Middlesbrough boss reveals talks with players on 'different atmosphere' at Sheffield Wednesday plus sympathy with Owls' plight

Sheffield Wednesday Supporters' Trust have organised a boycott of the televised game, viewing the occasion to be a prime opportunity to expose the club’s plight under the reviled ownership of Dejphon Chansiri, while hammering home the message that fans will not continue to fund the Owls’ decline at his hands.

A sell-out 3,699 contingent of Boro followers will be in the Leppings Lane end, but home sections look like being eerily deserted.

Edwards, who says he has spoken to his players regarding what will be a strange atmosphere to play in, said: “We have spoken about it with the lads.

"Again, we need to turn up. There will be things going on; external things we can’t control and we can’t then allow that to disrupt or affect us.

"So, we will expect a little bit of a different atmosphere. We’ve just got to look after ourselves and what we do.

"That’s all we can do and the boys know that. It’s all right saying that, (but) go and do it.

"The lads are understanding of it. A lot of the lads that are from here understand it and know the league and understand a little bit of what is going on at Sheffield Wednesday.

“I understand maybe for one or two of the new boys, it might have been a bit of a surprise to them when I spoke about it yesterday.

"We’ve talked about it as we don’t anything to really be a surprise and we can concentrate on what is the most important thing, which is the football.”

"On the general situation at crisis club Wednesday, Edwards has sympathy with their sad predicament.

He added: “Of course. I don’t know all the details, so I don’t want to comment on that side of it.

"But it’s a magnificent football club with a huge tradition and massive club and fanbase with a great history and all of that. It’s not nice to see.”