Sheffield United

Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder says he has "lost confidence" in the standard of officiating in the Championship.

Earlier this week, the Blades failed with an appeal to overturn the red card shown to right-back Femi Seriki in the draw at Birmingham, which means he will miss Saturday's game at home to Wrexham (15:00 GMT).

Seriki has since been charged by the Football Association for his reaction to being sent off.

Asked what he thinks needs to be done to improve officiating standards, Wilder told BBC Radio Sheffield: "Just the standard needs to be better, in my opinion.

"I scratch my head at times - you can't get those decisions wrong. The decision for us was debated by three officials and a fourth, so if there's any doubt or they're not clear on it, surely they have to make the decision not to make the big decision, if that makes sense.

"There's no accountability for it - there is accountability in the Premier League.

"I get it, it's a fast-moving sport and people make mistakes, but I've lost complete confidence and it feels like something we have to put up with.

"We get criticised - which is the game we are in - as players, managers and coaches. Everything is on us, what we do, but from an officials situation there has to be a greater consistency."

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Wrexham will be aiming to reclaim their place in the top six as they make the trip to Sheffield United on Saturday (15:00 GMT).

The Red Dragons were displaced in the sixth spot by Southampton in the midweek after the Welsh side failed to guarantee their place with a 3-1 loss to Watford.

But the Blades are without a win across their past three league games (D2 L1) and will be hoping to get back to winning ways before they are cut off in the midtable.

• Sheffield United are hosting Wrexham in the league for the first time since October 1982, a 2-0 win in the third tier under Ian Porterfield.

• Wrexham average 2.8 goals per game against Sheffield United in the league (14 in 5 games), although 13 of the 14 goals they've scored against them have been at home.

• Sheffield United are winless in their last three Championship games (D2 L1) and could equal their longest winless run since Chris Wilder's return to the club last September (4 between October-November last year).

• Wrexham are unbeaten against Sheffield clubs in the Championship this season (W2 D1) and will be looking to do the league double over Sheffield United for the first time (won 5-3 in the reverse fixture on Boxing Day).

• Sheffield United have won 50% of their games and averaged 1.9 goals per game when Patrick Bamford has started for them in the Championship this season, compared to a 33% win rate and 1.1 goals per game when he hasn't been in the starting XI.

Image source, Getty Images

There have been plenty of contentious decisions in the 2025-26 Championship season so far.

Offside goals given, perfectly good goals ruled out, red card offences missed, penalties not given, dubious spot-kicks awarded. You name it.

With the video assistant referee (VAR) only used for the play-off final, the outcome of every second-tier game in the regular season can hinge on how on-field officials see incidents in real time.

• Would you want VAR introduced for every league game in the Championship?

• If so, why?

• And if not, let us know your reasons.

You can share your thoughts on VAR here or comment below, and we will publish a follow-up article soon with a selection of your responses.

Image source, Getty Images

Sheffield United striker Patrick Bamford believes they are "maturing as a side" as they continue to push for an unlikely play-off spot in the Championship.

The Blades were bottom of the table when Chris Wilder returned to Bramall Lane for his third spell as manager in September 2025.

Saturday's 1-1 draw at Birmingham City ended a run of back-to-back defeats for Wilder's side, and leaves them 15th, within 10 points of the top six with eight matches to play.

Bamford, 32, told BBC Sheffield: "Everyone was kind of down in the dumps after the previous two results, and thinking 'we've blown it', but honestly - you never know in this league.

"It's up to us to try and win every game we can, and if we do that it still might not be enough, but we've got to try.

"Funnier things have happened and we'll see what happens come the end of the season, but we're certainly going to give it a try".

Sheffield United had their sixth player of 2026 sent off at the weekend, with defender Femi Seriki dismissed after 23 minutes.

Birmingham scored from the resulting free-kick only for Bamford to equalise just before the half-time whistle.

"We've had a fair few red cards in the past few months, and it is a part of growing up," Bamford added. "We've got a really young team for the most part, and you only really learn these things when you're in it.

"In order to learn from these things, it has to happen to you. This shows we're moving forward and maturing as a team a little bit; it'll give us some confidence.

"I think it was a good learning curve and shows we're heading in the right direction".

On Saturday, Sheffield United host the side that currently occupy the all-important sixth place, Wrexham.

Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder has labelled his side's 1-1 away draw at Birmingham City a "huge point".

Blades defender Femi Seriki was sent off in the 23rd minute for a poor challenge on Birmingham's Ibrahim Osman with Marvin Ducksch scoring two minutes later for the hosts.

Patrick Bamford however equalised for 10-man United in first half stoppage time and the Yorkshire club held on resolutely to not leave the West Midlands empty handed.

"The game is not always celebrated by wins or draws, but I feel it's a huge point for us and an absolutely fabulous performance," said Wilder to BBC Radio Sheffield.

"A bonkers game, an absolutely nuts game. I can get questioned on tactics if I don't get it right, or team selection.

"If we put it out there and had a poll about who should be playing, I get all that. I've been through all that situation and I understand negativity towards performances.

"We weren't good enough in the second half and turned the ball over cheaply. That's a technical thing, not an attitude thing."

Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder has been speaking to the media before their trip to Birmingham City on Saturday (15:00 GMT).

Here are the main talking points:

• On Patrick Bamford being fit and available after missing Norwich defeat with dead leg: "Pat has been a big part of our resurgence since Christmas and when he signed for us, and the performances and results we've had that have been in the top four or five. Pat has been a part of that so when he misses out, it's obviously a big blow for us".

• Wilder says he's "not surprised from experience" how quickly recent positive vibes change with a draw and a defeat in the past week: "We were in a good place after the QPR win, then had four clear-cut chances against Norwich, but just as quickly as the mood and narrative changed for a negative one, it can quickly change back, and that has to be our challenge going into the game on Saturday."

• He admits the season so far has been a frustrating one after mixed results: "I'm the biggest critic of the group, and their biggest supporter. It's not been a straightforward season by any stretch. We're desperately trying to find that consistency, we're desperately trying to close that gap from being bottom after six games to the top 10."

• On fan criticism of the team at times: "There's always different types of supporters, and more so now. There's thoughtful supporters, and reactionary ones. I know what's needed medium and long-term, I'm not daft. I've been involved in lots of rebuilds. In the short-term, we need a reaction, and there's a lot of football to be played."

• Wilder admits whilst they have targets this season, he already "has one eye on next season, on who takes us on that journey". He will be looking at the squad who will "have an opportunity to impress, but there's always an opportunity to let that opportunity go as well."

• On facing Chris Davies' Birmingham City on Saturday: "I think they are a dangerous team. There was never any chance of the three who came up struggling in this league. They're a big club in this division who went down to League One. It can happen - look at West Brom, Leicester. It could have been us, could have been Norwich, Southampton. We have a chance to right a few wrongs of the past week."

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