Chris Wilder hails Jamie Vardy’s rise ahead of Sheffield United’s trip to Leicester City

Chris Wilder tells his mates in the pub to ‘shut up’ when claiming they could have made it as a footballer, reminding them that Jamie Vardy overcame countless setbacks to get to the top.

The pair meet on Thursday when Wilder’s Sheffield United travel to Vardy’s Leicester City with both clubs in the hunt for European qualification.

Wilder was born in Stocksbridge, the Sheffield parish where Vardy rebuilt his career for non-League Stocksbridge Park Steels following his release by boyhood club Sheffield Wednesday.

Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder has heaped praise on Leicester’s Jamie Vardy (pictured)

Sheffield Wednesday fan Vardy will be hoping to score against his bitter rivals on Thursday

And the Blades boss has nothing but admiration for the Premier League’s top goalscorer, as he revealed: ‘I go to the pub quite often after a win and it makes me smile when I’m sat in company and people say, “Yeah, I could have made it… I was a bit unlucky with injury… it could have been me”.

‘Well, you know what, it wasn’t you because you didn’t do it. You didn’t get up off the canvas like Jamie Vardy did. You didn’t go and prove yourself and take the setbacks and keep going back.

‘So you deserve to be in the pub with the career you’ve had, not the one Jamie Vardy’s got, so shut up! I’ve got a few pals like that who I need to tell to be quiet every now and again, and tell them to get back in their basket.

‘Jamie keeps going, keeps scoring, so he deserves everything that comes his way, even though that’s from a Blade to an Owl.’

Wilder’s side remain in the hunt for European football next season with only three games left

Wilder, whose side are five points behind fourth-placed Leicester with three to play, said: ‘We have this United-Wednesday stuff which is still flying about, and I understand that.

‘But from a professional point of view and watching him in his career, it’s been a magnificent effort. To be released by the team you love is an absolute hammer blow, and to get up off the canvas and prove people wrong by getting his hands dirty at Stocksbridge and then onto Halifax and Fleetwood.

‘Nigel Pearson (Leicester boss) then took a punt on him as the first £1million player out of non-League and that was a huge statement, and one that has been fully justified – by Nigel, the club and, most importantly, by the player.

‘To prove himself in the Championship and into the Premier League, Premier League winner, England international, serial goalscorer and still having the drive and determination to go right to the final breath, he’s an incredible example for any young player.’