Blackburn Rovers v Sheffield Wednesday: Danny Rohl still has job to do despite accepting Championship play-offs are gone

Last season the trip to Blackburn Rovers was joyous as they secured a win which took them out of the Championship relegation zone for the first time.

Fast forward 352 days and the Owls, having stayed up, are now 13th with Blackburn – above them only on goal difference – in freefall. Friday's defeat to Middlesbrough was their fifth in a row.

Yet the mood is far more sombre, with a grim feel to a job still to complete.

For months, manager Danny Rohl held out the hope of a play-off campaign but not now pride is his new target.

Whilst his players were paid – a week late – on Monday, the threat of a three-window transfer embargo has only been postponed. Any late payment to the next three payrolls will trigger it.

So it hardly helps that Southampton – who Rohl previously worked for and who showed an interest in him in December, have a managerial vacancy again. Ivan Juric was sacked after relegation to the Championship was confirmed, having taken the fewest points per game (0.29) of any manager to oversee 10 or more Premier League games.

Rohl and ex-Hull City coach Liam Rosenior are thought to be their top targets in the summer.

He is not throwing the towel in on the season, but has given up hope of the top six.

"Now it's about six games to go, take wins because this is also our job, and then hopefully go in the summer where we can say, 'Okay, job done,'" he said.

"We should be honest, we are not ready for the play-offs in many parts."

But he can hold his head high.

"We have 52 points and we've done a good job," he reflected. "When you take all the package, I must say so far we have done an outstanding job."