West Ham United legend Julian Dicks says his old club can beat the drop - if they fight like the players at Wolves.

After playing last year's top eight at home this season, today's six-pointer with Wolves begins a run of fixtures against relegation rivals.

And Dicks said: "I admire the way Mick McCarthy gets his team to play with commitment and desire. I saw West Ham's FA Cup game against Arsenal last week and for 70 minutes they also had that desire.

"But you've got to have it for 90 minutes - not just 70."

Dicks, who is now manager of struggling Conference club Grays Athletic, knows all about being relegated with West Ham.

The Hammers went down in his first season at the club in the 1980s - but he helped them back into the top flight two years later.

And he also played a major part in keeping the Londoners in the Premiership during the 1994-5 and 1996-7 campaigns.

"They can get out of trouble if every single player works their socks off," he told the Sunday Mirror. "Wolves do that. They work hard for each other. Mick McCarthy has installed a good team spirit. I am very impressed.

"I like Gianfranco. He is also very impressive. He was an awesome footballer and he is a lovely man.

"But I think you need a balance in a team, especially one fighting for their Premier League lives.

"You can't have 10 flair players. Equally, you can't have 10 players who are going to boot people. "What you need is players who give 110 per cent every game. Week in, week out. Personally, I would rather have ten players who work their socks off rather than ten flair players."