O’Connor calling on Wednesday to listen and learn

O’Connor, who will be out of contract this summer after three years at Hillsborough, believes the Owls should not be involved in a battle to avoid a second consecutive demotion.

With 10 games to play, the club are only four points clear of the relegation zone – and 18 adrift of the play-off zone.

“It’s important now to win as many games as we can and let the manager (Gary Megson) change things in the summer,” O’Connor said. “The manager has made some points that he wants us to take on board – it is up to us to start opening our ears and listening to what he says.

“We are looking over our shoulders, but I would like to think that, with a couple of wins, that will go away. We have to be up for the fight.”

Speaking ahead of this weekend’s trip to Dagenham & Redbridge, the midfielder said: “We need to get some positivity towards this football club in what has been an awful season. Last year was bad enough but this year has been just as bad if not worse.

“It goes beyond hurt. An awful lot has gone on that, from a personal point of view, I am really not happy with.”

The Owls started the season chasing automatic promotion after coming down from the Championship but sacked manager Alan Irvine last month because of poor results. They have lost seven out of 11 since the appointment of his replacement Megson.

The Owls’ scheduled fixture against Tranmere Rovers last night was postponed last week due to international call-ups and O’Connor said: “It would have been nice to play this week, especially against Tranmere, but the break gives us a chance to rest after a lot of games.”

Megson, meanwhile, is willing to allow several of his existing squad to leave Hillsborough on loan before tomorrow’s final transfer deadline of the Football League season. He is still looking to sign a goalkeeper after losing first-choice Nicky Weaver for a month with a groin injury.

Sheffield United manager Micky Adams will not be keeping Welsh international striker Sam Vokes following the expiry of his loan deal from Wolves.

With striker Darius Henderson available again after a lengthy lay-off, Adams regards Vokes as surplus to requirements and may look to strengthen in another area before the transfer deadline.

Vokes, who scored one goal in six appearances for the Blades, is likely to be on the bench for Wales in this weekend’s Euro 2012 qualifer against England.

Blades striker Jamie Ward has put talk of a permanent switch to Derby on hold. Ward is on loan at Pride Park until the summer and says his first priority is ensuring the Rams’ Championship survival.