David Edwards: We're playing for our Wolves futures

The midfielder skippered the side in Danny Batth's absence during the 2-0 defeat to Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday.

The loss extended Wolves' winless run to nine games and left them 21st in the Championship table.

And Edwards pulled no punches in his assessment of the team's current woes.

"We need to be strong and be proper men out there," he said. "You look at Wednesday, they are a team full of men and at times in the first half we didn't look like that.

"Me, as captain, I've got to lead and it is down to us in the changing rooms."

"We need to realise – which we do in the dressing room – and the manager was the first to say it when he came in – we are in a relegation fight."

Edwards was part of the team relegated from the Championship three years ago.

Of comparisons with that campaign he said: "If you are looking for some sort of positives, at least we've got a lot of games left. The last time it happened, we were going into December/January and then it was starting to fall apart whereas we've got a lot of games left.

"Unfortunately, the curse of November has hit again and we can't win games (Wolves haven't won in November since 2013) but there are so many left and it's almost a good thing that we are in this dogfight at this precise moment because we have a lot of games left."

Wolves signed 13 players last summer but the January transfer window is looking crucial to their hopes this season, with Paul Lambert looking set to bring a few additions in while shipping a number of players out.

Edwards, who is out of contract next summer, is under no illusions that he's playing for his Wolves future.

"Every single player (is playing for his future)," he added. "The manager has come in and said it is a clean slate for everyone and it's up to us to perform and, if we don't, we know the ambitions of the owners of the club.

"If we don't produce, we are going to get replaced and we've got to accept that.

"I'm fighting for my shirt, I'm desperate to stay here. I'm desperate to earn a new contract and the rest of the boys are the same. How can you not want to play for this club?

"It's not a lack of effort but we've got to start performing otherwise we will be out of the door in January."

Edwards became embroiled in a minor verbal altercation with a small group of fans at full time.

He admitted his emotions got the better of him and added: ""I apologise if it looked wrong but I genuinely love this club and do my best for the fans.

"I was very emotional at the end. You've lost, you've given it all, and it doesn't quite work and I've gone over to clap the fans.

"It happens all the time, you get people slinging abuse at you and I just kind of tried to say 'keep your chin up, we are trying to get it right' and then another tirade of abuse came and for a split second I got a bit emotional with it and I shouldn't have done that.

"I appreciate every single one's support today and we are going to need that.

"I always show my appreciation after every game but it is an emotional game as well and I wouldn't want to take that out of my game.

"I hope it shows the fans I really care. I don't want to be in a relegation fight. I want to be at the other end of the table and it really does hurt us losing games."