AS the only Englishman in the starting line-up - and a lifelong Wanderers' fan to boot - Nicky Hunt didn't need reminding of the historical significance of Thursday's UEFA Cup clash with Lokomotiv Plovdiv.

But, just in case he, or any one of the other 10 nationalities who made up the most cosmopolitan team ever fielded by an English club, was not aware of the ground he was breaking, the sign on the wall said it all.

"Creating History Together" is one of the various slogans strategically placed around the Reebok dressing room to keep every player - English or foreign - in tune with what is being achieved and what is expected of him.

"It's up there every game to remind us," Hunt said. "If we ever lose sight of that, we'd lose our focus and the sense of togetherness that keeps us going.

"The last two or three seasons have been tremendous and it's important that we continue to build on that.

"I know I was flying the flag for the English lads on Thursday and maybe not everyone was as aware as I was of the real significance of the game. But I think everyone knows that we were creating history together."

Having dropped to substitute for the Blackburn game, Hunt was restored to the starting line-up against Plovdiv and made an impressive contribution at both ends, defending tidily and delivering the quality cross from which El-Hadji Diouf headed the equaliser.

He is confident the 2-1 win is a distinct advantage to take into the return leg. "We'll learn from our mistake of conceding the away goal and, hopefully, make more of the chances we create," he said. "But we finished the game well and we're confident we can go there and score one or two. We'll be positive and, hopefully, it will work out for us."

Before that, Hunt is hoping he has done enough to keep his place for Sunday's Premiership game at Manchester City.

"It would be nice to start every game, but we'll wait and see what the manager thinks."