English FA Premiership: Denis Irwin is involved in his first relegation battle in a long and glittering career but as Adrian Milledge finds out, the Wolves veteran doesn't regret moving to the Premiership's basement

In the museum at Old Trafford there is a display case that houses the evidence of Denis Irwin's contribution to Manchester United. Among the silverware accumulated during the Irishman's 12 years at the club are seven championship medals, one more for the European Cup, and two FA Cup winner's baubles. He is the most decorated player in United's history and holds 56 international caps. The contrast with his current predicament could not be more acute.

Wolves, whom he joined last summer, were hot favourites for relegation before the season began and now one lonely point from five games is threatening to smear an unblemished CV. Today's visit of Chelsea to Molineux is not the ideal pick-me-up.

"I've been very lucky," Irwin said. "I haven't experienced relegation. In fact, it's been completely the opposite.

"When I joined Leeds United and Oldham, both clubs were going for promotion. Then there were the years at Old Trafford followed by last season's promotion campaign with Wolves.

"In fact I've never been involved in a relegation battle. It's not something you want to experience at the best of times but, as this is definitely my last season, I don't want to now."

After a start that has seen Wolves' paltry points return matched by their goals tally, it is difficult to believe the 37-year-old defender's glittering career will not end in tears. Irwin, however, is having none of it and irritably denies that playing in a struggling team is a culture shock.

"Manchester United is the past," he said. "It's a different challenge now. Last year it was to get Wolves promoted. This season it's to keep them in the Premiership.

"I expected in the summer when I made my decision to play on that it would be a battle. That's proved to be the case. We haven't started well and there are probably players who think they don't deserve to be in the Premiership until we're up and running. They won't believe that until we've got a win. Nevertheless, I don't view this as a relegation struggle at the moment. But I will do if we're still in this position after 12 or so games."

Nonetheless, Irwin is already speaking the language of the league's lower reaches.

"We've got to get a couple of wins and not just to give ourselves that belief. We've got to hang on to the shirt-tails of the teams down there and not let a gap develop. We haven't got the quality of some but are on a par with eight or 10 of them."

Irwin is confident that can be achieved, an optimism tempered by his admission that injuries to key players - Matt Murray, Joleon Lescott and Kenny Miller among them - are a huge handicap. But he is encouraged by the way Wolves have not been cowed by thumping defeats in their first two matches and the presence of strong characters in the dressing-room. Irwin will not name them but his former United team-mate Paul Ince is an obvious candidate.

"The squad is not strong enough at the moment but that's because of injuries to our best players," he said. "But at least when I look round the dressing-room I can see players I'm glad are on my side and not turning out for the opposition."

After a shell-shocked start, he can already see the first shoots of improvement.

"The first couple of games were a real eye-opener. We lost 5-1 at Blackburn and then were beaten 4-0 at home by Charlton. We battened down the hatches after that and have improved in the last three games even though we've got just one point to show for it. Five players across the midfield has strengthened things, although that has been at the expense of goals."

And just as Wolves have collectively picked themselves off the canvas and dusted themselves down, likewise Irwin. "When we lost the first two games I didn't think I'd made a mistake by carrying on playing, although I know some people did."

Whether he will still maintain that opinion after today's meeting with Chelsea remains to be seen, especially if his one-time Ireland team-mate Damien Duff gives him a good old-fashioned chasing.

Win, lose or draw, however, Irwin welcomes Roman Abramovich's arrival at Stamford Bridge. "What's happened there is good for the game. People were getting fed up with the championship being a two-club race between Manchester United and Arsenal. Chelsea's players have the quality to win the championship. What will determine whether they do is how they cope with a bad run.

"As Arsenal found out last season, you have to dig out wins when you are not playing well. That's when you need those strong characters to pull you through."