Defender remains optimistic - exclusive

Last updated : 08 March 2005 By Andy Parsons

Despite being seven points behind Hull City, Paul Sturrock still has not ruled out getting promoted in the top two and not the play-offs, where they are currently the best-placed team.

The Owls are set to play Hull on the penultimate weekend of the season - and with promotion rivals Tranmere and Bristol City to play at home and Hartlepool away, there is everything to play for.

Heckingbottom though is optimistic. "Why not automatic promotion?" he told Footymad. "But at the moment we have to play well and consolidate our play-off position as a few teams below us who are winning are thinking that they could catch us, we have to keep winning to keep ourselves in that position and when it comes closer to the Hull game and we are in touching distance then we will hopefully take it from there.

"It’s funny how it works out with the fixtures and how you may have to play a top team to get promotion. Of course it may not work like that but it would be very nice knowing that if we are level on points with Hull we can go above them if we win at their place and no doubt that there will be more twists and turns before the end of the season."

On his own personal form, Heckingbottom has become something of a scapegoat to a crowd favourite in the last few months and the former Bradford full-back says his game has come on leaps and bounds.

He added: "At the start of the season I was really frustrated, I was picking up injuries when I really wanted to be pushing on and playing and that kept me out for nine or ten games but I came back in, probably not being at the top of my game fitness wise but since then my fitness has improved and I am feeling much stronger."