One of Chris Wilder’s first signings at Sheffield United was the man who finds the signings. Wilder has made none better, or more important.



But who is Paul Mitchell?



Remember, for starters, how Chesterfield – yes, now non-League Chesterfield – almost gatecrashed the Championship with a second successive promotion under Paul Cook in 2014-15. That was with players lined up by Mitchell.



Many of those were sold. And look what happened to the Spireites. They plummeted two divisions after Mitchell left, eventually lured to Bramall Lane.



Now look at Sheffield United in the time since his 2016 arrival. Up two divisions. So his methods are well worth studying. In between, he helped Cook build a League Two promotion-winning team at Portsmouth. That’s three promotions and one near-miss.



Where, for instance, would Lancashire crisis clubs Bolton and Bury be with an operator like Mitchell in their ranks? Or, indeed, many...