Exclusive: Paul Heckingbottom sack reports prompt disappointed Sheffield Utd squad to make feelings clear to club chiefs

TEAMtalk understands that a number of Sheffield United’s current squad have told the club’s hierarchy not to replace current boss Paul Heckingbottom, amid reports the Blades boss was in growing danger of being dismissed at Bramall Lane.

Heckingbottom guided United to promotion last season despite not being seen as one of the pre-season favourites and this summer has faced a number of off-field issues, with the club’s proposed takeover not going through.

Furthermore, Heckingbottom has lost his two star players in the shape of Sander Berge and Illiman Ndiaye, though was given funds late in the window to bolster his options.

Four defeats in their opening five games have followed, though the Blades have rarely been outclassed. And they can consider themselves extremely unlucky not to have taken at least a point from Saturday’s encounter at Tottenham, which saw Ange Postecoglou’s side netting twice in added-on time to turn the match around.

Despite the unfortunate nature of the loss, it is believed that owner Prince Abdullah is considering a change at the helm, and one name he has on his radar is former Blades boss Chris Wilder.

Abdullah and Wilder previously had a major falling out which led to him leaving Bramall Lane and he was replaced by Heckingbottom, initially in an interim basis and with Slavisa Jokanovic taking charge for a 22-game spell in between and prior to Heckingbottom’s return on a permanent basis.

Now reports that Wilder is being lined up for a return to Bramall Lane are gathering pace.

However, TEAMtalk has been told that a senior delegation of players has made it known to the club that they would be against such a move as they believe Heckingbottom remains very much the right man for the job, with the playing staff retaining his full support.