Joe Royle will have to wait on the fitness of a number of his players before naming the side which faces Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough on Saturday. A number of players missed Thursday training, although it is hoped several may be OK by the weekend.

Amongst the players missing training is defender Chris Makin picked up a hamstring injury at Crystal Palace. Thomas Gaardsøe has also failed to train due to a stiff back, although Royle thinks he will be fine to line-up against the Owls.

Matt Richards (swollen calf) and Tommy Miller (knee) have also both missed out and are less likely starters than Makin and Gaardsøe. The Town squad has been so hit by injury problems that the management decided to abandon the usual training session and instead work with the remaining players in the gym.

Darren Ambrose is definitely out and may also be on the sidelines for next weeks' games as well. The young midfielder is still not over the knee problem he has had since the Norwich game.

Long-term injured Hermann Hreidarsson, John McGreal, Finidi George and Mark Venus remain on the sidelines.

Royle will assess the doubts before the squad travel up to Sheffield on Friday. Ian Westlake, Nabil Abidallah and Matt Bloomfield are on all on standby, with 16-year-old Dean Bowditch once again in the squad.

Sheffield Wednesday have hit a bit of form lately and the Town boss has been impressed with their resurgence: “They've done well recently. They had a big win, 5-1 at home, and then they've had a good away draw at Leicester.

“I know we keep saying it, but it's down to us. Another manager on Tuesday, Trevor Francis, was telling us what a good team we were, the best passing team they've played, and yet we've drawn again.

“We need a good run now. We need an inspired run to get us back in the frame again. We haven't given up. We've got ten games to go which isn't far short of a quarter of the season.”

Royle was pleased with his side's display in the final period against Crystal Palace: “I was delighted with the way we played second half, I thought we played outstandingly well but didn't get the goals when we should have done, we had our chances to win the game.

“We'll go into the game again with the same formula. We've got to be a little bit tighter at the back and a little bit more efficient up front. But it's hard when you're playing these sides fighting for their lives, as Grimsby were, as Bradford were, they make it very hard for you.

“If at the end of the season we haven't made the play-offs it will be our results against the lower sides which will have cost us. When we've played the top sides we've generally acquitted ourselves well.”

Town coach Willie Donachie was working at Wednesday when Royle brought him to Portman Road in November. The Town boss says that the new management at Hillsborough have made some alterations: “They've changed a bit since then and they've actually bought a player - whatever that means - they've brought in a centre-half [Dean Smith] but there are a few there that Willie still knows and they are all players that we know anyway.”

Sheffield Wednesday will be without loanee Allan Johnston on Saturday as he has a toe injury.

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