Wanderers fans woke up today to the desperate fact that relegation from the Premiership is fast becoming the likely scenario.

One short look at the league table shows last night's depressing defeat at the hands of Everton has linked Wanderers as one of the four basement clubs most likely to be journeying in the wasteland of the Nationwide League next season.

Perm any three from the four - West Ham, West Brom, Sunderland and Wanderers - and you will find the victims waiting for the chop.

Two thirds of the fans who clicked on our relegation poll on this website believed Wanderers - 2-7 ON with bookies William Hill - would go down. And that was before the morale-sapping Everton defeat!

Tonight West Brom and West Ham are both in action at home - the Baggies entertain Charlton, while the Hammers will be hoping to break their home duck against Blackburn.

So now the importance of Saturday's Reebok clash with fifth from bottom Birmingham City cannot be stressed too highly. Anything less than victory will leave Wanderers deep in the mire.

With a daunting away trip to West Brom the following week, the future could hardly look worse for Sam Allardyce's men. . .