ROY McFarland is determined to save Wanderers from the 'Swindon Syndrome'.

The Burnden boss knows it won't be easy but he is demanding points not plaudits to secure Premiership survival.

Wanderers missed a golden opportunity to nudge their way up the table when they crashed 1-0 at home to fellow strugglers QPR on Saturday. They remain rooted in 19th place in the table with just four points.

Despite drawing encouragement from his side's performance before conceding the 89th minute matchwinner, McFarland voiced the fears of many that Wanderers could be going the same way as Swindon when they became the whipping boys of the Premiership two seasons ago before slipping straight back into Division One.

"Over 90 minutes we were the better team," he summed up, "but the only consolation is that we've performed quite well.

"We're disappointed because we contributed so much to the game and got nothing out of it. But Swindon were the team two years ago who performed quite well but got nothing at the end of it. Points are important and, although it's not what we're aiming at, I wouldn't mind if we played awful and won. That's the sort of consolation we want."

McFarland has targeted midfield players and forwards in an attempt to recruit Premier League quality but, in the meantime, he believes his current squad is capable of improving the club's plight.

"It's not as is everything is doom and gloom. There is light at the end of the tunnel," he says with a measure of confidence. "After the defeats at Manchester United and Liverpool, which were a little bit soul destroying, we responded quite well. That shows there's a lot of spirit and character in the team."

Wanderers, who defend a 1-0 lead in the second leg of their 2nd round Coca-Cola Cup tie at Brentford tomorrow, have enquired about the availability of Nottingham Forest's Scottish international midfielder Scot Gemmill.

Forest boss Frank Clarke has admitted the interest - first revealed in last week's BEN - but insists there has been no bid despite figures of £2m being bandied about in the Sunday newspaper transfer gossip columns.

He added that if Bolton came along with a reasonable offer, he may not be able to turn it down but it is doubtful whether Wanderers would have to go to £2m to persuade Clarke to part with the midfielder.

Wanderers are also hoping to bring a second, so far unnamed, Yugoslav midfield player to Burnden for trials. His international teammate Dejan Govedarica made a similar visit three weeks ago.

Plymouth's 24-year-old out-of-contract midfield player Wayne Burnett is expected to join Wanderers in a £100,000 deal this week.

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