Wolves set a 45-point safety target by Kevin Doyle

Kevin Doyle today set Wolves a 45-point target to improve on last season as he warned against achieving too much, too soon.

Wolves kick off at Blackburn tomorrow aiming to increase their points tally for the third season in a row, even though they finished two places lower last term on 40.

Doyle insists Wolves are making steady progression however and believes 45 would represent a realistic return.

"If we can get to the mid-40s I think that would be enough," said the £6.5m striker, who is hoping to be fit for tomorrow after his knee flared up again.

"I know some fans might not want to hear that but it's still such a tough league. Last season we got a couple more points than the year before and if we could get three or four more again that would be fantastic.

"It was a freak league last year with the number of points needed – the amount we got should have got us safe and further up the table earlier." Doyle finished eighth in his first season in the top flight with Reading in 2006-07 only to be relegated the following year, and the scars of that shock means survival must be the first aim for him.

"A really good season can happen – it happened to me before with Reading," he said.

"But we have to make sure we're safe and then go from there if we can. Look at Birmingham – they won the Carling Cup and then got relegated and have financial troubles.

"I don't think that will happen here but you have to realise it's about improving when you can."

Meanwhile, Doyle is hoping to avoid an unwanted hat-trick tomorrow by declaring himself fit. The Ireland international has missed the opening-day fixture in each of the last two years at the club.