Wilson is looking for home comforts at Wigan

But the Reds’ manager insists that personal feelings will count for nothing tonight with his over-riding priority being breathing fresh life into the South Yorkshire club’s survival fight by taking three points off Wigan Athletic.

“Every game is important,” said Wilson, who started his career with the Latics before moving on to, among others, Brighton and Sheffield Wednesday.

“It would be a great one to win because it is my home-town club. All my family are going to watch the game so a win would be the icing on the cake.

“But it isn’t a personal thing. It is all about the club. If we can get a result then we can kick-start things ahead of a run of games against teams around us.”

Barnsley will be buoyed tonight by the late point that they claimed from Saturday’s derby visit to Doncaster Rovers.

It may not have improved the Reds’ league position, with Wilson’s men remaining second bottom and five points adrift of safety.

But what Nick Proschwitz’s late leveller did was ensure fourth-bottom Millwall, who drew 1-1 at home to Bolton, did not pull further away.

Tonight will be tough against a Wigan side fresh from booking their place in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup with a 2-1 win at Premier League Cardiff City. Wilson added: “We are going to a team that is expected to be back in the Premier League this season.

“They will certainly be in the play-offs this year. That makes it a hard game for us.

“If we can apply ourselves like we did at Doncaster, we could cause problems for Wigan.”

Barnsley host Millwall on Saturday in a potentially season-defining game and Wilson wants his side to go into that clash on the back of another positive result.

Key to doing well at the DW Stadium is likely to be Proschwhitz, the striker who took his tally of goals for Barnsley to three since his loan switch from Hull City.

Wilson added: “We did our homework on him and he scores goals. Okay, he may not be the easiest on the eye at times, but he knows where the goal is. He also showed great bravery for the first goal. Against Doncaster, he had three chances and scored two of them. That is a great return.”

Last six games: Wigan Athletic WDWLWW, Barnsley LWDLDD.

Last time: Wigan Athletic 1 Barnsley 0; May 3, 2003; Division Two.

Referee: N Miller (County Durham).