Megson will mind his language after falling foul of officials

Megson was sent to the stands at Wycombe Wanderers last weekend for swearing at a fourth offical. Although the Football Association have decided to take no further action, the Owls manager has acknowledged that his language is not setting a good example.

Striker Gary Madine misses tomorrow’s home game against Brentford due to heated words with referee Paul Tierney when sent off against Carlisle United.

Madine served a one-game ban last weekend but has now been handed a further one-game ban because of his conduct towards the referee.

Megson says his own behaviour is not going downhill but is aware that fans at lower league grounds hear more of what goes on in the technical areas.

“I think it’s a little bit different at this level and I am going to have to calm down a little bit,” said Megson.

“I am exactly the same on the touchline for Sheffield Wednesday as I was in my last job at Bolton in the Premier League. I did exactly the same things there but never once was a I spoken to or sent off the pitch.

“I have tried to calm down in the past but my language is something I need to sort out. I am not proud of it,” he admitted. “Sometimes I turn around and there are kids there but, in the heat of the moment, I do say things I am not too pleased with.

“It’s borne out of frustration and it’s not the officials,” he added. “They are just following the guidelines. Some of the things you can (not get away with) but the way you can work at the higher levels need to be tempered a bit here. We are at small grounds, we have a huge amount of support making all the noise, and you get a complaint from someone in the stand to a steward that ‘they are not too happy with his language’. They are different size grounds and different size crowds to what I am used to.”

Megson offered a note of sympathy to Madine over his suspension, saying: “He’s a young lad and was a bit hot headed during that game which was understandable as it was his former club. In my view, he shouldn’t have been sent off because he kicked thin air but he’s got the hump, said something to the referee, and that got his extra game ban. It doesn’t help ‘Gaz’ and it doesn’t help us. Whether you think the referee is right or wrong, he is in charge. We all have to learn from it.”

Defender Reda Johnson misses tomorrow’s game after failing to recover from the groin injury which led to his absence at Wycombe.

That offers another opportunity for Scottish defender Mark Reynolds. who received an apology from Megson over comments in the press.

“I spoke to Mark before last weekend’s game and apologised for what I had said about his ‘record’ in the team. I shouldn’t have done that. It was a mistake. But I also said I shouldn’t be in a position to be able to say it. You shouldn’t play that many games (12) and not be on the winning side. I was delighted for Mark that he was in a team that won and good luck to him.”

Midfielder Giles Coke, meanwhile, is back at Hillsborough after rejecting the opportunity to extend his loan stay at Bury.

Coke, 25, intends to fight for a place in the Wednesday team but has not ruled out the possibility of returning to Gigg Lane should he be deemed surplus to requirements by Megson.

“I certainly wouldn’t rule out going back if things don’t work out for me in Sheffield,” he said. I’ve got a lot to thank Bury for but I just feel like it is a good time for me to go back and really give it a shot.”

Megson, meanwhile, says speculation surrounding possible new investors at Hillsborough this week ‘comes with the territory’.