We want to finish as high as possible, insists Town's Hefele

Fifth-placed Town wind down the 46-game season at home to Cardiff City tomorrow and the cult hero defender believes that he and his team-mates owe it to themselves and the club’s supporters to finish the season in fitting fashion by, hopefully, nailing down third place.

This would secure a second leg at the John Smith’s Stadium in the play-off semi-final and the German centre-half believes that is the least that Town deserve after an incredible season.

He said: “For me, especially, it would be nice if we could finish third as we were third for a long time in the table.

“But at the end, it doesn’t matter where you are. If you win the play-offs, you are going up. But I do want to always be nearer the top and we do want to finish as high as we can. It is very exciting.”

Town take on a Cardiff side who beat them 3-2 in the reverse fixture in the Principality, with the set-piece prowess of the Bluebirds exposing defensive deficiencies in Wagner’s line-up.

Hefele remembers that autumnal day and believes tomorrow’s match offers a good chance to make amends.

He added: “Some things you learn from this game and you always have to switch on at set-pieces and we can take this experience into the play-offs.

“I think Cardiff have good set-pieces and it is all about little details when it is tight, like in the play-offs.

“For me, in the play-offs, we don’t have to hide from anybody. We have so much belief in ourselves and we have showed in the whole season that we are a strong squad.

“We want to achieve a very big thing.”