Keep calm and carry on urges Hibbitt

Mick McCarthy's side will be promoted if they beat QPR at a sell-out Molineux.

The 58-year-old played in two promotions to the top flight with Wolves, in 1976-77 and 1982-83, and is adamant keeping calm is the key when the going gets tough.

The former midfielder scored the only goal that clinched the title at Bolton in 1977 – which denied Ian Greaves' side promotion – and also figured in the 3-3 draw at Charlton six years later that sealed their place in the big time.

Hibbitt, now a referees' assessor for the Premier League, has urged the class of 2009 to carry on.

He said: "Derby away was always going to be tough, but they came through that. Now they can go out, relax, express themselves and have no fear of losing.

"These are great occasions and great times for players, but they have to realise it because it might never happen again for them. They have to be aware of the opposition because they still have a job to do.

"But they should go out there and love it. It's a full house, they should get the result they need and make the crowd proud. Then they can start popping the champagne."

Hibbitt remembers each of those games just like they happened yesterday.

He said: "I remember at Bolton we got a free-kick and I was supposed to run over the ball for Willie Carr to chip it, but I clipped the ball by mistake – and it's one of the hardest things to do, to chip a ball moving away from you.

"But Willie managed it a treat and it sat up perfectly for me to whack it on the volley. It hit the keeper's foot but went in anyway.

"It was like the Alamo as they launched ball after ball into our box, but we managed to keep them at bay."

The former midfielder remembers 1983 with similar clarity.

He said: "At Charlton, we were 3-1 up and cruising with five minutes to go. But, at the time, they were known as a side who always came back and they scored two goals so we were really hanging on by the skin of our teeth at the death.

"There were nerves but we managed to hang on."