Sheffield United sealed their place in the final of the Championship play-offs last night with a convincing aggregate victory over Bristol City.

Maxime Esteve pens end-of-season Burnley message after recent Tottenham comments

The Blades cruised to a second successive 3-0 victory over Bristol City in their semi-final to clinch a record 6-0 aggregate play-off win.

Either Sunderland or Coventry City await Wilder’s men in the Wembley final.

Despite being inside the top two for much of the season, Sheffield United finished the campaign in third on 90 points, 10 adrift of both Leeds United and Burnley.

Their fate was sealed over the Bank Holiday weekend when Scott Parker’s side defeated the Blades at Turf Moor to clinch promotion back to the Premier League.

But Wilder has been left “delighted” with how his players have bounced back from their automatic promotion disappointment to set up one final game in the Championship’s showcase event.

He told Sky Sports: "Would I have liked it [the automatic promotion race] to have gone to the last game? Absolutely. Are we jealous in terms of the two teams who got promoted automatically? Of course we are.

Chris Wilder, Manager of Sheffield United, looks on prior to the Sky Bet Championship Play-Off Semi Final Second Leg match between Sheffield United and Bristol City at Bramall Lane on May 12, 2025 in Sheffield, England. (Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)

placeholder image — Chris Wilder, Manager of Sheffield United, looks on prior to the Sky Bet Championship Play-Off Semi Final Second Leg match between Sheffield United and Bristol City at Bramall Lane on May 12, 2025 in Sheffield, England. (Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)

"The talk afterwards was key and we all put the messages out there that we have got work to do and we should look forward to it. We’ve not taken a backward step in both games [against Bristol City] and I’m delighted about it."

While Sheffield United breezed into the final, history is not on their side. No team has lost more times in the play-offs than them, having suffered nine unsuccessful campaigns.

Wilder, however, isn’t concerned about history.

“I don’t feel there’s a negativity because of our previous campaigns,” the Blades boss added.

"It feels [as if there is] a freshness about it…a real belief that we can make history and put to bed all that, other things have gone on previously.

"I think I’ve witnessed the majority of it as well. It isn’t easy to go straight back up. It’s not straightforward and we pushed and pushed all season.

“We got 92 points [Sheffield United were deducted two points], so for two teams to get to 100 points is an insane season. Then we’ve had to have the challenges of the narrative of being the team that’s got so close. But how do they deal with it?

“The narrative as well of Sheffield United’s play-off history and stuff like that, so we’ve had to to make sure that we were right.

“We had to be good tonight, we had everything to lose. The first goal was always going to be a big goal. We have had to play well and do a lot of things right over the two games to get to the final.”