Oxford United’s manager today celebrates his 42nd birthday, so we put that number of questions to the man masterminding the U’s super season . . . 42 things that you never knew about Chris Wilder AS A PLAYER 1 What do you think you would be doing if you hadn’t been such a success in football?

CW: I only ever wanted to be a footballer.

2 Were you good at any other sports at school?

CW: I enjoyed all sports, especially cricket.

3 What was your biggest footballing thrill in your first few years as a player?

CW: Getting a professional contract at Southampton, and making my debut for Sheffield United.

4 Did you used to go and watch your local team as a kid?

CW: I watched my dad play, and was a ball boy at Sheffield United.

5 What was your greatest achievement as a player?

CW: Captaining Sheffield United in the old First Division, and being promoted twice with the Blades.

6 Which player did you idolise as a boy?

CW: Kenny Dalglish.

7 Which coach or manager did you must respect/admire when you were a player?

CW: Alex Ferguson.

8 Which coach or manager do you most respect/admire now?

CW: Alex Ferguson.

9 Do you ever wish you had gone on playing longer?

CW: No, I was ready for a different challenge.

10 Do you resent the massive money even average players make from the game now?

CW: No, not at all – it’s a short career – as long as clubs get value for money, that’s the main thing.

Family life 11 Were your parents/family fully supportive when you played?

CW: Yes always.

12 How did you and wife Rachel meet and was it first love?

CW: At Gareth Taylor’s (Wrexham centre forward) wedding, and of course it was love at first sight.

13 Does she like football or get fed up with you watching it?

CW: She likes it when we win. But it’s football 24/7 in our house, so she does get fed up with it at times.

14 Is she at home bringing up the family now/did she used to work in any particular field?

CW: Bringing up the kids. She managed the Gap clothes store in Manchester and Sheffield.

15 Are your two daughters sporty?

CW: Martha likes sport and Evie’s into fashion.

16 How have the family settled in Oxfordshire? Is it all that different to Yorkshire?

CW: Very well, we all love it! We lived in the city in Sheffield. We don’t get police helicopters flying over our house in the country!

17 What TV programmes do the kids love to watch?

CW: The usual . . . Hannah Montana, High School Musical.

18 What TV programmes do you and your wife like watching?

CW: Sky Sports 1, 2, 3, HD, News, Eurosport, Mock The Week, QI.

19 If we opened your fridge door, which food or drink would we find inside?

CW: Not a lot at the moment – she desperately needs to do a shop.

20: What is your most treasured possession?

CW: My family.

More football 21 How superstitious are you and do you have pre-match rituals?

CW: Not at all.

22 Whose boots did you clean when you were an apprentice at football?

CW: David Armstrong at Southampton.

23 Who is the most technically gifted player you’ve ever trained/played with?

CW: Matt Le Tissier.

24 Who was the toughest opponent you faced as a player?

CW: John Barnes.

25 What annoys you most about some managers?

CW: Their ego – even though the majority of them have never had a career or achieved anything in the pro game.

26 What frustrates/annoys you most about some players?

CW: Their failure to realise their potential, and waiting for things to happen. Waiters are for restaurants!

27 Do you think we too easily look to foreign managers and coaches when there are some good English ones?

CW: Possibly yes – the top ones are very good.

28 Do you believe you could one day manage in the Premier League?

CW: I am ambitious and would love to manage there – Oxford United in five years maybe!

29 Which top player do you most enjoy watching now, and who is the best full back ever?

CW: Wayne Rooney is just great to watch – he wants to win all of the time. Paolo Maldini’s the best full back.

30 Do you spend much time thinking about what you need to say to the players at half-time/after the final whistle?

CW: We give the players around five minutes at both half-time and full time so that we gather our thoughts and then decide who to throw the teapot at!

Miscellaneous 31 Away from football, what has been your best discovery in Oxford or Oxfordshire, ie shop, restaurant, food etc?

CW: Jimmy Gamage, who I rent my house from – if Carlsberg did landlords . . .

32 Who would play you in a film of your life?

CW: I suppose Sean Bean – born and bred in Sheffield.

33 We know that Michael Vaughan is a good mate of yours. Do you have any other famous friends?

CW: I know the manager of the Arctic Monkeys well.

34 You said you enjoyed cricket. What’s been your biggest score as a batsman/most wickets you’ve taken?

CW: I once got a 50 and five wickets in the same game.

35 What newspaper do you read?

CW: The Oxford Mail – to see what the football writer has to say!

36 When was the last time you were really drunk?

CW: A couple of beers with the staff always goes down well with a win.

37 Who would be your four ideal dinner guests?

CW: Comedian Frankie Boyle, Bono of U2, snooker player Ronnie O’Sullivan and actor Robert de Niro.

38 What would be your specialist subject if you were on Mastermind?

CW: Football, past and present.

39 What’s been the most interesting country you’ve visited, and the best place you’ve had a holiday?

CW: USA, Fort Lauderdale – for both.

40 If you could only take one possession onto a desert island, what would it be?

CW: My iPod.

41 Sum yourself up in five words: CW: Honest, loyal, selfish, obsessive, bit-of-a-nutter.

42 Tell us something about yourself that only you know: CW: Why would I, then everybody knows!