SHEFFIELD United have confirmed that departure of Chris Wilder's long-time number two Alan Knill, with Micky Collins stepping up to assistant-manager.
Further backroom changes have seen first-team coach Guilherme Ramos depart Bramall Lane, while former Manchester United defender and Blackburn Rovers coach Phil Jones has been added to Wilder's coaching staff for next season - following last season's disappointment Championship finish.
Knill's exit splits up one of the most successful managerial double-acts over the past decade in Yorkshire.
Knill, 61, had been Wilder's right-hand man during his three spells at the Blades.
Alan Knill (right) has left his post as Sheffield United assistant boss.placeholder image
Alan Knill (right) has left his post as Sheffield United assistant boss.
The former Rotherham United joint-manager and Halifax defender also worked alongside Wilder during his time in charge at Middlesbrough from November 2021 to October 2022.
Knill was widely credited for his tactical input during United's rise to the Premier League in 2018-19, with the duo enjoying dual promotion highs during their first golden spell at United, who also went agonisingly close to a return to the top-flight in their second stint at the helm in 2024-25.
Wilder and Knill returned to the club for a third time last September. The pair first joined forces on the managerial front at Bury, where Wilder initially served as Knill's number two before a role reversal.
Their friendship was forged during their time together as apprentices at Southampton in the early 1980s.
Phil Jones has been brought in to strengthen Sheffield United’s coaching team.placeholder image
Phil Jones has been brought in to strengthen Sheffield United’s coaching team.
On the departure of Knill and Ramos, Wilder said: "My association with Alan (Knill) goes back many years and he has been pivotal to the success we have had together.
"He's not only been a brilliant coach but also a great confidant. He departs with our gratitude and best wishes for the future.
"Guilherme is a talented young coach who helped us through a tricky period when we returned last season, and I know he'll have a bright future in the game. We also wish him well for the future."
United's owners COH Sports had been pressing for a coaching revamp this summer, with Collins, who had a brief spell in charge at Bradford City earlier in his career, being tipped for a promotion.
Wilder added: "After stabilising last season, we are now looking to inject some fresh ideas into the group, and a collective decision has been made to make some changes behind the scenes.
"Micky (Collins) is someone who has really impressed me since I came back to the club. He's followed the pathway from the under-21s into the first team and has proved to be a talented coach who is deserving of some increased responsibility.
"Phil (Jones) is a young coach who has played under some of the very best and is now forging his own pathway in coaching.
"He's coming in tasked with helping throughout the team and he's already gained some great experience coaching in the academy at Manchester United and with the first team at Blackburn last season. He is highly thought of at both clubs.
"Both are young and ambitious in the world of coaching and I'm looking forward to working with them."