Wolves and Albion fans have been urged to keep their cool on Sunday – and both managers will be hoping their players don’t see red when the nerves jangle.

With the Great Race for the play-offs having the potential to go down to the very last kick of the season the stakes will be sky high.

And that’s going to mean the two Black Country rivals need to stay ice cold and keep their discipline to help them get over the line.

That been easier said that done for Albion, who head into the final weekend of the season wirth the worst disciplinary record in the division, with 11 red cards and and a whopping 104 yellows shown to their players.

Boss Tony Mowbray reckons his side have been getting a rough ride from officials this season – but his players must take their share of the blame. Too many have been a result of heat of the moment stupidity, petulance and unprofessionalism. Take Saturday’s dismissal of Diomansy Kamara, for example. Both bookings were soft, very soft. But too often this season Albion have been hurt, and badly, by their disciplinary record, most notably since going top of the table in February.

When the Baggies travelled home from Leicester on top of the division following their 1-1 draw at the Walkers Stadium, they appeared on the crest of a wave. Yet, amazingly that proved the start of their promotion dream crumbling around them.

Seven players have been dismissed in the 11 games since then, albeit with red cards for Paul Robinson and Paul McShane later being rescinded by the FA. What’s more, they’ve had four players sent-off – Neil Clement, Darren Carter, McShane and Kamara – in their last three games. It’s cost them not only in terms of losing key players at the most vital time of the season, but also by draining energy levels by playing with a disadvantage for so long. 

Since Leicester, the Baggies have played with 10 men for a whopping 134 minutes of action. And with injury time on top, that’s the equivalent of more than one and a half games.

It’s told in their results too, with Albion going on to lose late on against Palace and Burnley in games they were drawing and winning respectively before a red card was brandished.

With Albion seemingly in control of both those games before being reduced to 10 men, that’s a potential six points dropped – points that would have already secured a play-off place and avoided a nerve-wrenching last day. Mowbray is quite right to argue that there haven’t been too many bad tackles among those red cards. But, even taking each one into insolation there hasn’t been too much to quibble about. Instead, he must again plan without a key player – a problem which has dogged him throughout his tenure. But life would be so much easier if they could simply keep 11 men on the park. Cutting out silly bookings for dissent and kicking the ball away would help. Mowbray can’t point the finger of blame at officials for that, it’s up to the players.

At Molineux, fighting spirit and togetherness have been two of the most prominent hallmarks of ‘new Wolves’ this season – and nothing has brought those traits out better than losing a player. In the five games Wolves have seen red this season they’ve won twice, lost twice and hung on for a point once. 

The portents were good way back in August when Wolves held out for nearly an hour after Carl Cort was sent off as they clinched a win against Ipswich. 

Perhaps we should have guessed eight months ago that we were dealing with a different kind of Wolves side – one capable of prospering while the odds were stacked against them.

Arguably the most symbolic win of the season – that 1-0 at Carrow Road just days after the Albion defeat – was achieved with just nine men as Jackie McNamara and Gary Breen received their marching orders.

In retrospect the double sending off helped Wolves. With supporters so low after Albion’s comprehensive FA Cup win, the fight and spirit shown by the patched up side helped Wolves win back a huge amount of credibility in the eyes of their supporters. McCarthy has refused to countenance an excuse culture at Molineux this season – and that has extended to refereeing decisions. 

True, Wolves’ revered boss had a pop at Graham Laws after last month’s Blues derby but even he pointed out that it was a rare occurrence – probably prompted as much by frustration as genuine bile.

When Gary Breen was harshly dismissed for supposedly elbowing Steven Thompson at Cardiff the Wolves boss was clearly unhappy, but chose not to criticise the ref.

In fact McCarthy’s only contribution to the refs debate has been to suggest a new system of “amber cards” – a sort of halfway house between yellow and red cards – to try and reduce the 

He reckons the flurry of yellow cards has ended up costing Wolves and there is definitely more than a grain of truth in that. 

After all, Wolves looked good for a win at Palace before Mark Little received his marching orders. But even though they’ve lost points, a string of gutsy displays while playing without eleven men has certainly impressed supporters.

So if the worst happens and McCarthy’s promotion chasers do lose a man on Sunday – don’t panic. Because ‘new Wolves’ have made a habit of prospering when the odds are stacked against them.