What Steve Bruce believes would be an achievement for Sheffield Wednesday this season???????

Steve Bruce is a humble man but also fiercely ambitious.
Owls boss Steve BruceOwls boss Steve Bruce
Owls boss Steve Bruce

If Sheffield Wednesday finish the 2018/19 season strongly and sneak into the Championship top-six, that would not satisfy four-time promotion winner Bruce.

The 58-year-old, who guided Aston Villa to the play-off final last season, told The Star: "The only achievement for me would be if you get into the play-offs and get out.

Owls boss Steve BruceOwls boss Steve Bruce
Owls boss Steve Bruce

"I'm not just happy with getting in the play-offs.

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"As I experienced last year, there is nothing worse than getting beaten at Wembley. It is something Sheffield Wednesday have experienced too.

"If you get into the play-offs, you have to bloody win the thing. Then it's an achievement. Nobody remembers who was second.

"I was second 10 months ago and I'm sitting here now."

The Owls have climbed up to 11th in the standings after losing just one of their last 15 league outings. Bruce's men, without a plethora of first-team players due to injury, are currently on a 10-match unbeaten streak and are just four points adrift of the play-off positions as they prepare to welcome mid-table Blackburn Rovers to Hillsborough.

"It is a darn side better than it was a month ago," acknowledged Bruce. "There is no doubt at all that we have given ourselves a squeak.

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"We have made a climb towards it (the play-offs). We have put ourselves in with a chance.

"We must replicate what we have just done now over the last eight games, which is the difficulty.

"The team has been on a great run and can we sustain it? We have got some big games to look forward to, none more so than Saturday. Blackburn had a good result in the week. It's all to play for."

Wednesday face a number of their play-off rivals over the coming weeks, including Aston Villa, Nottingham Forest and Bristol City. In a tricky-looking run in, Wednesday also have to go to automatic promotion contenders Norwich City and Leeds United.

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Bruce said: "Everybody likes a long shot. There is nothing like a long shot winning - I have tried to have a few of them at Cheltenham this week but it is not going very well!

"It is important we give the supporters something to shout about.

"Who knows, it might be a bit late but we have given ourselves a squeak. Can we go and win six out of the next eight? That would put the cat amongst the pigeons.

"We have just proved that we are capable. We have got some big games coming up.

"Let's go and have a crack at it and enjoy the last six weeks if we can."