Glenn Hoddle has had some genuine hard luck stories in his 16 months in charge at Molineux.

But none more so than Wolverhampton Wanderers' visit to Watford in late October.

Wolves produced one of their best performances of the season in battering Adrian Boothroyd's Horns almost into submission, failed to take their chances, then watched in horror as Watford took theirs to run out 3-1 winners.

To add to the pain, Watford's killer second goal that day was scored by Marlon King, now the Champion-ship's 20-goal top scorer, whom Hoddle has revealed he tried to sign when he was still only on loan at Vicarage Road earlier this season.

Watford, who have former West Bromwich Albion assistant manager Keith Burkin-shaw as Boothroyd's No 2, were also flattered to knock Wolves out of the Carling Cup at Vicarage Road in September. And, if only to keep his side's wafer thin play-off hopes alive another day, Hoddle insists his written-off Wolves side are in the mood for revenge when Watford come to Molineux tonight (5.15).

"Mathematically, it is still possible," said Hoddle. "Although if I was a betting man I wouldn't put much money on it.

"But I feel we owe Watford one after the way we've played against them twice. Adrian Boothroyd and Keith Burkinshaw were very complimentary after both games and did not know how they'd won.

"Adrian has done a very good job to get into the playoffs and they know what they're doing. But maybe they'll have less tension in their game as they know they're in the play-offs. And now we've a chance to get three points back."

Hoddle has new doubts about the health of young midfielder Mark Davies and Jody Craddock, both of whom have been ill. And Craddock was up all night after his wife gave birth yesterday.

In addition, Denes Rosa, Darren Anderton, Jackie McNamara, Mark Clyde and Gabor Gyepes are all still out injured, necessitating the call-up of youngster Mark Little from England Under-19 duty and Keith Lowe's recall from loan at Swansea City.

Lowe has been out in the cold at Molineux for almost the whole of Hoddle's reign at Molineux.

Having been brought in by Dave Jones and retained his place under caretaker boss Stuart Gray, Lowe started Hoddle's first game in charge, coincidentally also at Watford in December 2004.

But he was bombed out after the error that led to Heidar Helguson's early goal. And he has been kept busy out on loan this season, first at Burnley, then briefly at Queens Park Rangers before his six-game stay at Swansea.

But Lowe does have one boast that none of his Wolves team-mates are likely to have this season.

He picked up a winners' medal at the Millennium Stadium only 12 days ago in the LDV Vans Trophy Final win over Carlisle United.

Hoddle, after a week of speculation about his future, insists he is determined to remain at Molineux [2014] if they will have him.

"My mind is set only on finishing this season as strong as we can," he said. "But of course I want to stay at Wolves. I've got a 12-month rolling contract and I am happy working here.

"There has been a lot of hard work put into the season. But the key to it all now is where we are going. We don't know if there will be finances put in until the end of the season and I don't know what players may have to leave. But nothing will happen until then."