Sheffield Wednesday manager Steve Bruce admits play-offs are out of reach

Steve Bruce concedes Sheffield Wednesday’s quest for the play-offs is all but over after a damaging loss to his former club Aston Villa on Saturday.
Gary Hooper converts George Boyd's cross to give Wednesday the lead against Aston Villa. (Picture: Steve Ellis)Gary Hooper converts George Boyd's cross to give Wednesday the lead against Aston Villa. (Picture: Steve Ellis)
Gary Hooper converts George Boyd's cross to give Wednesday the lead against Aston Villa. (Picture: Steve Ellis)

Wednesday were beaten 3-1 by Villa, conceding goals in the ‘92nd’ and ‘94th’ minutes to Albert Adomah and Tammy Abraham.

The result leaves them six points and six places adrift of the Championship’s top six, with six games left to play.

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It also brought an end to the 11-game unbeaten run Bruce had started his Wednesday reign with, transforming the Owls from a team looking over their shoulders at the relegation zone into one fighting for the play-offs.

Bruce said: “I looked at the other results and I shook my head when I saw them with everyone else not winning.

“You can never say never, but six points is probably going to be too much to make up with six games to go, but you can’t give up the ghost.

“The way we went about our work today was admirable. And they needed and deserved a break.

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“A result would have put us right in amongst it, but unfortunately it wasn’t to be.

“We gave ourselves a chance and we won’t give up just yet.

“I don’t think many people would have thought it would be possible when I walked through the door. We were looking over our shoulders.”