Morrison vows to overcome grief and repay fans

So far, the striker has been unable to keep his word, but tomorrow's first round FA Cup trip to Southport could yet prove to be a turning point. The Owls are firm favourites to beat the Blue Square Premier League side and Morrison is desperate to find the net.

"I want to apologise to the fans," he says. "I have not been at full tilt but there has been a lot going on in my life. Two or three weeks ago, my Nan died and we only buried her last week. If truth be told, football has been the last thing on my mind because I come from a very close-knit family."

There were few signs of sympathy from the stands at Hillsborough on Tuesday night when the Owls slumped to a 2-0 home defeat against Yorkshire rivals Huddersfield Town. The jeers that rained down on the players were a reaction to problems both on and off the field.

The Owls have won only one of their last six home games and pressure is mounting as the club's board desperately seeks the new investment needed to avoid administration. There are now 11 days to go before the club heads back to the High Court to fight a winding-up petition lodged by the taxman.

Morrison, 31, is no stranger to a club in financial chaos, having played for Crystal Palace during their first spell in administration 10 years ago. His 4.25m sale to Birmingham City helped a new regime led by Simon Jordan take the club forward.

"I have been in this situation before at Crystal Palace but we were professional about it and it galvanised everyone and we got good results," he recalls. "I don't want to even think about it happening again but you read stuff in the newspapers and it could affect one or two players.

"The only thing I am worried about is losing 10 points because, if that happens, it would put us in a position in the league where we are not going to be there or thereabouts. This club should not be in that position because Sheffield Wednesday is one of the biggest clubs in England never mind League One!

"If we get docked points, I still believe we will stay up," he stresed. "But, if that is going to happen, we need it to happen earlier rather than in March because if you get docked points at that stage you have no chance. Fingers crossed, someone will see the size and potential of this club and put their money in."

Manager Alan Irvine locked his players in the dressing room for nearly an hour after Tuesday's defeat and Morrison was one of the players at the heart of a lengthy vocal exchange.

"I always speak up in situations like that because I have got experience and I have been in dressing rooms like that before," he said. "Some people don't want to speak but I think it helps to get things off your chest. It should galvanise the players – because if it doesn't, you shouldn't be in football.

"The Huddersfield game was a major disappointment but we have not really played well since the third or fourth game of the season. We have been scratching results and on Tuesday we didn't turn up until the second half. It shouldn't be like that. I don't know if it's nervousness or something wrong with our mentality but it needs to be addressed.

"I felt sorry for the fans because they had turned up in horrible weather and we didn't even get in the opposition's faces. People pay hard-earned money to watch us and we owe them a performance. I don't know why there is this problem because even people who are not in the team here would get in most other teams in this league or the Championship. All I can say is 'we will turn it around'."

During a career that has taken him to the international stage and the Premier League, Morrison has rarely enjoyed glory in the FA Cup. But tomorrow's game offers no glory for the Owls, even if they win. For a club that has won the trophy three times and reached the final six times should not really need to enter the competition in the first round. However, after relegation to League One, the Owls are the biggest scalp on offer to football's minnows. That is the primary reason why tomorrows's game is being shown live on ITV.

"We know ITV are coming because they expect an upset," he said. "They want to see an upset but we are not going to let that happen. It will be difficult because their ground only holds 5,000 and it will be very different to what many of us are used to. But that's Cup football and you have to deal with it.

"Things have not gone according to plan for me so far but the injuries have not helped and I have not been getting a lot of chances. When I do start getting chances, I know I will score goals. In the last four or five games I don't think I have had a single chance. Give me a ball in the box and nine times out of 10 I will put it in the back of the net. My record speaks for itself."