Gary Megson delivered the perfect response to rumours of him being replaced as manager by guiding Wednesday to a gutsy and thoroughly deserved win over Sheff U in front of a 36,000-plus sellout Hillsborough crowd on Sunday.
Speaking about the importance of the victory, Wednesdayite Megson said: “I’ve had some results at other clubs where, looking back, they were big ones. But no match has ever meant more to me than beating Sheffield United in a derby game.”
Megson, who replied to derogatory chants from the United end by lifting his tracksuit top and proudly parading the Wednesday badge, said: “We said to the players at half time that there lots of sixes and sevens out of 10 but that we needed eights and nines.
“I knew they could do it, nigh on everyone upped their performance by between 10 and 15 per cent and it was a fantastic second-half display – not in terms of a Barcelona but in terms of desire, passion, drive and running and we played some good football, as shown with the goal.”
Asked about his future following speculation he could be sacked and replaced as boss by Dave Jones, Megson said he had not sought any assurances and would not be doing so.
He added: “We were 15th when I got here, the club had spent about a million and half on transfers and put something like a million on the wage bill. I’ve taken in 11 loans, 7 free transfers and brought a couple in, we’ve got us up to third in the table and we’re doing ok.
“If that’s not good enough then I’ll go somewhere else and make them successful again.”