The moment that reminded Chris Wilder what Sheffield United were missing | OneFootball

Chris Wilder has been given a massive boost by the return of one player in particular

Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder may just have been reminded what one of his most important tools to achieve success is.

After a miserable start to the 2025/26 campaign, recent times suggest that there may finally be light at the end of the tunnel for United.

The Blades lost 11 of their first 14 second-tier matches, becoming the first side to do so since the Championship was introduced in 2004.

New boss Ruben Selles was quickly dismissed as it became clear that he didn’t meet the required standard to lead Sheffield United forward, with Wilder brought back for a third stint as manager, just months after being relieved of his duties.

There were hopes that Wilder would soon get the Steel City side back operating at the levels they were last season, when they scored 90 points and reached the play-off final.

However, it soon turned out that the Blades’ issues ran much deeper and not even he could produce instant results. With a continued period of time spent within the relegation zone, fears of a potential drop to League One began to spread around Bramall Lane.

United finally seem to have turned things around, having picked up seven points in their last three matches to finally climb out of the bottom three. Furthermore, a dominant 3-0 victory over Sheffield Wednesday will also go a long way to improving morale within the squad.

Chris Wilder may have been reminded of Sheffield United’s biggest weapon

One thing that has coincided with Sheffield United’s upturn in form has been the return of Gus Hamer.

The 28-year-old excelled at Bramall Lane last term, picking up the Championship’s Player of the Year award alongside his 18 goal contributions in the league.

He was extensively linked with moves away during the summer to the likes of Leeds United and PSV, but they never materialised.

This was seen as a huge boost to the Blades’ chances of securing promotion, after being able to keep an operator within their ranks who was clearly ready for consistent top-flight football.

However, a ligament injury limited him to just eight league starts by late November, which severely impacted United’s performances. Half the time he spent fit was under Selles, playing in a system that didn’t suit his playing style.

It soon became apparent just how crucial he is to United’s cause when substituted onto the field of play against Portsmouth, when Hamer immediately looked like one of the best players on the pitch, before striking home with a pulsating long-range effort.

If he wasn’t already aware, this would’ve reminded Wilder that the Dutchman is one of the standout operators within his ranks.

Sheffield United’s boss hasn’t ruled out a push for the play-offs following his side’s recent upturn in form, but having Hamer playing at his best will be absolutely crucial in achieving that task.

With the January transfer window approaching, Wilder has the opportunity to bring in some players better suited to his style of play, which could further increase the Blades’ competitiveness. However, keeping Hamer fit and playing his best may be the most important thing for the Steel City outfit’s manager to do.

He is one of the very best players at this level and could almost single-handedly determine United’s fate.

Gus Hamer has experience of fighting for the play-offs

The top six still isn’t out of reach for United, despite their dreadful start to the 2025/26 campaign.

Apart from runaway leaders Coventry City, most teams in the division have struggled for consistency, which means that there isn’t much separating those in the play-offs from the sides towards the bottom of the table.

Having Hamer back in the team won’t just help the Blades win more football matches, but also allows them to use the expertise of someone who has finished in the top six multiple times.

With Coventry City in 2023 and Sheffield United in 2025, the Dutchman knows exactly what it takes during the run-in to secure play-off football, which is Wilder’s ultimate goal at this moment in time.