Bywater refuses to throw in towel over promotion

The Owls need the Blades to drop a minimum of five points in the remaining three games to have any chance of winning automatic promotion.

A victory in today’s home game with Carlisle United would only guarantee the fight going to next weekend’s penultimate fixtures.

“I’m not thinking about the play-offs yet, I’m just thinking that we need to win our last three games,” said Bywater, who joined the Owls from Derby County seven months ago.

“Hopefully, other teams might slip up but our focus is that we can still possibly get second spot and anything can happen.

“I’m not a quitter in life and I know the lads I work with aren’t quitters,” he added. “We are all still striving to get that No 2 slot.”

As reported in yesterday’s Yorkshire Post, Bywater is one of nine Owls players who will be out of contract in the summer but talks are on hold until the club’s divisional status is confirmed.

The other players involved are captain Rob Jones, defenders Mark Beevers and Jon Otsemobor, wingers Jermaine Johnson and Chris Sedgwick, striker Clinton Morrison, and goalkeepers Nicky Weaver and Richard O’Donnell.

“I would love to stay at Sheffield Wednesday. It’s a massive club with a massive fan base and I think I’ve settled in well,” said Bywater.

“It would be a pleasure to play for this club next season but the focus for us all is to get over that line and get promoted.”

Bywater had gone 380 minutes without conceding a goal prior to Colchester United’s opener in last weekend’s 1-1 draw and his confidence remains high.

“Now is the time to keep knuckling down and go for three wins out of three because that’s what’s needed,” he stressed.

Carlisle are still firmly in the hunt for a play-off spot but have picked up only two points from their last four games.

Owls manager Dave Jones said: “They are a decent footballing side. I have seen them on TV and a couple of DVDs. Like anyone in the division, on their day, they are a match for anyone.

“I would say they are one of four clubs trying to attack one space (in the play-offs) along with Brentford, Stevenage, and Notts County. Our approach has to be spot-on. Last week, we banged on the door but, unfortunately, a second ‘goal’ was disallowed.”