The Wednesday chief believes that the traditional safety mark of 50 may not be enough this time.

Bottom two Scunthorpe and Colchester look doomed but Laws feels that the other relegated side could come from nine or 10.

Laws is confident that the Owls will not be the ones to suffer and is aiming for the club to finish high in the "mini-league" in the bottom half of the table.

Wednesday, third from bottom on 43 points, have one or two games in hand on every bottom-half team except Cardiff, who are 14th but have only six points more than Laws's men.

He said: "It's so tight at the bottom end of the table, and it's the same at the top with no-one running away with it.

What do you think? Will 10 points be enough to save the Owls? Post your comments below.

"Usually 50 points is enough, and last season 49 kept you up, but I think one of the highest-ever totals will be necessary.

"I think we may need 53, minimum, and maybe 55."

Basement club Colchester are 11 points from safety, with only seven matches left, and appear to have one foot in League One already.

Next-to-bottom Scunthorpe are six points off the safety zone. Laws, though not writing off his old team completely, concedes that other clubs appear to be battling to avoid one remaining relegation place.

"It could be one from nine or 10. We want to finish in the top half of that mini-league, and it's achievable."

The Owls begin a run of three consecutive home matches with Saturday's visit of Crystal Palace.

"This could be a massive week for us" said Laws. "Each game that goes by is a big one, and we now focus on Palace."

Wednesday also face Stoke at Hillsborough a week on Saturday and Coventry on Tuesday, April 1.

Palace and former United boss Neil Warnock is relishing his return to Sheffield and braced for flak from Owls fans. But he says: "Although they might think otherwise, I do want Wednesday to stay up.

"It is better for Sheffield football to have both clubs as high up the leagues as possible, plus I like Brian Laws.

"We have done our bit for them recently, too, by beating the likes of Preston and Colchester."

Warnock added: "I think Wednesday will stay up. A big club is going to go down, I am certain of that, but there are so many down there that it will come from one of several."

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