Defiant Mick McCarthy has rounded on the boo-boys slating Neill Collins by insisting he could be the man to clinch promotion for Wolves.

Collins has been heavily criticised by fans for his own goal and sending off, in the 1-0 defeat in the top-of-the-table clash at Reading on Tuesday.

The Scottish defender escapes the firing line for the next two games as he is suspended.

But boss McCarthy is fed up of the supporters who have targeted Collins, adding that the 25-year-old could well have the last laugh and ram their words down their throats.

McCarthy said: “Come and judge me, Neill and the rest of the players at the end of the season, then they can say what the hell they want – every one of them.

“We’ll be judged at the end of the season and the ironic thing is that Neill Collins might score the winning goal that gets us up. He’ll be a hero then, so it’s amazing how you get from god to dog in I don’t know how many moves.”

McCarthy insisted Collins produced a fine performance at the Madejski Stadium in midweek, either side of the 61-second own goal and last-minute dismissal.

The Molineux chief said: “He had a great game apart from the blip at either end. He’s been quite resilient and that’s been proved by the way he keeps coming back.

“But it won’t have any effect on him for the next two games because he’s suspended anyway.”

McCarthy believes the fans’ reaction is the Wolves faithful showing signs of pressure, after the team’s run of three points from the last 15 on offer.

He said: “It’s amazing how people feel the pressure and their reactions suddenly change when our lead turns from four points to two points.”

But the manager points to the fact their rivals haven’t been having the best of it either.

He said: “We know we haven’t won for five games, but we’re still top of the table so someone else hasn’t been having a great time of it either.”

McCarthy is adamant he isn’t suffering from any pressure in the run-in, as Wolves approach the last third of the season.

He said: “No – I won’t allow anyone to put it (pressure) on me. I come in and do my job just the same. I also understand the fact there are going to be times when it’s not the easiest.

“When you’ve won and you come in on a Sunday or Monday, you might feel there’s nothing to do – because everything’s rosy.

“But there’s also the thing about not changing things too much and not panicking when you haven’t won a game.

“If I start getting out of bed on the wrong side and start ‘chewing’ at them, it’s a sure sign that I’m panicking, which I don’t do.”