They say it takes one to know one – and Steve Bull reckons he has spotted a ‘Gary Lineker’ like talent in Wolves hotshot Steven Fletcher.

Wolves’ club record £7m signing has come good – spectacularly so in recent weeks, with five goals in as many games and six in eight to help breathe new life into the team’s survival fight.

His qualities haven’t gone unnoticed in the eyes of predator supreme Bull, who knows a thing or two about goalscoring after bagging a record 306 for the club.

Bully, who still watches every game, reckons Fletcher is only going to get better too, which is music to the ears of Wolves fans who have grown up idolising their goalscorers from Roy Swinbourne and Peter Broadbent to Derek Dougan, John Richards and Steve Bull.

Fletcher has already carved his own bit of history by becoming the first Wolves player since Richards in 1980-81 to hit double figures in the top flight.

And, asked if he sees the classy Scot as a 20-goal-a-season man, Bully said: “He is – easily. He’s a natural goalscorer – he knows where to be and what to do.

“He’s like Gary Lineker in that he gets in the right place at the right time – and he’s come good at the right time.”

Such has been the dramatic impact of 12-goal Fletcher – he has still only made 14 Premier League starts – that Bull reckons he has played as big a part in Wolves’ survival as the talismanic Kevin Doyle.

The former England international said: “He wasn’t getting his chance because Doyle was playing exceptionally well until his unfortunate injury.

“But for me, he’s achieved as much as Doyle in terms of workrate, commitment and goals – he’s given it everything.

“He’s still getting his feet under the table because he hadn’t really had an extended chance in the team with Doyle playing so well.

“But now he’s had his chance, he’s taken it with both hands and you can tell he wants to keep that shirt.

“I think he can only go from strength to strength now – the same as Mick and the team – if we stay up.

“That’s the main priority at the moment – don’t think about what we’re going to do next season, it’s all about what we do in the last game of the season.”

Heading into Sunday’s winner-takes-all showdown with Blackburn, the big question on many fans’ lips – apart from Wolves’ chances of staying up – is whether he brings Doyle back.

Bull is a big believer in partnerships and with the way Fletcher and Stephen Ward have been playing, he would keep Doyle on the bench against Rovers.

The Wolves vice-president said: “It’s good from the manager’s point of view that he’s got him to bring on.

“I would keep him on the bench at the moment because he’s an excellent substitute to bring on.

“Fletcher has earned his place and he’s going to keep it, but to keep Doyle on the bench is a great achievement for him.

“I think strikers should hunt in pairs because you need a partnership and Fletcher and Ward have played exceptionally well together.

“They play their separate roles within the team, but they have formed a bit of a partnership – they seem to know where the other is.

“Ward floats here, there and everywhere and Fletcher is in the box to finish it off.”

Bull was always the first to appreciate the tireless workload of Andy Mutch in his own strike partnership.

And the 46-year-old sees through the criticism of Ward to realise what a tremendous job he does for the team.

He said: “Ward has done well. He’s had a lot of criticism from people saying he’s a left-back, central midfielder or left winger, but I think Mick has found the perfect role for him at the moment, floating behind a front man.

“He’s worked his socks off and it’s just a shame he hasn’t scored a goal to reward that workrate and for all he’s done for Wolves this season.”

Leaving Doyle on the bench brings another debate into focus – just how good is Wolves’ bench?

Doyle was joined by Wolves’ two most-used players at Sunderland last Saturday in Matt Jarvis and Christophe Berra, as well as Sylvan Ebanks-Blake, Richard Stearman and Nenad Milijas.

Bull said: “Jarvis went a bit quiet and Mick clearly realised he needed to change the side and the introduction of Fletcher and Stephen Hunt has been a revelation.

“When we played Fulham and saw they had Bobby Zamora and Andy Johnson on the bench, it looks a strong bench, but now we’ve got Jarvis and Doyle as well as Sylvan and it’s nice to have those quality options.

“It means if we are 1-0 down, we’ve got the firepower to go and retrieve the game. Mind you, I think Hunt must have had some tablets to get him going!

“He’s certainly raced out of the stalls but he’s certainly come good at the right time after his injuries.”

Bull believes the strength of the bench is an indicator of how strong Wolves’ squad now is.

He said: “It shows how far the club has come and I think Mick has spent wisely. He’s been criticised for who he’s bought and who he hasn’t bought, but there aren’t many who have fell by the wayside and he’s had to get rid of.

“They’re all still in the squad now fighting for their places.”