Chris Wilder criticizes his Sheffield United flops for ‘raising the white flag’ in too many games as 5-1 defeat at Newcastle confirmed their relegation… but he is determined to lead his hometown club back to the high.

Chris Wilder gave one of Sheffield United’s best performances of the season at St James’ Park.

Unfortunately, for the relegated Blades, he was sitting in a press room chair and hitting some of his players rather than on the pitch, hurting the opposition.

They had played well in the first half, but saw a deserved 1-0 lead turn into a lame 5-1 defeat.

“The players will not change their minds in the last three or four games,” he said, when asked about the future of the current team.

“Where were you 15 games ago? Or there are 25 matches?

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“They can’t automatically turn it on in the last embers of a season and expect me to say, ‘I’ll tell you, by the way, everything’s fine with you.’

“Unfortunately the season lasts 38 games. Every game wasn’t good enough.

“Some matches, the white flag was raised. This was unacceptable.

What about Wilder’s future: does he have the desire to take his hometown club back out of the Championship?

“Certainly, more than at any other time in my career,” he replied. “It takes work, you have to dedicate a lot of time to it. You need a plan, important decisions.

“There is a cycle of players who could be coming to an end at the football club, who have been exceptional servants.

“We need to freshen it up and I’m as excited and committed and I have the greatest desire I’ve ever had to be at the forefront of that with my coaches.

“The most important thing is the mentality of the football club and what it means to be a Sheffield United player, which I think I recognize. I know what it’s like.