Sheffield Wednesday team spirit shows as Darren Moore's men dig in to make snow problems no problem

When the dome over their training facility was deflated as a precaution against the snow, Moore’s coaches helped clear a pitch.

When the roads were tricky, some spent a night away from families to ensure they were on the bus to Portsmouth on Friday, others played taxi driver that morning. David Stockdale had to deal with a puncture.

"One of the players (Josh Windass) has got a seven-seater and he's driven around the houses and picked up six or seven lads," revealed Moore.

"Myself and the doctor jumped into a 4x4 and drove to Chesterfield to pick up one of our players. Another player's come in on the train...

"Some players living further north stayed in Sheffield on Thursday, a wise decision. The staff stayed over."

It shows Moore, a committed Christian but also a genuine football man, has created exactly the environment he set out to.

"It's always been a 'together' approach and on days like this it's just been a natural reaction," he says.

"It's not been too much trouble to help one another out.

"I've definitely seen that this week from the staff getting out to help the groundstaff clear the pitch and just really mucking in to try and get a training session on on Thursday.

"On Friday the players were adaptable, getting up early and recognising where one or two other players lived and the difficulties they had.

"It shows where the club is in terms of mindset and mentality."

Indications on Friday was that kinder south coast weather should allow the Fratton Park game to go ahead, and the players will be backed by a large following not driven by professionalism, just devotion.

"We know the hard week our supporters have had and the commitment to make such a long journey down there, added to the weather here in Sheffield," says Moore, who has Reece James and Fisayo Dele-Bashiru back but Marvin Johnson completing a suspension.

"But it's not just them coming down, it's the way they sing their hearts out. We do hear you, we do appreciate you. If they can't get down there, we totally understand.

"We took 3,500 to The Valley and they were superb. We got an early goal and they kept the momentum going all the way through to the final whistle. That takes some doing.

"Although the numbers will probably be a little bit less at Fratton Park we'll still have a large following and they've been superb."