Boss Mick McCarthy has hailed the way the Molineux faithful have embraced the "underdog" status of Wolves this season - as the famous old stadium prepares to bid farewell to another successful season tomorrow.

Securing Barclays Premier League survival may not carry the glitz and glamour of winning the Championship last season, but given recent history of promoted teams going straight back down, it remains a major achievement which in the view of management and players surpasses the title success of the previous campaign.

It is indeed the first time Wolves have achieved successive top flight seasons in almost 30 years, and the boss believes the fans who have rallied behind the cause this season deserve every credit.

"I think our fans have been terrific this season - they've supported us and they've been fantastic," said Mick, ahead of tomorrow's final game of the season with Sunderland (kick off 4pm).

"I think they've reacted like their team is the underdog this season - they've got behind us and it's been great.

"And absolutely - the fans need to be the same next time.

"They need to have that 'chip on the shoulder' mentality of 'us against everyone else'.

"It doesn't need to be an attitude of the world is against us but when you're playing, that kind of approach does create a good team spirit and ethic.

"I don't think the so-called 'Molineux Factor' about playing at home has had an effect on the lads at all because everyone has had a dose of realism.

"I could understand it a little bit in the Championship when we were top and we weren't playing particularly well, but we're not the best team in this League."

Mick believes everyone at the club from players to fans benefited from knowing full well that Wolves were in a relegation scrap, a reality he first voiced after defeat at Chelsea in November.

As a result all united with a common goal to survive, which was then achieved with two games to spare.

"Everyone had to develop a sense of realism - there was no point in them turning up and thinking we were going to win every game because we weren't," he added.

"We were favourites to go down at the start of the season and at Christmas - in fact at one stage it looked like we weren't going to prove the bookies wrong.

"I said after we lost at Chelsea that we were in a relegation fight.

"People looked at me as if I'd gone stupid but we were.

"If there was one thing I learned at Sunderland it was not to keep saying 'we'll be OK' because we weren't OK - if we carried on the way we were, we were going to get relegated.

"It comes up on you and all of a sudden you realise you're in a relegation battle."

* Wolves are 5-4 to finish the season with a win tomorrow with the draw at 11-5 and Sunderland win 15-8.  Click here for all the odds from our sponsors, Sportingbet.com