Sheffield United make an appeal to the fans as they prepare for pivotal run of Premier League games

United entered the international break at the bottom of the Premier League table, having drawn one and lost seven of their eight outings so far this term.

Although Wilder described the run as the most challenging period of his reign so far, he insisted the achievements of his players over the last four years means they still command the loyalty of the club’s followers. Wilder, who has twice led United to promotion since taking charge in 2016, believes the ban on spectators has hit his squad harder than any other in the top-flight.

“I’m sure we’ve still got their backing,” Wilder said, insisting being forced to play behind closed doors has contributed to United’s recent struggles. “Even our most critical of supporters will know what we’ve done over the last few years, where these lads have come from and how hard they’ve worked to do that.

“The boys, I’m sure, know that they’ve still got people trying to get behind them even though they can’t be there in person.”

Matches in England have been staged behind closed doors since March, when the competition was suspended for a three month period because of the global health crisis. United climbed to sixth when they beat Norwich City in their final outing before the fixture schedule was paused. With the country placed back into lockdown earlier this month, they now find themselves battling for survival rather than a place in Europe.

Research undertaken by The Star suggests the majority of United fans believe the ban on attending matches should be eased on December 2, when the Government is scheduled to lift some of the social distancing measures it has imposed on the advice of its scientific advisors.

“It’s a passionate and committed support we have at our club,” Wilder said. “It’s never been straight-forward here, it’s always a roller coaster at United, it’s not a club you follow because you’ve been used to challenging for a place in the Champions League every year.”

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