Give us a chance to shine - Kightly.

Byline: Lisa Smith

WOLVES winger Michael Kightly has urged people not to write off this side's chances in the top flight before a ball has even been kicked in the Premier League.

The England Under-21 International, just back from three months out with a broken foot, believes people should give the Premier League new boys a chance to show what they can do insisting his team will be aiming to emulate what Steve Coppell's Reading did a few seasons ago when they not only stayed up in their first season but finished in the top half of the table.

The 23-year-old said: "We have got a good squad here and we have enough good players here to do a good job in the Premier League but hopefully we can prove that this year.

"We feel we are young enough and good enough to make that step up and we have got to prove that.

"We haven't experienced playing in the Premier League yet but give us a chance."

Kightly, now back to full fitness, came through 20 minutes in the pre-season friendly defeat to Port Vale at Vale Park in midweek and is raring to go now once the league starts on August 15.

He is suitably impressed with the players manager Mick McCarthy has brought in this summer although he was disappointed Hamilton Academical starlet James McCarthy finally chose Wigan as his preferred destination rather than Molineux.

"I heard James McCarthy is a good player but he has chosen to go to Wigan and that is fair enough. We won't worry about that."

Kightly believes Reading in the Premier League in their first full season is the blueprint Wolves need to follow.

"Reading did it a few years back. They didn't change their team much and they finished in the top half. If they can do it, why can't we do it?"