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Football

01st Sep 2018

Chris Wilder apologises for stadium announcement during rout against Aston Villa

The Sheffield United manager claimed the announcement wasn't "acceptable"

Darragh Murphy

Chris Wilder took the time to publicly apologise for a stadium announcement which took place during his side’s 4-1 rout over Aston Villa.

Wilder clearly enjoyed Sheffield United’s fourth win of the Championship season but he wasn’t at all happy about the announcement which came over the Bramall Lane PA system at half-time of the game.

With the hosts already 3-0 up, announcer Gary Sinclair reportedly closed out at the opening half by joking that “unfortunately there are only two minutes of stoppage time.”

It was an attempt to get a laugh out of the home fans and it did but it was not appreciated by the Blades’ manager,

“I’ll deal with that because we’re a humble club,” Wilder said after the match, via the Express and Star.

“I apologise to Steve Bruce and the Aston Villa players because it’s not acceptable. It’s a little bit of over-enthusiasm.

“We’re in our second season in the division and it’s one good performance. We feel there are clubs in the Championship who talk the talk and don’t walk the walk. I want us to be humble so there’s no way that I will allow that to get out of hand.”

The man in the opposite dugout, Steve Bruce, admits that he didn’t hear the jibe but wasn’t surprised to see Wilder offer his apology.

“It’s typical of Chris to apologise because he’s as honest as they come,” said Bruce, who hasn’t managed a win in any of his last five games in charge.

“I’ve known him a long, long time. I didn’t hear it, though. I was more taken back by what’s going on the pitch.

“I have enough of my own worries to listen to the drivel of some commentator.”