Leeds United striker Patrick Bamford's chant addressed by Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder
Leeds United striker Patrick Bamford and Chris Wilder had a phone call this week to address a chant aimed at the Sheffield United boss during Monday’s Elland Road promotion celebrations.
Bamford and some of his fellow players gathered on the steps of the East Stand after a 6-0 win over Stoke and Burnley’s victory over Sheffield United. Those results confirmed Leeds’ Premier League status for next season and consigned Sheffield United to the play-offs. As various players took their turn to start chants, Bamford sang the first notes of one that has become popular at Elland Road, calling Wilder a ‘w*****.’ Ex-Blades defender Jayden Bogle was seen dancing along to the chant as it spread through supporters at the stadium gates.
Patrick Bamford and Daniel Farke phone calls
The subject came up during Wilder’s press conference to preview their game against Stoke on Friday and he revealed that both Bamford and Leeds boss Daniel Farke had been on the phone since Monday’s events.
“I'm a big boy, you give it you take it,” he said. “You give it out locally, you take it locally as I've always done. We have our moments, other teams have their moments. I had a conversation with Pat yesterday and I've no issue at all with it. I'm not sure about the words from a fellow pro, but I appreciate and respected him giving me a call and we had 20 minutes. I spoke to Daniel [Farke, the Leeds boss] as well and had a half-hour chat with him. He's a top guy.
"They're a top team and a top football club. I'm a big boy. I would in a heartbeat have swapped our position for theirs but it isn't the case. Ninety-four points for both of those teams is an incredible achievement. It was a tough campaign from the off for us and we've kept it alive to the 44th game. But ultimately we've finished in the position we will.”
Chris Wilder’s Leeds United dig
Earlier this season footage of Sheffield United celebrations in a pub after a derby day win over Wednesday appeared to show Wilder singing along to a chant swapping the name of his opposite number Danny Rohl with the words ‘sausage roll.’ He also raised eyebrows in 2019 during the Blades’ promotion revelry when in a filmed interview he aimed a dig at ‘muppets from Leeds’ including Bamford. Speaking on Thursday he insisted it was just an interesting part of the game.
“When I was playing, we used to give it and take it and it's part and parcel of the game, even on a Sunday morning,” he said. “It's part of the interesting bit of the game. Local rivalries, rivalries between teams and everything that goes with it. So I have no issue. You have to take it and get on with it and I'm absolutely cool with it, and I said that to Pat.
“We had our moment in 2018/19, possibly off the back of an incredible afternoon against Ipswich and a long night and an early start and they've possibly done the same. I'd have done the same in terms of enjoying themselves, because promotion is an incredible achievement and you have to do a lot of things right.”