 April 2013.
  11. ↑ "Oxford United accept manager Chris Wilder's resignation". BBC Sport. 26 January 2014. Retrieved 22 January 2016.
  12. ↑ "Chris Wilder appointed new manager". Northampton Town F.C. Retrieved 27 January 2014.
  13. ↑ "Blades appoint Wilder as new manager". Sheffield United F.C. 12 May 2016. Retrieved 13 May 2016.
  14. ↑ "Chris Wilder: Sheffield United appoint Northampton boss to replace Nigel Adkins". BBC Sport. 12 May 2016. Retrieved 15 May 2016.
  15. 1 2 3 4 "Managers: Chris Wilder". Soccerbase. Centurycom. Retrieved 3 September 2016.
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