Sheffield United cult hero Mark Duffy said he has resolved his differences with Chris Wilder as he begins his career as a manager.
Now in the dugout at Macclesfield FC, Duffy said he has been seeking advice from the former Blades boss.
The pair fell out in 2019 after Duffy could not sign a new deal at the club, but the former Doncaster Rovers winger said they have moved past their issues.
Duffy, 37, also named the ‘bounce slayer’ goal against rivals Sheffield Wednesday in an incredible derby win for the Blades as the best moment of his career.
Stopping the Wednesday fans bouncing
Having led by two goals against arch-rivals Sheffield Wednesday, Lucas Joao pulled the game back to 2-2 in the 65th minute, and the Wednesday fans began bouncing.
Unsatisfied by the enjoyment of their main rivals, Duffy went about silencing the crowd seconds later, with a goal that later became known the ‘bounce slayer’.
He fired in a goal to put the Blades 2-3 up, in a game they went on to win 2-4 just over six years ago.
Duffy said it was a day he will remember for the rest of his life.
He said: “That goal as an individual moment was definitely the highlight of my career, to score that goal with the celebrations.
“Every year from now, probably until the day I die, I get messages on that day.
“The gaffer, Chris Wilder, messaged me on the morning of the anniversary a few weeks ago and said ‘thank you for one of the best days of my life’.
“It was an unbelievable day for everyone involved.”
Receiving advice from Wilder
After falling out over a new contract he was not given in 2019, Duffy and Wilder had a fractured relationship after the Liverpudlian’s departure from the club.
Duffy said he has moved on from their argument, and said Wilder is the sort of boss he would need help from as he begins his coaching career.
He said: “Yeah I still have a great relationship with Wilder, everyone thinks that given the way things panned out when I left the club that we wouldn’t speak.
“But we spoke and made up really, because he’s someone that I’m going to need for advice, and he’s someone that I massively respect as well.
“The thing with me and the gaffer [Wilder] is that we are strong, opinionated people, so that’s what happened.
“We had a different opinion at that present moment, and it could’ve been handled differently, and we both wish that we did handle it differently.
“But now we have a great relationship, I still have a great relationship with everyone at the club.”
Backing Paul Heckingbottom to turn the tide at Sheffield United
As a manager on an eight match long unbeaten streak, Duffy has enjoyed a good start to his managerial career.
Meanwhile, his former club are struggling at the bottom of the Premier League table, with one point in eight games.
Duffy backed Heckingbottom to improve the results at Sheffield United and said changing managers may not be the answer for the Blades.
He said: “I do think he can turn things around, the jump from the Championship to the Premier League is big.
“We’ve seen clubs come up to the Premier League and invest over £100m, like Fulham did a few years ago, there’s no guarantee that it’s going to work.
“Forest did it as well, and they ended up going back to the players that really got them up from the Championship.
“Hecky [Heckingbottom] hasn’t really been given an unbelievable amount of money, so for me, it’s always going to be tough.
“I think the main objective is to stay up in the Premier League, and if they do that, that’s as good as one of the top teams getting into the Champions League.
“It takes time, and in the ruthless industry we’re in you don’t always get time.
“It’s unfortunate because people want the next person who seems to be good, but that’s not always the case.”