Patrick Bamford reveals how he quashed Chris Wilder spat before Sheffield United transfer | OneFootball

Patrick Bamford and Chris Wilder has a public spat several months before he made the move to Sheffield United

Sheffield United are out of the running for promotion to the Premier League with four games still to play.

The Blades’ campaign has failed to live up to expectations after they reached the play-off final last year.

Defeat to Sunderland at Wembley Stadium led to Chris Wilder departing the Yorkshire outfit at the end of the campaign, but he was back in the dugout by September after Ruben Selles oversaw five defeats in a row to start the new term.

While Sheffield United still harboured hope of earning a top six finish again, the club have ultimately fallen well short of that aim.

The 58-year-old was able to turn around the team’s form, with the arrivals of Jairo Riedewald and Patrick Bamford as free agents both helping.

But Wilder’s side will now be planning for the upcoming summer transfer window with a view to a more competitive push for promotion next year.

Patrick Bamford opens up on Chris Wilder beef

Prior to making the move to Bramall Lane in November, Bamford had engaged in a public spat with Wilder in his final months as a Leeds United player.

He led a derogatory chant against the Sheffield United boss after the Whites clinched automatic promotion to the Premier League at the expense of their Yorkshire rival.

However, the forward has now opened up on how he apologised to the veteran coach over the phone, and that the incident was well behind them by the time he put pen to paper with the Blades.

He’s revealed that it hasn’t come up at all during their time together at Bramall Lane, and that their relationship is actually quite strong now.

“It’s gone alright,” said Bamford, via talkSPORT.

“Yeah, there were obviously a few questions when I joined given the previous but it’s gone well.

“To be fair it got quashed quite early.

“I rang him the day after to apologise and he took it really well actually.

“He said ‘I give it as much so I’ve got to be able to take it’.

“It was brushed under the carpet and it’s not really been talked about since but we have a really good relationship so it’s all good.”

Bamford joined Sheffield United on an initial short-term contract that was extended to the end of next season.

The 32-year-old has contributed nine goals from 24 appearances in the Championship, with Sheffield United.

However, the Blades are currently 17th in the table with just four games remaining, with the team 14 points adrift of the play-offs.

Wilder’s side are mathematically eliminated from play-off contention, and are 10 points clear of the bottom three, meaning their campaign is effectively over.

But the squad will still want to finish the season on a high note in order to set the tone for pre-season, as Sheffield United will have their sights set on a promotion push next year.

Next up for the Blades is a trip to face Watford on 18 April in a 3pm kick-off.

Patrick Bamford addition has been a smart move by Sheffield United

Wilder wouldn’t have made it as far as he has as a coach if he let things like the Bamford incident prevent him from working with people.

This is an aspect of the game that he really seems to enjoy, as he has given plenty of stick to players, coaches and fans in the past himself.

The pair have worked well together, and that is a great sign of their professionalism and desire to improve the team as a whole.

Bamford was far from a sure thing when he arrived, particularly given his injury record in his final years at Leeds, but Wilder has managed him well and he’s been rewarded with a smart addition to the squad for this and next season.