Sheffield United
Training Ground
Shirecliffe, Firshill Crescent, South Yorkshire, Sheffield S4 7DR
0114 253 7316
Academy Info
Academy Category: Two
Academy Manager: Derek Geary
Position in 2024/25 Academy Productivity Rankings: 10th
Under-21s Head Coach: George Willis
Coaching
English
Chris Wilder
Manager
Appointed for third time in September 2025 after being sacked three months earlier. Association with United started as a player in 1986 and he made 126 appearances across two spells. Began managerial journey at Alfreton Town and went on to Halifax Town, Oxford United and Northampton Town. Landed Blades job in 2016 and led them from League One to top-10 finish in Premier League. Left in March 2021 after a poor run, but after brief spells at Middlesbrough and Watford, returned to Bramall Lane in December 2023.
English
Alan Knill
Assistant Manager
Reappointed following Wilder’s return in September 2025. Was a manager in his own right and Wilder was his assistant at Bury. Roles were then reversed at Northampton Town and have been maintained ever since, in two other spells at Sheffield United as well as at Middlesbrough and Watford. Also assisted Rob Page for Wales’ World Cup qualifying campaign in 2021/22.
Portuguese
Guilherme Ramos
First Team Coach
Appointed by Wilder in September 2025. Has worked in England before as Assistant Manager of Nottingham Forest in the Championship in 2020/21. Having played for 11 years in his native Portugal, Poland and Iceland, he moved into coaching and has worked in several countries, including Portugal, Cyprus, Bulgaria, USA and France.
English
Matt Prestridge
First Team Coach
Like Knill, reappointed following Wilder’s return in September 2025. Joined Wilder from Loughborough University at Northampton Town and has been with him ever since, at Sheffield United (twice), Middlesbrough and Watford.
English
Michael Collins
First Team Coach
Brought back into the first-team set-up after Wilder’s reappointment in September 2025, having been part of it during Wilder’s second spell in charge. Worked in the Blades’ Academy and was in charge of the Under-21 team.
English
Gary McSheffrey
First Team Coach
Was Individual Development Coach and then U21s Lead for the Blades before being promoted to First Team duties in November 2025. Had a year as Manager of Doncaster Rovers in 2021/22.
English
Matt Duke
Goalkeeper Coach
Was elevated from the U21s in March 2021 to replace the outgoing Darren Ward and has continued with the first team under Jokanovic.
Performance & Medical
English
Tom Little
Head of Performance
Joined in May 2022 from Preston, where he had been Head of Performance for nine years. Massively experienced, having also worked for Birmingham, Huddersfield, Burnley, Sheffield Wednesday, Barnsley and Manchester City.
English
Nathan Winder
Lead S&C
Worked at Barnsley for almost nine years before moving to Leeds United with manager Paul Heckingbottom in February 2018. His time at Elland Road and, subsequently, Ipswich Town was short-lived. Appointed by the Blades in June 2019.
English
Lee McMahon
Sports Scientist/ S&C
Was an intern at the club before getting a permanent role win July 2010. Started off with the Academy before being promoted to first team duties in 2013.
English
Perry Nosek
First Team Sports Scientist/Performance Coach
Joined the Blades for his third spell in October 2025 after 18 months as First Team Sports Scientist at Coventry City. Originally an Academy Strength and Conditioning Intern at Bramall Lane for five months in 2013 and also U18s Strength and Conditioning Coach for five months in 2015.
English
Lee Rickards
Nutritionist
Like several other staff at United, he was a student at Sheffield Hallam University. Joined the club as an S&C coach and nutritionist in 2013.
Analysis
English
Joe Stephenson
Head of Analysis
Had nine months as Academy Performance Analyst Intern at United in 2017/18, before going on to Wolves, Swansea, Middlesbrough, Luton and Plymouth. Returned to the Blades in October 2025.
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