Hill makes Pompey pledge

The Tykes head to Ashton Gate tomorrow in the knowledge that the two remaining Championship relegation spots can be decided by their fixture.

A win for the Robins will send Pompey down – regardless of how Michael Appleton’s men fare against Derby.

However, a Blues victory and a draw for Barnsley will ensure the relegation battle will continue into the final round of games.

Hill has been an outspoken critic of Pompey and their financial woes.

Now he has the opportunity of doing Appleton’s troops a massive favour and keeping the 2012 Great Escape running until the season’s finale.

And, despite Barnsley being safe, Hill has pledged to treat the Bristol City match with respect.

He said: ‘For us, the season is over but it isn’t for a lot of other teams. I want to be respectful to the likes of Coventry and Portsmouth, so we will go to Bristol and try to win the game.

‘If it was the other way round, I would want them to do the same.

‘We want to do what Millwall did for us on Tuesday night at Coventry when they produced a professional performance in what was a dead rubber for them.

‘There will be no pressure on us and we will try to impose ourselves on the game.’

One drawback for Pompey is that Barnsley are bang out of form.

They have picked up just one win from their past 13 matches.

It’s an abject run which has contributed to a tally of only eight points from a possible 51.