Conor Washington backs Chris Wilder to lead Sheffield United back to the Premier League

Conor Washington believes Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder has all the ingredients needed to mount another Championship promotion challenge.

The former Blades striker, who played under Wilder during the club’s rise to the Premier League in 2019 and now works within the club’s academy setup, backed his former manager to deliver another successful season at Bramall Lane.

The club missed out on an immediate return to the top flight after suffering defeat in the 2025 play-off final against Sunderland, with Wilder and the club parting ways shortly afterwards.

However, Sheffield United brought the 58-year-old back at the start of last season following a difficult opening spell under Ruben Selles.

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Infectious personality

Wilder helped the club recover from that challenging start to secure a 13th-place finish, and Washington has praised the qualities he believes make the experienced manager capable of delivering success once again.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with BylineCoverage, he said: “I had a brilliant season under Chris at Sheffield United.

“I’m actually working at Sheffield United now, so I see him relatively regularly. He’s a great character.

“We moan about it a lot, don’t we, that the game doesn’t have characters anymore, and Chris is a real big character.

“He’s got an infectious personality and drives standards as well, which is really important.

“There’s no time for down days. He embodies that in the way that he approaches training and being in every day, and just the demands and the quality that he puts into the sessions with his staff.”

Backed

Washington, however, added that Wilder’s promotion hopes will depend on being backed in the transfer market.

“I’d be more surprised if they aren’t challenging for promotion again, to be honest, just with the track record that he and the staff have got,” he added.

“And hopefully he’ll be backed by the owners in the transfer market to go and make a squad capable of being at the top end of the Championship again, which he’s obviously done numerous times now.

“As a manager, he can be ruthless when he needs to be, and I sort of fell foul of that, I guess, towards the back end of the season. 

“But ultimately, his goal was to get the club promoted, and he brought in other players to help do that.

“So I’ve got total respect and understanding of that, and left with his best wishes at the time, and have had a good relationship with him since.

“So like I say, I’d be more surprised if Sheffield United weren’t challenging for promotion again.

Sustainability

Another of Washington’s former clubs, Newport County, appointed Hayden Mullins as manager this summer following Christian Fuchs’ departure.

And he backed the former Fulham U21s and Colchester United boss to bring stability after a period of frequent managerial changes at Rodney Parade.

Washington explained: “In terms of the new manager, there’s been a lot of upheaval at the club in terms of managers in and out, and I think they just need a period of sustainability and a bit of continuity, especially in the manager department.

“There have been so many over the years. I think it’s a good appointment.

“He’s got a hell of a lot of experience playing and has now coached for a good number of years at a really good level as well, so it seems like a natural step.

“He’s been around the levels, so it’s not going to be a surprise to him. I think it’ll be a good appointment, and I wish him all the best.”

Washington also praised Peterborough United’s recruitment model after Harry Leonard enjoyed an impressive first season at London Road, scoring 16 goals in 37 league appearances following his move from Blackburn Rovers.

Recruitment

The former Posh striker believes Leonard could attract interest from higher up the pyramid if he continues to perform, but expects Posh to follow their proven approach of developing talent and reinvesting in the next prospect.

He said: “He had a great season, and I think in a team that probably didn’t perform particularly well either.

“That league’s getting tougher and tougher now for a club like Peterborough to keep doing what they’re doing, and it’s fantastic that they still do, to be fair.

“Listen, I don’t want to upset the chairman; he’s been great to me, and I’ve got a good relationship with him, so I don’t want to be touting around his players to get sold. 

“But ultimately, that is the game. If he goes and has another similar season to the one he’s just had, then obviously clubs up the pyramid are going to be looking at him.

“Peterborough will probably do what they’ve always done and cash in and then find the next one, which is a real testament to the scouting network, and obviously the chairman and everybody associated with the club’s eye for talent.

“Everybody’s tried to replicate what they’ve done by looking into the lower leagues, but I just don’t think anybody’s done it quite as well as Peterborough have.

“So hopefully he has another good season for himself and obviously for the club as well, because they won’t stand in his way if a reasonable offer comes in, and then they’ll be on to the next one.”

Read the full exclusive interview with Conor Washington for BylineCoverage HERE

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