NON-STOP winger Liam Feeney has pleaded with Neil Lennon to let him continue putting in the hard yards.

Recruitment plans designed to freshen up the squad may have stalled for the Wanderers boss in the last couple of weeks but Feeney insists he is not feeling the strain of playing week in, week out.

The former Millwall man has started each of the last 11 games and is happy to shoulder the workload while the club look to add some new signings.

“I don’t know what the situation is with new signings but I don’t feel tired and I’m sure the rest of the lads would say the same – we want to play every week,” he told The Bolton News.

“Improvements to the squad will help competition, sure, but I don’t think things are going too badly.

“I wouldn’t ask for a rest.”

Feeney’s high work-rate has blended in well with the style of football Lennon brought with him but the 27-year-old says it is difficult to take a breather, even if you wanted one.

“If you didn’t keep your foot on the gas you’d be pulled up on it right away,” he said. “The stats are there for players if you want to have a look at them – I don’t personally – but the coaches certainly keep an eye on things like that.

“High intensity running is what it’s all about for them. And I think our numbers are generally higher than the opposition.

“I think the gaffer has been quite pleased with that since he came in.”

Wanderers have not been found wanting for effort of late but struggled slightly in the creativity stakes in the 1-1 draw against Leeds United last weekend.

Feeney concedes the prospect of an FA Cup tie at Anfield may have been a “distraction” to the players – but one they must put out of their mind as they travel to Sheffield Wednesday this weekend.

“Hopefully, it was one of those bad days and besides we didn’t get beaten, which is a positive,” he said.

“No one puts more pressure on us than ourselves. We expect to win every game.

“We think we can beat anyone in this league. The FA Cup was perhaps a bit of a distraction and made the last couple of weeks a bit slower.

“But we didn't lose against Leeds and we have only lost one in 10. And if you don't have your best of days, the most important thing in this division is not to lose."

Feeney is treating Saturday’s game at Hillsborough is a final audition for Liverpool but more importantly a chance to re-establish some forward momentum in the Championship table.

Wanderers missed out on a chance to move into the top half of the table last weekend and are now 11 points off the top six and Feeney has made a call for his team-mates to focus against Stuart Gray’s improving Owls.

“I don't think we can take our eye off Sheffield Wednesday,” he said. “It is a massive game for us.

“If we can take three points we can jump up a few places in the league. And that, ultimately, is our main objective.

“We can't look past the next game. If we play badly, you are not going to play against Liverpool. But if we win and play well, we go to Anfield with good momentum.”

In Chung-Yong Lee’s absence Feeney has also taken control of many of the Whites’ set pieces, giving Leeds a few nervy moments at the Macron with his excellent delivery of corners in a swirling wind.

Lennon expressed his disappointment at how few goals Wanderers were scoring from free kicks and corners when he arrived in October and now seems to be making his team more of a menace in the penalty box.

With several six-footers in the squad to aim at, Feeney is keen to keep supplying the ammunition.

“The gaffer puts a big emphasis on set pieces and we have got some great attackers of the ball in the team; we have got a big team,” he said. “So set pieces are something we work on quite a lot.

“Normally there are a couple of designated takers every game. We sort it out between ourselves on the pitch. If someone is close to the ball and wants to take it, that's fine. It is normally structured though.”