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Phil Parkinson will be in the stands at the City Ground tonight taking notes, presumably with fingers-crossed.
Barnsley go to Nottingham Forest in the hope of putting Wanderers into the relegation zone with two weekends of the Championship season remaining.
It is a dire situation barely thinkable a few weeks ago when victory over Aston Villa left Parkinson’s side with a comfortable gap on the bottom three. A run of one point gained out of a possible 18 since the international break has been difficult to fathom.
Tonight the Wanderers boss will be hoping Forest can emerge from their own late-season slumber.
Aitor Karanka’s side has won just one of its last eight matches, losing 2-1 to Cardiff City on Saturday evening to drop to 17th place, 11 points above the relegation zone.
Anything other than a victory for Barnsley would place Wanderers’ fate back into their own hands.
The Tykes face Brentford on Saturday at Oakwell, their visitors still retaining realistic hopes of catching Millwall in the final play-off place. Barnsley then travel to another top six contender, Derby County, on the final day.
Jose Morais’s young team lost at Leeds United on Saturday and the Portuguese coach knows the result has hiked up the pressure on his own team.
"It's between us and the teams close to us in this moment,” he said. “Bolton is the team that is closest and my belief is that we have definitely to win the next game (at Forest), which is the game we have less than the others.
"Winning this game we will be in a good position and after that is to control in terms of making the same results as the teams that we are in a direct fight with. Tuesday is a must-win game, definitely."
Parkinson will, of course, be doing his familiar due diligence on Wanderers’ own final-day opponents, Forest.
“It’s my job to go and watch the game,” said the Whites boss, with little embellishment, when quizzed on his thoughts after the final whistle on Saturday.
For all the reflection and concern circulating around the Macron on Saturday after the heavy defeat against Wolves, their fate could yet be decided in 90 minutes of football.
The situation at 5pm on Saturday could be one of celebration. Should Barnsley fail to beat Forest and Brentford – a win for Wanderers at Burton would cement their place in the Championship.
Conversely, should Wanderers fail to beat Burton, two Barnsley victories and the wrong results elsewhere would consign them to League One football next season.
Birmingham’s position on 43 points is more secure, with Gary Rowett’s side also benefitting on goal difference by their win against Sheffield United and Wanderers’ pummelling against Wolves. Reading’s goal difference is even better, and it would be a surprise to see the Royals dragged any further into the mire at this stage.
Burton’s hopes hang entirely on their meeting with Wanderers on Saturday, which makes them all the more dangerous an opponent.
Liam Boyce, the Brewers’ club record signing, has missed most of the season with a knee injury but returned to score in victories over Derby and Sunderland in the last fortnight.
"I think the last two weeks have gone brilliantly for us," said the Northern Irishman.
"Before, it was a bit doom and gloom and saying we couldn't really win at home, wondering where the next win was going to come from.
"So to win two in a row, it gives us a chance and we've got all the momentum now.
"We'll just keep doing all the stuff we're doing, and we have to concentrate on beating Bolton at any cost."
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Barnsley go to Nottingham Forest in the hope of putting Wanderers into the relegation zone with two weekends of the Championship season remaining.
It is a dire situation barely thinkable a few weeks ago when victory over Aston Villa left Parkinson’s side with a comfortable gap on the bottom three. A run of one point gained out of a possible 18 since the international break has been difficult to fathom.
Tonight the Wanderers boss will be hoping Forest can emerge from their own late-season slumber.
Aitor Karanka’s side has won just one of its last eight matches, losing 2-1 to Cardiff City on Saturday evening to drop to 17th place, 11 points above the relegation zone.
Anything other than a victory for Barnsley would place Wanderers’ fate back into their own hands.
The Tykes face Brentford on Saturday at Oakwell, their visitors still retaining realistic hopes of catching Millwall in the final play-off place. Barnsley then travel to another top six contender, Derby County, on the final day.
Jose Morais’s young team lost at Leeds United on Saturday and the Portuguese coach knows the result has hiked up the pressure on his own team.
"It's between us and the teams close to us in this moment,” he said. “Bolton is the team that is closest and my belief is that we have definitely to win the next game (at Forest), which is the game we have less than the others.
"Winning this game we will be in a good position and after that is to control in terms of making the same results as the teams that we are in a direct fight with. Tuesday is a must-win game, definitely."
Parkinson will, of course, be doing his familiar due diligence on Wanderers’ own final-day opponents, Forest.
“It’s my job to go and watch the game,” said the Whites boss, with little embellishment, when quizzed on his thoughts after the final whistle on Saturday.
For all the reflection and concern circulating around the Macron on Saturday after the heavy defeat against Wolves, their fate could yet be decided in 90 minutes of football.
The situation at 5pm on Saturday could be one of celebration. Should Barnsley fail to beat Forest and Brentford – a win for Wanderers at Burton would cement their place in the Championship.
Conversely, should Wanderers fail to beat Burton, two Barnsley victories and the wrong results elsewhere would consign them to League One football next season.
Birmingham’s position on 43 points is more secure, with Gary Rowett’s side also benefitting on goal difference by their win against Sheffield United and Wanderers’ pummelling against Wolves. Reading’s goal difference is even better, and it would be a surprise to see the Royals dragged any further into the mire at this stage.
Burton’s hopes hang entirely on their meeting with Wanderers on Saturday, which makes them all the more dangerous an opponent.
Liam Boyce, the Brewers’ club record signing, has missed most of the season with a knee injury but returned to score in victories over Derby and Sunderland in the last fortnight.
"I think the last two weeks have gone brilliantly for us," said the Northern Irishman.
"Before, it was a bit doom and gloom and saying we couldn't really win at home, wondering where the next win was going to come from.
"So to win two in a row, it gives us a chance and we've got all the momentum now.
"We'll just keep doing all the stuff we're doing, and we have to concentrate on beating Bolton at any cost."
Source