What Chris Wilder has already said about Patrick Bamford after Leeds-Sheffield United controversy
Patrick Bamford and Chris Wilder could face an awkward reunion in the near future.
Bamford was spotted leading expletive chants about Wilder when Leeds were promoted to the Premier League at the end of last season.
The ex-Leeds star is now in talks over a move to Sheffield United, according to the Telegraph’s Mike McGrath on 12 November.
That means that he will be managed by Wilder, if he ends up making the move to the Elland Road club’s local rivals.
Chris Wilder has already shared what Patrick Bamford did after the expletive Leeds chant
The rivalry between Leeds and Sheffield United last season was a controversial one, as both sides fought desperately for a top-two place.
Wilder acknowledged the tensions as he revealed that Bamford had a phone call with him after the incident went viral.
The 58-year-old said: “I’m a big boy, you give it, you take it, 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 respect him giving me a call, and we had 20 minutes. I spoke to Daniel [Farke] as well and had a half-hour chat with him. He’s a top guy.”
Wilder may have forgiven Bamford, but some Leeds fans will not if he joins Sheffield United
While Wilder may have let bygones be bygones after the incident, some Whites supporters will not be able to, if Bamford joins the Blades.
The rivalry between the sides is obvious, due to both being based in Yorkshire, but last season took the tensions to a new level.
- Bamford made 205 appearances for the Whites
- He notched 60 goals and helped them to two promotions to the top-flight
- He was released by the Whites earlier this summer
Leeds ultimately beat them to promotion, but the 32-year-old striker risks damaging his reputation with fans in LS11 if he makes the move.
It is understandable that he just wants to play football again, at quite a high level, but surely he could have gone somewhere else, other than the Bramall Lane club.
The former England international was spotted training with Frank Lampard’s Coventry, and that would have been more palatable to supporters, even though there is controversy between Leeds and the ex-Derby manager.
He is widely regarded as one of the best strikers in modern Leeds history after his seven-year spell with the Peacocks, but that will mean very little if he links up with Wilder.
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