'Disgrace' - Furious Chris Wilder hits out at Sheffield United fan reaction as Leeds United opportunity missed
A missed chance to pull four points clear of Leeds United was not welcomed by some Sheffield United supporters.
Chris Wilder labelled some sections of the travelling Sheffield United support an ‘absolute disgrace’ for their reaction to a missed opportunity following Saturday’s 1-0 defeat at Oxford United.
Sheffield United had the chance to pull four points clear of Leeds United when they kicked off at 3pm, having seen their automatic promotion rivals draw 1-1 at Luton Town. Daniel Farke’s side dropped two points for a third consecutive game in their lunchtime kick-off while Burnley went top with a 2-1 win at Coventry City.
Leeds dropped into third following that draw and fans travelling home from Kenilworth Road were facing the prospect of their side drifting away from the automatic promotion picture. But some light relief arrived from the Kassam Stadium.
Wilder’s side could have reclaimed top-spot with a win at Oxford, who like Luton are still fighting to survive, but a disappointing performance saw them fall to a deserved 1-0 defeat. And as players went to thank the away end for their support, a small section aimed verbal abuse and offensive hand gestures towards those on the pitch.
Chris Wilder fumes after Leeds United opportunity missed
“Do you know what? I think it's an absolute disgrace,” a furious Wilder told The Star of those post-match scenes. “An absolute disgrace to the players who represent the football club and what they’ve done this season. I was speaking to my media guy before and he was telling me to stay away from it, but I’ll meet it head on. It's a joke and a disgrace.
“If that's what you think of the players then, when we have the good days, don’t be clapping. Go home. Be consistent. If you want to come and wait for us to fail and abuse us, verbally and gesturing with abusive hand signals, give your ticket up to someone who wants to be there. Because there are loads of people who can’t get tickets who’d love the opportunity to back us.
“I understand negativity off the back of a bad performance, and it was. But there’s a line. Be consistent. We appreciate the good support and we'll need it on Tuesday night to lift the players. We had the opportunity to break a club record that's lasted about 350 years [of seven away wins on the bounce] and it just wasn't good enough. That's just how football is sometimes.
“We have to own it and take it on the chin. It's just the world we live in, I suppose, with social media and whatever. Everyone wants us to be winning every game. We'd all be extremely rich and possibly not sitting here if we knew the outcome of everything in life, not just on a football pitch. But football isn’t like that... I can't force anything, but I will highlight what I have highlighted. Because it's an absolute joke.”
Sheffield United’s defeat has kept Leeds within touching distance of an automatic promotion place despite a difficult run of one win in six. Farke’s side will need to improve their own performance-levels first and foremost, with Tuesday’s trip to in-form Middlesbrough a difficult one.
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