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Chris Wilder: Sheffield United are aiming to make a pint out of a half-pint pot

· Jonathan Veal; Press Association · 2026-08-15T20:05:37+00:00 · nguồn gốc

Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder says his side will “have to make a pint out of a half-pint pot” if they are to challenge for Championship promotion this season. The Blades began the new campaign in underwhelming fashion as they played out a drab goalless draw with Birmingham at Bramall Lane. Wilder, who is hoping to add more quality to his squad, claimed a top-10 finish is the target this season and says anything more will be an overachievement. “Internally, we are down to finish in the top 10,” said the Blades boss, who saw Patrick Bamford miss his side’s best chance in the second half. “This is an incredibly strong division, possibly the strongest it’s been in a long time with the relegated teams and then Southampton and Middlesbrough. “We are in that group that can try and break into it, if we are going to overachieve. There is a saying in Yorkshire you have to make a pint out of a half-pint pot. “We have lost a couple of good players, there are no parachute payments for us, so that is the difference in how we recruit and spend. “There are some big clubs, there are some clubs that are having a go. You understand when you do have a go it’s a costly thing. Sometimes, it doesn’t go right. We will never get into that position. There is no way we can be reckless. “We are in a good place, there is a bit of work to be done. “The last week of the transfer window will be like the Wild West but we’ll try.” Birmingham also have ambitions of mounting a promotion challenge as they looked to build on last season’s mid-table finish. Boss Chris Davies felt his side were the likeliest to win, with Jay Stansfield going closest. “I think we were the team most likely to win the match on another day, that’s a 1-0, 2-0 win,” he said. “We had so many moments around their box. We believe we were the team that deserved to win it, but you have to say coming to a place like this in the first game of the season, it’s a point gained. “It’s a feeling when you play football. It’s what did it feel like as a team? To me, the feeling was that we were ready to compete. “We were ready to do everything that you need to do in the heat of battle at places like this. “So, I think it’s an encouraging day for us.”