Chris Wilder Praises John Eustace After Sheffield United 2-1 Win

Chris Wilder said Derby County are "a proper football club" after Sheffield United won 2-1 at Pride Park on the final day of the season. He also praised John Eustace for the job he has done, while Derby's hopes of finishing in the top six ended after Hull City beat Norwich.

Pride Park and Chris Wilder

"It's a great club," Wilder said after the comeback win. "There were 30,000 here today, and it's a proper football club." Sheffield United came from behind to claim the 2-1 result, then Wilder tried to keep his own celebrations brief so Derby could get the time they deserved for their efforts.

"I know our players went over to our supporters at the end, but I wanted it to be quick," he said. That fit the tone of his comments about Eustace, whom he credited for the work done at Pride Park. Wilder also described Derby and Sheffield United as two big clubs in the division.

Lewis Travis and Carlton Morris

The Sheffield United manager also made a transfer admission that tied the match to what came before it. "I tried to sign Lewis Travis, tried to sign Carlton Morris as well," he said, adding that he knows Rhian Brewster and Ben Brereton Diaz and had Matt Clarke as Player of the Year here as well.

Those details gave a sharper edge to a final-day fixture that ended with Derby in eighth place. The top-six race had already moved beyond them once Hull City beat Norwich, and the result at Pride Park closed out a season that left both clubs with plenty of evidence for how they measure against each other in the division.

For Derby, the late defeat did not change the season finish, but it did end any lingering route into the top six. For Sheffield United, the 2-1 win and Wilder's remarks left a clear record of respect for Eustace's side, the crowd of 30,000, and the players he said he once wanted in his own squad.