'It would be an underachievement' - Sheffield Wednesday players clear on season demands

The Owls missed the chance to consolidate their spot in the top six over the weekend, conceding a late equaliser against Bolton Wanderers to draw 1-1 and finish the gameweek level on points with both Sunderland and Wycombe Wanderers.

With five games to go, Wednesday Play-Off aspirations remain in their own hands, and Dean is eager to play his part as they seek to continue their quest for promotion back into the Championship.

Dean has plenty of experience with regards to the Play-Offs and promotion, and he says that they just need to keep picking up points in order to keep themselves in the mix.

Speaking to the media last week, the 30-year-old said, “We’re in the Play-Offs at the minute, but we’re taking it game by game. We just have to keep picking points up. There are going to be bumps and things along the way, and things are going to happen.

“When I was at Brentford we made the Play-Offs on the last day - and we never thought we could. We won 3-0, and we heard the fans celebrate when we’d not even scored. It happens - it’s just the way football goes.

“We’ve just got to focus on week by week, game by game and day by day at training to improve and get better. We want to pick up as many points as we can.”

The pressure is on, though, and when asked whether missing out on the top six would be seen as an underachievement, Dean was categorical.

“100%,” he said. “I’m not going to hide anything. This squad is far too good to not be in there - it will be an underachievement if that happens, and we’ll all have to accept that, but I don’t think it will.”

Wednesday take on MK Dons – who are currently in the automatic promotion places – this weekend, and will be keen to get back to winning ways after Saturday’s disappointment at the University of Bolton Stadium.

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