CRAIG Noone does not recommend the crash diet plan which threatened his involvement against Bristol City on Saturday.

The Wanderers winger spent most of last week laid low with a stomach virus, losing four pounds in weight as a result.

Thankfully, Noone managed to get ship shape in time to take the injured Sammy Ameobi’s place in attack – and went on to play a starring role in the 2-2 draw which preserved an unbeaten start to the season.

“Lets say Monday and Tuesday I wasn’t too good… I’ll leave it to the imagination,” said the Liverpudlian sheepishly. “I had just about got my appetite back and tried to put on a few kilos that I lost.

“I had quite a few phone calls in the morning to check I was right.

“It was a magic diet. It involved the toilet about 15 times a day but I won’t go any further than that!

“I ended up doing OK. It was tough but the manager was constantly asking me ‘are you OK?’ I felt like I needed to start because last season I didn’t get going. I needed to take my chance.”

After spending most of last season playing fitness catch-up, Noone admits he did not have the impact at Wanderers he would have liked after signing from Cardiff City.

This time around, however, he feels confident he can play a bigger part in a squad better equipped for the Championship.

“Thanks to Nick Allamby and the sports science lads here this pre-season has been one of my best,” he said. “I’m feeling fit and strong. I am looking to build on it.

“I was happy to start but it’s a team game. I’ll be ready whenever I’m called upon. Hopefully I can build on it and get more starts.

“This is a better squad than last season. We’ve kept a lot of characters but the ones who have come in have added to it as well. They have given us that little bit of quality. It has knitted together really well.”