This is a chronological list of managers of Sheffield United, a football club based in Sheffield, England.
United were formed in 1889 as an offshoot of the already existing Sheffield United Cricket Club and committee member and club secretary JB Wostinholm was placed in charge of team affairs, thus becoming their first 'manager' (although his official title was 'Club secretary'.) The Blades have since had a further twenty eight full-time managers (discounting those appointed on an interim basis).
The club's most successful manager was John Nicholson who replaced Wostinholm in 1899 and who remained in the post until his death in 1932. Under Nicholson the Blades won the FA Cup four times and established themselves as one of the dominant forces in English football, although winning the Championship for a second time eluded them during that period.
Since Nicholson's death the club have appointed a succession of managers who have enjoyed varying levels of success while the team has generally remained in the top two divisions of English football. The exception was a period of gradual decline during the late 1970s which ultimately saw United relegated to the fourth tier under Martin Peters in 1981. The club recovered and returned to the top-flight in 1990 under Dave Bassett.
A period of relative stability came in 1999 under self confessed Blades fan Neil Warnock. He guided the team to two domestic cup semi-finals and a First Division play-off final in the 2002–03 season. Then in the 2005–06 season he guided the team back to the top-flight. They spent just one season in the Premier League and Warnock left the club following the club's relegation.
A chaotic 2010–11 season saw the Blades go through three managers, Kevin Blackwell, who was assistant manager at United under former manager Neil Warnock. Gary Speed and another self confessed Blades fan and Sheffield born Micky Adams as well as John Carver who took charge as acting manager for a number of games, the ultimate result of which saw the side relegated to League One.
The club remained in the third tier for five years under several managers; Former Sheffield Wednesday manager Danny Wilson, Nigel Clough and Nigel Adkins. Then in 2016 the club turned to Chris Wilder who was a former ball boy and former player as well as a Sheffield United fan. In his first season in charge he took the club back to the second tier finishing 1st with 100 points, a club record for highest points in a season.
In his second season he got United off to a great start. Having beaten city rivals Sheffield Wednesday with 4–2 at Hillsborough (the most goals the club have ever scored in a game at Hillsborough). The team were top of the league and looking for back to back promotions. However the team would finish the season in 10th place, in part due to injuries to key players.
The majority of the club's managers have been English, the only exceptions being John Harris, Ian Porterfield, Billy McEwan and David Weir (all from Scotland), Gary Speed (who was Welsh) and Danny Wilson who has represented Northern Ireland at international football. Wilson is also one of two managers to have been manager of United and fierce Steel City rivals Sheffield Wednesday. Wilson was Wednesday's manager in 1998 and also a player for Wednesday in the early 1990s. He was United's manager in 2011. The other manager is Steve Bruce, who started his managerial career at Sheffield United as a player-manager in 1998. Then became Wednesday's manager in 2019.
Paul Heckingbottom is the current manager.
Managerial history
1889–1932: Early days
At its formation in 1889 United did not employ what would today be termed a manager, the side was coached by a trainer and a football committee selected the team and decided upon tactics (this was a continuation of the structure of Sheffield United Cricket Club from which the football team had been formed.) They did appoint Joseph Wostinholm to the position of club secretary and he was responsible for the day-to-day running of the club, matchday organisation and dealing with players and contracts. Wostinholm oversaw a period of rapid growth for the team, culminating in 1898 when United won their one and only First Division championship, after which he retired. Wostinholm was replaced by John Nicholson as secretary and he would remain in post for over 30 years until his death in 1932. Nicholson presided over the most successful period in the club's history as United became a leading force in English football, winning the FA Cup four times and regularly challenged at the top of the league but a second Division One title for the club eluded him.