Garry Monk clarifies play-off comments after Sheffield Wednesday's defeat at Luton Town

Speaking after the derby draw at relegation-threatened Barnsley last weekend Monk said that play-off qualification wasn’t a ‘realistic’ ambition at the start of the season and that it wasn’t ‘the number one aim’.

But following defeat at Luton on Wednesday the Owls boss felt compelled to clarify his comments and categorically denied any interpretation suggesting his side had given up on a top-six finish.

“It wasn’t the context I said it in,” he said. “I didn’t say it in a way as in ‘that’s not what we want to do or what we’re fighting for’, I didn’t say that at all. I didn’t mean it in that context.

“It will always get spun in that way, but if you ask anybody that’s worked with me, I’m ambitious and determined in myself.

“People can twist it or whatever. I never meant it in the context that’s being portrayed. That’s fine, I’ve got no problems with that.”

The 40-year-old Owls boss was speaking after a disappointing 1-0 defeat at Luton Town that extended a poor run of form to one win in nine league matches.

The result leaves them 12th in the table heading into the weekend’s clash with Reading.

Monk said: “I want to win games, that’s always been my mentality and I’m trying my hardest to help, that’s always been my mentality. I totally accept that this result and this run of games is not good enough.”