GUDNI Bergsson refused to celebrate Premiership survival today but insisted: "We deserve it!"

The legendary Reebok skipper, who has been quietly optimistic all season, is more confident than ever that he will retire this summer having helped Wanderers maintain their top flight status.

"We've got the team and we've got the set-up to be in the Premiership and, hopefully, we are showing now that we have the determination to get the points that will ensure we are still there next season," he said.

"We just can't contemplate leaving this division now!"

Bergsson was speaking in the aftermath of Saturday's 1-0 victory over West Ham that stretched Wanderers' lead over the third-bottom club to an almost unassailable six points.

But he echoed the words of his manager Sam Allardyce when he refused to claim victory just yet in the battle to beat the drop.

"I've always been quietly confident throughout the season that we would be staying in the Premiership," he said, "but it's by no means over yet.

"We have to make sure that we keep battling away and get more points on the board but this was obviously a big step towards safety.

"I think West Ham must be feeling the pressure now. They will be feeling deflated because after this result they are six points adrift with a worse goal difference. There are games still to play but I'm sure they know they are up against it and possibly have to win all their remaining games to stay in the Premiership."

Bergsson admitted Wanderers were fortunate to survive West Ham's second half onslaught, conceding: "For the last half hour we were under the cosh a bit because they threw everything forward and we were defending a little too deep for comfort.

"It was a nerve-wracking last half hour but we weathered the storm and I don't think Jussi had a save to make, although there were one or two hairy moments.

"We had to be on our toes but thank goodness the ball didn't drop kindly for them on two or three occasions."

Bergsson revealed how an attempt to play the peacemaker led to him being dumped on his backside in an angry confrontation with West Ham defender Ian Pearce.

Pearce was red-carded for violent conduct but referee Uriah Rennie refused to confirm that it was the wild challenge on Pierre-Yves Andre or the push on Bergsson that led to his dissmissal.

"It was a rash challenge," Bergsson said, "but I didn't know how the referee was going to interpret it - either a yellow card or a red card. I went across to settle things down and to make a point or two but Pearce had lost his cool, I'm afraid. He's a big lad as well and I found myself on the floor, I'm sorry to say.

"But it's something that has gone now.

"It's not for us to interpret or to deal with. It was a bit of frustration. You can understand that but they seemed to lose their cool towards the end."

Hailing Okocha's wonder goal, Bergsson added: "It was a fantastic effort, scoring against arguably the best shot-stopper in the league - apart from Jussi of course.

"He just showed that touch of class which we have all come to know from Jay-Jay," acknowledged the Wanderers skipper.

"It's a great asset to any team to have that sort of quality - a player who can change the course of a game with one touch of brilliance," he added.