Kevin Blackwell looks ahead to tonight's encounter with Reading at Bramall Lane.

"The next 15 games or so will really define our season, there are eight or nine teams in contention now but we have been slowly getting better recently. That bodes well for the end of the season, especially if we can get a centre-half in and maybe one other."

On Playing at home
"Bramall Lane has always been something of a fortress, not just because of the players but also because of the fans. Teams don't like coming here and some of the Middlesbrough players told me after we played them that they would be quite happy if they didn't have to come again for two or three years."

On Jamie Ward
"Jamie had a bit of a recurrence of the hamstring injury that kept him out for two and a half months before Christmas.

"He felt a twinge in the fibres a couple of weeks ago so we have used him sparingly, but he is very close to full fitness now."

On Mark Yeates
"I don't know if he will start, the team won't be decided until closer to kick-off, because we usually like to let new players have a look from the outside first.

"Although I try to do that there have been too many occasions when necessity has meant throwing some in straight away, but if he does start I have every confidence in him."

On Reading
"Although they are in the bottom three, a few points adrift, on their day they are a decent side with a depth of good players.

"You only have to look at their bench at the weekend - Kebe and Howard for example - to see that, but they are down there and we need to use that to keep the pressure on them because they will be like a wounded animal

"They have become Cup giant-killers in recent weeks but we are on a good run in the league and are quietly confident that we can overcome them."