Warnock, now manager of Crystal Palace, has spent years poking fun at the Owls and even rang a Sheffield radio station to gloat after his side defeated the Owls at Selhurst Park three months ago.

Laws wants revenge tomorrow when Palace visit Hillsborough and thinks Warnock's latest comments are merely designed to take the heat out of the situation.

"I know he is saying that he believes we will be safe and wants both Sheffield clubs to do well – but I am taking that with a pinch of salt," said Laws yesterday.

"I think he is only saying that so he gets an easy time at Hillsborough – but I am sure our supporters won't disappoint him.

"We all know his thoughts about this club," added Laws. "He wants to make it uncomfortable for us for as long as possible and he will get a kick out of that.

"He was very disappointed with our supporters at Crystal Palace because it took them 25 seconds to have a go at him. Maybe they might start straight from the off on Saturday."

Despite the verbal sparring, Laws insists that he admires Warnock's style of management and believes the game needs characters of his kind.

"I love characters in football and it is important for the game," he said.

"Sometimes you look around and there are a lot of managers who are very low key.

"I like to see managers who are vocal, who show they care, and who have passion. Neil is certainly one of those and you get your money's worth out of him," he added.

Since taking over at Selhurst Park five months ago, Warnock has dragged Palace out of relegation trouble and into play-off contention.

The Owls are one point adrift of safety in the bottom three, but victory tomorrow could lift the club five places up the table.

Laws said: "We have to be very focused and not take our eye off what we are trying to achieve. We are in a difficult position in the bottom three, but one more win might see us leapfrog a lot of teams.

"We have to forget about Neil Warnock – even though I am sure we will welcome him back to Hillsborough – because this is a game we have to win regardless of who it is against.

"Palace play in the Neil Warnock way. They work hard, they get that ball to the strikers as quickly as possible, they get in as many crosses as they can, and they make life difficult. It will be a blood-thirsty game, in your face, because that is the way Neil likes to play."

The Owls are likely to be boosted by the return of defender Frank Simek after a three-month lay-off with an ankle injury.