Sheffield United

Rob Staton
BBC Radio Sheffield reporter

Image source, Getty Images

A fairly significant anniversary is passing relatively unnoticed this week as Stephen Bettis, the chief executive of Sheffield United, celebrates 10 years with the club.

To outsiders, the Sheffield United story probably appears relatively straightforward. They've had two recent spells in the Premier League, appeared in an FA Cup semi-final and they've helped produce England stalwarts such as Kyle Walker and Harry Maguire through their academy.

Anyone who has monitored the club closely, however, will know there have also been some challenges along the way for Bettis, failed takeovers, managing situations that were out of his control, points deductions.

Despite this, he has been described by one Bramall Lane source as a leader and culture-carrier at the top of the club.

It's worth highlighting some of his and United's achievements over the past decade.

He's overseen two separate takeovers. Both new owners, Prince Abdullah Bin Mosaad Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and COH Sports, retained Bettis as CEO.

Prince Abdullah was glowing in his praise, saying: "The thing that comes to my mind first is his amazing people skills and the fun I had working with him. We went through some great times and some tough times, but nevertheless, we always managed to have a good laugh here and he is very dear to me."

Perhaps more importantly for United, Bettis was also involved in the due diligence of two highly-publicised failed takeover bids. It's uncomfortable to think where the club would be had either deal been passed.

United have won three promotions, starting with the initial revolution under Chris Wilder from League One, before two further successes to move into the top flight.

Bettis runs all elements of the football club. He's responsible for ticketing, commercial, corporate, retail and marketing.

He's also tasked with overseeing the first team budget and takes a hands-on involvement in negotiating player contracts and transfer dealings, alongside the Head of Recruitment and Head of Football Administration.

Image source, Getty Images

'Without Stephen, we wouldn't have enjoyed the good times we have had'

The Blades were one of only four clubs in the Championship to make a profit in the last financial year. This isn't a one-off – they've achieved this in four of the past six seasons, but it isn't typical in the modern game.

United have broken their transfer record seven times and also purchased their stadium, land for a new training ground and bought the adjoining hotel with funds created through the successes of the past 10 years.

One of the key elements of United's production on and off the pitch is the club's outstanding academy.

Bettis has ensured that it remains a focal point – with several players becoming key assets, including Iliman Ndiaye and Will Osula, or developing into current starters, such as Sydie Peck, Oliver Arblaster, Andre Brooks and Femi Seriki.

His efforts are certainly appreciated by manager Wilder.

"It's fair to say that without Stephen we would not have enjoyed the good times that we have had, behind the scenes he has been a major part in what has been achieved and where the club stands, his role should not be underestimated in where we are, specifically being a go-between the boards that have been in place and the football operations," he said.

"On a personal level, Stephen has been huge advocate of what I've wanted to achieve at Bramall Lane and whilst it has not been plain sailing, like me, he has the best interests of the club at heart and he deserves to be celebrated."

A club shouldn't be solely judged on a Saturday result or a balance sheet. Fan consultation and engagement matters. Bettis chairs all meetings with the club's Fan Advisory Board and is known to maintain relationships with key supporters groups.

He's also improved supporter and hospitality experiences, including having a big influence in the introduction of safe-standing at Bramall Lane.

As we've become fully aware in recent times, strong connections to the EFL and Premier League are also important for clubs.

EFL Chief Executive Trevor Birch, who previously held the same role at Sheffield United, is another to speak highly of Bettis.

He said: "He understands what the club means to the city and the local community and has also made an important contribution to the development of the League on behalf of Sheffield United. Reaching this milestone reflects his resilience, leadership and service, and he should be very proud of the past decade."

Bettis hasn't always received the credit he deserves. On more than one occasion he's had to come into the studio at BBC Sheffield and address concerns from fans. He's always been willing to front up.

There will no doubt be further challenges in the future. Yet with Bettis as CEO, Blades' fans can feel reassured they've got a man who's up to the task.

Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder spoke to BBC Radio Sheffield following their 2-1 final day victory at Derby County.

"We had to weather a tough start because they [Derby] came absolutely roaring out of the traps," he said.

"We got through that period and got a foothold in the game, and in the second half we were really good- we defended really well, broke the game up and created good chances.

"That one was for the supporters, 100%.

"It was a sellout here today, and I said that to the players - 'they [fans] have followed you up and down the country, and if any group of supporters deserve that after an incredibly challenging season, it's them'.

"And we've got through it with a reasonable points tally of 60. We wanted to get off the bottom of the division [where the Blades were when Wilder was reappointed], and we did that, then we wanted to get the club up the table, and we did that.

"We just stalled and fell a little bit short, and we have to take that.

"I've known what we have to do, and we are well on our way to doing it. And we will be better for it and we will hopefully be playing in games like this towards the back end of next year as Derby County have today."

This game is all about Derby County and their late quest for a play-off spot.

Victory over Sheffield United (12:30 BST) would leave one of Wrexham or Hull City needing to match their result to pip the Rams for that top-six finish.

Were the Red Dragons and the Tigers to lose then a draw for Derby would be enough because of their superior goal difference.

• After their 3-1 win in November, Derby could record their first league double over Sheffield United since 1995-96 under Jim Smith.

• Sheffield United have won five of their past nine league visits to Derby (D1 L3), more than their previous 33 beforehand (W4 D5 L24).

• Derby have only lost their final game of one of their past seven Championship seasons (W3 D3), a 1-0 defeat to Cardiff in 2021-22.

• Sheffield United are unbeaten in their final league game of their past six seasons outside of the Premier League (W4 D2) since a 2-0 defeat by Scunthorpe United in League One in 2015-16.

• Derby have won 20 Championship games in 2025-26, their most in a season since 2018-19 (also 20). They last won more than 20 at this level in 2015-16 (21).

Adam Oxley
BBC Radio Sheffield reporter

Image source, Shutterstock

"We certainly won't be in this position next year."

Those were the defiant, determined words of Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder after seeing his side lose their final two home games at the end of a difficult Championship season.

The defeats against Blackburn and Preston typified a lot of the Blades' issues over recent months with inconsistent halves of football, poor goals conceded and missed chances.

Wilder admits the club has underachieved this season, and should have taken more points, but the fact the season is ending with a sense of disappointment about what could have been, should be viewed as an achievement in itself.

When United fell agonisingly short in last season's play-off final, the minimum expectation this season was another top-six finish.

But the nightmare 88-day reign of Ruben Selles quickly shattered those expectations.

Key players were sold, replacements were both late and inadequate, despite considerable expense, with the remaining players from a top-three squad looking a shadow of themselves from just months before.

It meant United were pointless and bottom of the Championship in mid-September when Selles was sacked.

Even after the club's relatively new American owners COH Sports ate humble pie and brought Wilder back to Bramall Lane, the Blades remained at the foot of the table at the October international break on just three points, below bitter city-rivals Sheffield Wednesday who have now set multiple, unwanted records, including the earliest relegation in EFL history.

The signings of experienced free agents Patrick Bamford and Jairo Riedewald helped Wilder to change the narrative in a remarkable autumn period, given what had gone before.

On New Year's Day, after an impressive run of seven wins in 10 games, Sheffield United were 15th in the table, eight points from the play-off places, and crucially eight points clear of the drop zone.

A positive February then saw the Blades in 13th, just three wins off the top six with 11 games still to play.

There was a genuine hope that United could push on and make an improbable late run for the play-offs, but frustratingly that would be the high point of the season.

A six-game winless sequence into April pushed future planning rather than potential promotion to the forefront of minds, with Wilder, his staff and the club's supporters all conducting early inquests into a wasted season and to what will come next.

Wilder believes he now faces the biggest challenge of his already decade-long association with the Blades hotseat.

His legacy at the club was secured in his first spell at Bramall Lane when he took Sheffield United from the bottom end of League One to ninth in the Premier League, and nothing that happens from this point onwards should tarnish that remarkable period in Blades history.

Wilder was 15 minutes away from unequalled greatness as a Sheffield United manager in last season's agonising Championship play-off final defeat against Sunderland, which was his second rebuild at the club.

Now it's crunch time in Wilder's third spell in charge. A significant turnover in players is expected, which could include an exit for a star player or two, with finances tightening without parachute payments.

The team needs more character, more leadership and more quality, particularly in defence, but Wilder knows this more than anyone, and he's more than earned the right to go again.

Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder has spoken out about his side's need to improve their defence of set-plays next season after a disappointing 3-2 loss to Preston North End.

North End defender Liam Lindsay scored twice with headers from corners to open the scoring, while Gustavo Hamer and Patrick Bamford's second-half goals were not enough to secure the win.

"The goals that we've conceded yet again, really poor," Wilder told BBC Radio Sheffield.

"We looked fragile every time the ball came in our box from a set-play.

"We never dealt with that well enough. We knew what the gameplan was going to be. There was nothing in the game from a technical or tactical point of view, but if you can't defend set-plays and you can't defend direct play, you're going to open yourself up.

"I don't think it takes a rocket scientist or whether it's me or 25,000 people knowing the areas where we need to improve, and we will improve next year.

"The spirit of the team was good, they never caved or went under, but we can't concede the goals we're conceding and expect to win matches."

Listen to the full post-match interview on BBC Sounds

Listen to more Sheffield United content on BBC Sounds

Both Sheffield United and Preston North End will be dismayed by their previous losses last time out and will be hoping to make amends at Bramall Lane on Saturday (15:00 BST).

The Blades were handed a 3-1 loss to allow Blackburn to escape relegation, while Preston's close 2-1 encounter with Birmingham City went the way of the Blues.

The two are currently level on points at 57 in the midtable - can one pull away?

• Sheffield United have only lost two of their last 22 home league matches against Preston (W14 D6), winning three of their last four (D1) since a 0-1 reverse in April 2018.

• After their 3-2 win in October, Preston are looking to complete only a fourth ever league double over Sheffield United, after 1894-95, 1896-97, and 2017-18.

• Sheffield United have only lost their final home league match in one of their last 10 Championship seasons; however, that was to Preston in 2017-18 (0-1).

• Preston haven't won their final away league game in any of the last three seasons (D1 L2) since a 3-1 win at Barnsley in 2021-22.

• Paul Heckingbottom has won just one of his five previous league games against former side Sheffield United (D1 L3), although that was this season's reverse meeting with Preston (3-2 in October).

Blades boss Chris Wilder speaking to BBC Radio Sheffield after his side lost 3-1 to Blackburn:

"Miles off of it, no energy, no sharpness to our play at all. The first goal was always going to be important, they've had some decent results. They're compact, they're organised, they hit you on the break.

"We had to get the first goal but we didn't and we were loose in terms of our passing. They broke on us and if we defend like that then they are going to punish us. There was no energy in the middle of the park and just the looseness about our general play.

"We've not defended well enough at all, we've not got out to stop crosses we've not defended in the box, we've not defended well enough as a back four. From 3-0 down at half-time is a long way to come back.

"We changed the shape [in the second half], we played more direct and there was more energy about us. We went to the end but it's not going to be a pat on the back and a congratulations, the first half was not good enough. I wasn't expecting it we were expecting to finish on a high to try and get to 60 points tonight and to get to 66 and that would still be an achievement in my eyes.

"But it was lethargic approach from us. We've got to get it right for Saturday because I don't want everyone to feel like this in our last home game. We've got to own it and we've got to move on."