Winless Sheffield Wednesday manager Dave Jones says he has 'no regrets' over letting Barnsley's top-scorer Chris O'Grady leave Hillsborough earlier this year.
Jones is thought to be close to losing his job and defeat at Oakwell tomorrow could be the final straw. The local rivals, who are both in the Championship's relegation zone, meet at 12.15pm live on Sky Sports.
O'Grady, 27, spent 18 months at Hillsborough, where he scored 13 goals in 60 games, and helped the Owls gain promotion from League One last year but fell out of favour under Jones and was loaned out to relegation rivals Barnsley in January.
He scored six goals in 16 games last season and has now got seven in 12 league matches this term which puts him fourth in the league's scoring charts. Wednesday have only netted three more goals than O'Grady all season and their top-scorers are Adthe Nuhiu, Kamil Zyatte and Mikhail Antonio on two each.
Jones said of O'Grady: "He wasn't scoring for us. "Sometimes moving a player out is of benefit to him. Every player you let go, some people will ask why. There are no regrets."
O'Grady was not available for interview this week and his manager David Flitcroft played down any thoughts of revenge his star striker could have.
The Reds boss said: "He's focused on Chris O'Grady. "We'll make sure he doesn't think about who we are playing. "We won't be taking anything personally. Sheffield Wednesday will represent a team that stand in the way of us getting three points. Chris has become Barnsley through and through.
"Everyone told me he couldn't score goals in the Championship but he's the best at what he does in this league. The guy is an ox and a machine. He's the focal point of our team and he is unique. There's a lot more to come and he's aware of that."
O'Grady got the winner for Wednesday last time they came to Oakwell in a 1-0 victory which was followed by a win at Hillsborough in March. There are similarities between that last Oakwell meeting, which was also on Sky on December 15 last year, and tomorrow's game.
The Reds had just slipped into the relegation zone and had not won in ten matches while the Owls had lost seven in a row. Barnsley were 22nd and their visitors 23rd which is exactly as they are now. Flitcroft said: "If you take it on a personal note it is similar but I think the scenarios are different because this club is different. I see a club and team here that is on the up."
This season, only the top seven have lost fewer games in the Championship than Wednesday – who have drawn their last three games 1-1 – but they are the only side who are yet to win.
