THE prospect of Mark Fish getting off the plane and NOT walking straight back into the Wanderers' defence would have been unthinkable a few short weeks ago.

But the emergence of Ian Marshall as an effective 'stopper' means that this time it's by no means a foregone conclusion.

It would, admittedly, be a major surprise if Sam Allardyce only offered the South African a place on the subs' bench against Wolves tomorrow but Marshall's performance at Gillingham and his previous display at Grimsby has certainly got him thinking.

The manager would certainly have no reservations, if Fish was not 100 per cent fit after helping shut out the French attack in Johannesburg, of asking the old warhorse to go out and do battle with the Molineux men.

It would certainly suit Marshall a hell of a sight more than if he asked him to lead the attack ... not that he's getting fussy in his old age.

"There's not a feeling like scoring a goal," he explains in an interview to be broadcast on Wanderers TV tomorrow, "you can keep a clean sheet as many times as you want but scoring goals gives you more enjoyment.

"It's easier than playing up front where there's a lot of twisting and turning and sudden turns of speed but if you can play at centre-half you can extend your career by two or three years. I just find it easier at the back at my age.

"I can see myself playing centre half for a few more years to come."

Whether the coming years - even the coming months - are spent at the Reebok will depend on whether Marshall can hammer out a contract deal to replace the pay-per-game arrangement he has been on since the start of the season.

Marshall, who had hoped to be plying his trade in Major League Soccer after leaving Leicester in the summer, will be forever grateful to Allardyce for offering him a way back into league football after it took him just a week to decide that America was not for him.

He describes his contract as "nowhere near signed, sealed and delivered" but adds: "I'd like to stay. Since I've been here I've been rejuvenated. This is a good team and a good bunch of lads.

"We had a bit of a hiccup against Fulham but we were looking at the Champions of the First Division. We know we are a decent team and we found it difficult against them.

"But I still think we can finish second and, if not, certainly in a play-off position."