Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder has congratulated Norwich City on finishing ahead of his team in the Championship title race.

The Blades drew 2-2 at Stoke as the Canaries won 2-1 at Aston Villa on the final day of the season, to finish five points behind Daniel Farke’s champions in the final table.

United return to the top flight for the first time since 2007, having spent six seasons in League One.

“Congratulations to Daniel and Norwich,” Wilder told the Sheffield Star. “It’s been a thrilling race between us, them and Leeds. They, Norwich, have been the best and we are proud and honoured to be joining them in the Premier League.

“I always maintained that, whoever came first would be there on merit. You don’t fluke anything over the course of 46 games. The same also went for who got the other automatic promotion spot and I’m delighted to say, very proud to say in fact, that it was us.”

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The Blades equalised twice in the Potteries but couldn’t get the win they needed to have a chance of the title, with City’s win at Villa making that irrelevant anyway.

“It’s been a tough one for the players,” Wilder added. “What with the emotion of last weekend and drinking every pub dry in Sheffield for 48 hours or so.

“But I’m delighted with the way they came back in the second-half and turned it around. Now we’re going to enjoy it and then get down to the serious business, the very serious business, of getting ready for what’s coming up.”