During Barnsley's yearlong jamboree as England's darlings last season, one of the many things we learned about the town was that its citizens are the most contented in the country and consequently that emigration from the town runs at a slower rate than anywhere else in Britain.

However, not even that impressive statistic could stop Barnsley's top man from leaving in the summer after the football club's relegation.

Curiously, though, for a man moving into a posher house around the corner in exchanging First Division Barnsley for Premiership Sheffield Wednesday, Danny Wilson was actually stepping out of the limelight. Great expectations there may not have been at Oakwell, but there was great interest. Rarely is that the case with Wednesday.

But on days such as these when Manchester United come calling, Wednesday become the centre of attention. It was the same last November when, after watching his floundering players concede six at Old Trafford, David Pleat was blown out of the water. Ron Atkinson kept the ship afloat for eight months - orchestrating a 20 revenge victory over United along the way - but as a former Wednesday player doing so well close by, the 38-year-old Wilson's arrival in July had the air of inevitability.

It has not been easy, though. Wilson's inheritance was a squad that finished four points and two places away from relegation; the much-trumpeted £15 million transfer kitty has shrunk to £5 million; and there has been the Paolo Di Canio fiasco. Thirteen games have produced only 12 points, so it was a little surprising after last Saturday's draw at Newcastle to hear Wilson talking of "progress".

It was a theme he warmed to again yesterday in the bleak chill of Wednesday's training ground. "I feel it's going well," he said, "we're progressing individually, and as a whole it's getting better the more they play together. Obviously we want to create more and entertain the fans but the defensive side has been very good."

What has been most pleasing, he said, was his players' increasing effort. "We've had commitment in abundance recently, and while I don't know if we've turned the corner, we're getting there."

Wilson's emphasis has been on the predictable and cautious rather than the revolutionary. Having thought of himself as "the knight in shining armour" when he first went to Barnsley as Viv Anderson's assistant - only for the first year to be "a disaster. We tried to change things around too quickly" - Wilson has learned his lesson.

The £2.5 million paid to PSV Eindhoven for Wim Jonk has been the only serious money so far spent at Wednesday by Wilson, and the inability to spend more has meant the focus has been on reorganising existing resources. Yesterday, for instance, it was noticeable that Wilson spent time one-on-one with Dejan Stefanovic after the other players had departed.

It was only a few months ago that Jonk was a team-mate of Jaap Stam but today they will be on opposing sides. The assumption has been that Jonk, a Holland World Cup performer, is not too thrilled by the prospect of a relegation battle and Wilson's assessment of him yesterday was: "Wim's a great player to have if the team is playing well. If you are under the cosh every week, then you are not going to get the best out of Wim Jonk."

Wilson did not seem to be implying discord then, not even when Benito Carbone's name cropped up. "Everyone needs motivating to a degree," was Wilson's reply to a question about the Italian's attitude following his petulant reaction to being substituted at St James's Park. "The way Benny's played in training this week has showed that he's looking forward to the game. He's a very talented lad and they will know that."

The Jonk/Carbone/Di Canio experience has not dissuaded Wilson from signing foreigners - a bid for Celtic's Henrik Larsson fell through on Thursday - and while acknowledging that the all-England club Aston Villa are currently leading the way, Wilson said: "We'll tell at the end of the season. Arsenal won the league with Frenchmen."

This season he thinks Manchester United have regained the status of title favourites and that defeating them today would indicate that Wednesday could even challenge for Europe. The priority, however, is survival - a platform upon which Wilson can build in the remaining two seasons of his contract. After that, he said, "I hope to get a 10-year contract. This is a very big club and it shouldn't be looking over its shoulder at relegation."

Slowly, Danny Wilson is repointing Wednesday.