Former Sheffield United right-back George Baldock died in Greece in October at the age of 31, but he is being remembered by the Blades as they push for promotion
Chris Wilder says the memory of tragic George Baldock is driving Sheffield United towards an instant Premier League return.
The Blades have the worst play-offs record in the country – nine attempts to negotiate the end-of-season ropewalk, nine failures – and manager Wilder is just about the only person at Bramall Lane who knows what it’s like to win promotion at Wembley.
But the club’s heartwarming tributes to their former full-back, who died in Greece last October aged 31, has become a powerful motivation to rewrite history.
Fans sang Baldock’s name in their adapted David Bowie ‘Starman’ tribute throughout Monday night’s 3-0 win against Bristol City, which completed the record aggregate score in a Championship play-off semi-final (6-0). And on the players’ lap of honour, holding a Greece flag adorned with their former team-mate’s nickname and squad number, the connection was more vivid than ever.
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Wilder, who led Oxford United back into the Football League with a play-off final triumph against York City at Wembley 15 years ago, said: “He’s with us all the way.
”His shirt’s up in every changing room, home and away. We reference him all the time – and we should do because of his career, his journey before us and his journey with us, which was amazing.
“Obviously the tragic situation that we had to deal with, let alone what his family’s had to deal with, is incredible, so he’s with us, and he would have enjoyed that performance.
“He was a winner, and he wanted to prove himself. Wanted to be part of the team. He’s a great example to all our players.”
Baldock made 219 appearance in seven years for the Blades before he was released at the end of last season.
A Greece international through his grandmother’s ancestry, he joined Greek Super League club Panathinaikos last summer but was found drowned in a swimming pool seven months ago.
Wilder hopes the Blades can harness the tragedy and turn into an irresistible force to secure his second promotion at Wembley in a play-off final. He has happy memories of 2010, when he ended Oxford’s four-year exile from the EFL, saying: “It was a great day for club under huge pressure, so there was no other option but winning.
“I had the late, great Jim Smith, who was on the board, barking in my ear – and the Bald Eagle was a Sheffield Wednesday fan – saying, ‘You had better win it because the club could go under.’
“We went 2-0 up before our keeper chucked one in and we could only relax when Alfie Potter wrapped it up in the last minute. Everyone talks about winning at Wembley being the best way to go up, but I’ve got to say my preference is automatic promotion.”
Wilder admitted he was envious of Leeds and Burnley, whose players have been sunning themselves in Las Vegas after reaching 100 points to rejoin the elite, while the Blades were left to negotiate the play-offs despite collecting 90 points.
But he added: “The lads have handled it immensely well and to round it off at Wembley would be magical. I don’t feel there’s a negativity because of our previous play-off campaigns. There’s a freshness about it, a real belief that we can make history and put to bed all that.
“It isn’t easy to go straight back up. It’s not straightforward. And we pushed and pushed all season. We got 90 points, and for two teams to get to 100 points in the same season is insane.
“With the narrative of Sheffield United’s play-off history and stuff like that, we’ve had to to make sure that we were right on it.”
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