With the countdown definitely started for the visit of Hull City, Kevin Blackwell has called for the home support to rally his players - and admitted his team are trying to emulate the Tigers:

"It should be a fascinating and exciting encounter between the two form teams of the division, and although we can't really expect the atmosphere to quite match the Sheffield derby, our fans will get behind us.

"Although Hull can justifiably claim to be the top team in Yorkshire at the moment, bragging rights are at stake on the day.

"The play-offs are a long shot but we are now in a position from where, with a win, we can leap up the table about four places, and I'm so pleased that we have the chance to make inroads into the top ten.

"We have tried to win every game since I came here and now, having worked hard to close that gap to the teams above us, people respect us as a team who are a threat and that's a nice feeling."

Blackwell will be re-acquainted with veteran Dean Windass who was part of United's squad in 2003, and a man he has a healthy respect for:

"When a player like Dean gets to a certain age he knows where to be on a football pitch. He's a great character and gives any dressing-room a lift. The problem is he eats, sleeps and drinks football so I fear for him when he finally does have to pack it in!

"Fraiser Campbell's a dangerous player who is also doing well but there are others scoring goals for them as well. Essentially Hull are a team in the real sense of the word and it is a compliment to suggest that it probably exceeds the sum of their parts.

"In my opinion individuals are the icing on the cake but a team full of them will not win a team sport. We are trying to emulate what Hull have achieved in terms of being a proper unit.

"They are exuding the confidence of a team that is winning games, but so are we and we have talented individuals that add to the mix."