Doyle does not want back-to-back relegations with Wolves

Kevin Doyle knows how important Wolves’ final two league matches are and does not want successive relegations on his career CV.

After relegation from the Premier League last season Wolves have struggled in the Championship and currently find themselves in the bottom three on goal difference.

Since the sacking of Mick McCarthy in February 2012 things have gone downhill at Molineux. They appointed Stale Solbakken as the man to mastermind their Championship challenge after Terry Connor’s miserable spell in charge ended in relegation from the top flight, but he was sacked after 30 games and replaced by Dean Saunders.

Doyle has recently found his scoring form with four goals in his last seven games and the Ireland international is calling on his team-mates to produce one final push to avoid dropping into League One.

“We’ve all played in big games,” he told the Birmingham Mail.

“But this is big in a different way, because we’ve got to stay in the division.

“It’s hard to believe we’re even saying that, but that’s the position we’re in.

“No one at the club – players, management or staff – wants another relegation on their CV.”

It took Saunders 10 games to register his first win as Wolves manager but since then they have recorded five victories, an upturn in form that gives Doyle belief.

“We’ve done all right in the last month or so and got some decent results,” Doyle added.

“But everyone else has too, and we’ve not been able to get ourselves out of it.”

Former Wales international Saunders remains confident the quality Wolves have at their disposal will see them get out of the relegation zone and called on his players to relax despite the high level of pressure on them.

“We’ve got 10 points from the last five games at home, so there’s nothing to fear,” he said.

“Go and play your natural game and make sure you turn up. We’ve got to have eight players coming back in saying, ‘I played well today’.

“We’ve got to relax – we can’t play unless we’re relaxed, but at the same time you’ve got to be conscious of the situation.

“The big players have got to stand up. This is one of these occasions you can look back on your career and think, ‘We needed to win’.

“With the greatest respect to the two teams we’re playing, they’re not Manchester United and Arsenal – it’s Burnley and Brighton and we can do it.”