KEVIN Davies says it is just a matter of time before Wanderers are up at the top challenging for promotion this season.

The Whites skipper is convinced class will eventually tell, and the quality within the Reebok squad will show through in the league position.

Davies admits it was a shock to the system to be relegated after so long in the Premier Division, but that once Wanderers find their stride they will climb the table.

He also believes the absence of big players like Stuart Holden, David Wheater and David Ngog through injury has a big bearing on the situation.

“It’s still early days,” he said. “We have been in the Premier League for a long time and getting relegated is difficult to take.

“You feel like you’ve fallen out of the big time. There was a lot of sulking over the summer, but we’ve got a new challenge ahead of us now.

“It’s a difficult league and there are a lot of good sides there.

“I think the expectation is for us to bounce straight back up because of the quality we’ve got in the squad.

“But a lot of the teams are raising their game and making it difficult for us. Once it settles down though I think we can be up there.

“And we’ve still to get all the boys back.

“We’ve got three big games coming up next week (Watford at home on Saturday, Birmingham away next Tuesday night and Sheffield Wednesday away the following Saturday) and we can get some points in the bag and get back up the table.”