Manager Simon Grayson spent a couple of months of his playing career on loan at Hillsborough and he is one of many connections this weekend.
Amongst the Owls squad are Adam Reach and Ross Wallace, whilst as well as the gaffer – who was loaned to the south Yorkshire club from Blackburn Rovers, there are Marnick Vermijl, Aiden McGeady, Tommy Spurr and Stevie May all returning to their former employers.
But emotion aside, the PNE boss is expecting another tough game: “They are a big football club with big expectancy levels and we will be the underdogs, but we will be trying to go there to upset the apple cart, like people are saying Wolves and Burton did to us,” he said.
“This is as tough as the other away games we have faced. It will be a big crowd and it will be a test because it is a team who are looking to get further up the division and ultimately get into the Premier League.
“We know what is at stake, but I am sure that Carlos and his staff will be aware of the run we are on and how we have played recently.
“I had a couple of months on loan there myself, so I know what it is like and we have to go there with a big work ethic, keep the ball, take our chances when they come along and try and produce the performances we put in at Brighton, Norwich, Birmingham and most recently at Rotherham.
“We have been good on the road in the last couple of months and we want to continue that.”
After two home games where the Lilywhites were the favourites, they go back to being the underdog, with some talented individuals amongst Carlos Carvalhal’s squad.
“We go to Sheffield Wednesday this Saturday and it is a different type of proposition to what we have faced in the last couple of weeks, but we are looking forward to it,” continued the North End chief.
“They are a little bit different to the side we faced last year; they are a little bit more solid, but they still have players that can hurt you. Forestieri seems to have got his mojo back a bit; last week they went with Joao and they have some good options of Nuhiu and Steven Fletcher, although Gary Hooper is probably going to be out injured.
“They have got good players; they have got creativity and we certainly won’t be underestimating them, because they have got some very good players. They will want to go one step further than they did last year.”
With moving month in December, with lots of games and points to play for in quick success, what targets have the manager and his squad set?
“The group are not looking down and they are not looking up. We are focused on each game as it comes, trying to win the next game we play and see where that take us.
“That is what we tried to do last year when we came into the Championship and what we will do again this year.
“We didn’t get too despondent when were in the bottom three or four earlier in the season. We didn’t need to look at the table because everyone reminded us where we were – but now we are higher up we just want to win every game and see where it takes us.
“We are at a football club where there is no huge expectancy on us; that comes from within – what we want to achieve. That comes from both team and individual performances on a weekly basis. If we are doing the right things on the pitch, then we will get the results we are looking for and where that takes us? Who knows,” he added.
But emotion aside, the PNE boss is expecting another tough game: “They are a big football club with big expectancy levels and we will be the underdogs, but we will be trying to go there to upset the apple cart, like people are saying Wolves and Burton did to us,” he said.
“This is as tough as the other away games we have faced. It will be a big crowd and it will be a test because it is a team who are looking to get further up the division and ultimately get into the Premier League.
“We know what is at stake, but I am sure that Carlos and his staff will be aware of the run we are on and how we have played recently.
“I had a couple of months on loan there myself, so I know what it is like and we have to go there with a big work ethic, keep the ball, take our chances when they come along and try and produce the performances we put in at Brighton, Norwich, Birmingham and most recently at Rotherham.
“We have been good on the road in the last couple of months and we want to continue that.”
After two home games where the Lilywhites were the favourites, they go back to being the underdog, with some talented individuals amongst Carlos Carvalhal’s squad.
“We go to Sheffield Wednesday this Saturday and it is a different type of proposition to what we have faced in the last couple of weeks, but we are looking forward to it,” continued the North End chief.
“They are a little bit different to the side we faced last year; they are a little bit more solid, but they still have players that can hurt you. Forestieri seems to have got his mojo back a bit; last week they went with Joao and they have some good options of Nuhiu and Steven Fletcher, although Gary Hooper is probably going to be out injured.
“They have got good players; they have got creativity and we certainly won’t be underestimating them, because they have got some very good players. They will want to go one step further than they did last year.”
With moving month in December, with lots of games and points to play for in quick success, what targets have the manager and his squad set?
“The group are not looking down and they are not looking up. We are focused on each game as it comes, trying to win the next game we play and see where that take us.
“That is what we tried to do last year when we came into the Championship and what we will do again this year.
“We didn’t get too despondent when were in the bottom three or four earlier in the season. We didn’t need to look at the table because everyone reminded us where we were – but now we are higher up we just want to win every game and see where it takes us.
“We are at a football club where there is no huge expectancy on us; that comes from within – what we want to achieve. That comes from both team and individual performances on a weekly basis. If we are doing the right things on the pitch, then we will get the results we are looking for and where that takes us? Who knows,” he added.