Beevers is determined to finish on a high with the Owls

The recipient had been Daniel Powell, the Dons midfielder whom Beevers had become good friends with during his loan spell at stadium:mk earlier this season.

In the text, Powell had been urged to do all in his power to beat Sheffield United so, as Beevers reflected on not only the Blades’ 1-0 defeat but also Wednesday’s victory over Carlisle United, he was in a buoyant mood.

That has remained the case all week, even if the Owls defender does admit to having felt a tad guilty later on discovering that Powell had received a red card for his troubles in the Dons’ victory.

“MK Dons beating them did us a massive favour,” admits the 23-year-old ahead of today’s trip to Brentford. “It was great to hear the result as we came off after our win against Carlisle.

“They did us a real favour, though I am not sure me getting in touch with the lads at Milton Keynes had anything to do with it as my big friend down there is Daniel Powell and he got sent off.

“I texted him before the match to say I hoped he could do us a favour but I didn’t expect him to take it that seriously. Still, the main thing is we won.”

With the Blades due to take on another play-off chasing side in Stevenage today, the Yorkshire Post can not resist asking Beevers if he is planning to text any of the Hertfordshire club’s squad.

“No I don’t know any of them,” laughs the Wednesday defender, “which, considering what happened last weekend, is maybe not a bad thing.”

The fight for supremacy in the Steel City is, of course, no laughing matter with the prize at stake being automatic promotion to the Championship.

With two games remaining and just a point separating second-placed United from their bitter rivals, everything is clearly still to play for as Dave Jones’s side head to Brentford for a 3pm kick-off.

Victory at Griffin Park would see Wednesday return to second place due to Danny Wilson’s Blades not being due to kick-off at home to Stevenage until 5.20pm.

Following last weekend’s dramatic turn of events as Michail Antonio’s ‘96th-minute’ winner earned the Owls a 2-1 victory over Carlisle United as United faltered at MK Dons, Beevers is hoping the initiative has swung the way of Hillsborough.

He said: “We have not lost a game since the new manager came in. It is the final push now and if we can win these two games then we have every chance.

“I think we have to get six points as anything less would mean Sheffield United having to slip up twice. If we play like we have been, then I believe we have every chance.

“Our final two games are remarkably similar to those of Sheffield United as we both play teams hoping to get in the play-offs this Saturday. Then next weekend, we both play teams fighting for survival as we face Wycombe at home and Sheffield United go to Exeter.”

Asked if Antonio’s last-gasp winner could have given Wednesday a psychological edge over their neighbours, Beevers said: “I would rather have had it wrapped up by half-time last week, if I am honest. But scoring so late on did create a great atmosphere at Hillsborough.

“The fans loved winning a game like that. From a player’s perspective, we really should have killed the game off long before the end but the main thing is we got there in the end.

“It is great that we are creating a lot of chances so the key is we must keep it tight at the back. If we do that and are also ruthless then I believe we can destroy teams.”

For Beevers, this season has been, by his own admission, a mixed bag with a scarcity of first team opportunities leading to September’s loan move to Milton Keynes.

Fourteen starts followed for the Dons before the defender was recalled by Gary Megson early in the new year. An appearance from the bench at Scunthorpe followed along with a start in the FA Cup against Blackpool only for Beevers to again find himself frozen out until injuries to Reda Johnson and Julian Bennett brought a recall at left-back.

He said: “It is just how football is. Things can change quickly. I’d had a good pre-season and was hoping to play a big part but then found myself sitting in the stand. MK Dons came in and it was a great move for me.

“They play nice football and I felt to fit in. I then came back and my chances were limited. But now I am back in. It isn’t my preferred position but I will play anywhere for the team.

“I just want to play. The season has been up and down for me on a personal level but if we can finish on the high of winning promotion then it has to go down as a great season.”

Beevers, whose contract is due to run out this summer, added: “I am just focusing on these final two games and, hopefully, clinching promotion for Sheffield Wednesday. All the other stuff can wait.

“If we can get these six points and get second place then, on a personal level, we can sit down and talk about it. But not until the season is over and we all know where we stand.”

As a native of south Yorkshire, Barnsley-born Beevers is all too aware of the fierce rivalry that exists between Sheffield’s two clubs.

He also appreciates just how desperate Owls fans are to pip their rivals to second spot but insists that for now the Wednesday players cannot afford to get caught up in the Steel City fight for supremacy.

He said: “We couldn’t wish for two better teams to be battling it out and I am sure the rest of the country are relishing it.

“But, speaking as a player, we are not getting involved. It doesn’t really matter who we are up against, the key is how we do. We aren’t playing Sheffield in our last two games so it is all about how we do against Brentford and Wycombe.

“Of course, how United do is important as they are a point in front of us. But it will only really matter how they do if we win our two games. That is the priority, nothing else.”

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