How Sheff Utd’s new assistant manager’s contract forced him to bizarrely sit in empty office after Wilder was sacked

ALAN KNILL’S return to the Sheffield United management team is a bizarre turn of events for the coach.

Knill had to go into Bramall Lane and do nothing at the start of his ‘gardening leave’ after Chris Wilder was sacked in March 2021.

Alan Knill was forced to sit in an empty office after Chris Wilder’s sacking in 2021Getty

As part of his contract he was obliged to be at the club — even though he was only sitting alone in an office.

Now Knill is back there with Wilder, who was also in the peculiar position of being paid by the Blades during his time between leaving and returning.

The 59-year-old spent five years with the club after joining as Wilder’s number two in 2016.

During that time, the Blades won promotion from both League One and the Championship before spending two seasons in the Premier League.

He has also been Wilder’s assistant at Northampton, Middlesbrough and Watford either side of their first stint at Bramall Lane.

The former Torquay boss has also been Robert Page’s assistant with Wales for the past two years.

Knill returned to the Blades this week after Wilder replaced the sacked Paul Heckingbottom in the dugout.

Meanwhile, Heckingbottom is now being lined up for the vacant Sunderland job.

Wales assistant Knill is now back at Bramall Lane alongside WilderGetty

After losing his comeback clash with Liverpool in midweek, Wilder’s side claimed a crucial victory over Brentford on Saturday.

The Blades remain bottom of the table but are just three points from safety following their second league win of the campaign.