Kevin Nolan is planning to lead West Ham United to promotion this season, however that may be.
The Hammers still have an outside chance of going up automatically but would require Southampton to slip up in both of their final two games. Failing that, it will be a third-placed finish and the Play-Offs for Nolan and his West Ham team-mates.
"The situation is that hopefully Southampton lose two, we win two and we go up, that is still there," Nolan said. "But if not, then we still have to make sure we win anyway, to keep up the momentum for ourselves if it is the Play-Offs.
"Never say never. Right now, we have to make sure we dust ourselves off and get those two wins in the last two games starting at Leicester on Monday."
The captain knows all about successful Play-Off campaigns after winning the mini-tournament with Bolton Wanderers in 2001. Nolan, then 18, played the whole 90 minutes as the Trotters secured their place in the Premier League after finishing third in the Championship table and he is hoping history can now repeat itself for the east London club.
"You have to keep the winning mentality going. We have won a lot of games this season and we have to continue in that way until the end of the season and finish on a high. Once we have done that, if it is then the Play-Offs, then we treat those games and the teams we have to play with the respect they deserve.
"I am very confident that if we have to go through the Play-Offs to gain promotion, we will do. You have to be confident and we are as a team - we will see when it comes round who we have to face and do what we have to do."
Nolan was one of a number of new arrivals for the Hammers after relegation last season and the team were forced to gel quickly ahead of a demanding Championship season. Although the campaign does not look to be heading for automatic promotion, the desire to reward the Hammers' faithful for their unwavering backing home and away with a Play-Off win is motivation enough for Nolan.
"We have had a lot of changes but have come a long way in a short space of time. I think everyone who is at the club deserves great praise for how they have helped with a lot of changes - from players to behind-the-scenes staff.
"We have had a lot of pressure on us all season and have been in the top two for a long time. We haven't dropped out and are only just now into third place - and that is only because we have drawn more games than we lost.
"At the end of the day, we just want to give our fans what they deserve, that is to be back in the Premier League. Hopefully we can do that on 28 April, but if not, then through the Play-Offs if that is what it comes down to."
The Hammers have had to contend with being a big draw for many opposing teams and subsequently opposing players tend to give their all when facing Nolan and his team-mates. Likewise many stadiums across the division are full and intimidating when West Ham come to visit and it is experience like that that Nolan believes will have been hugely beneficial to his younger team-mates in the long-run.
"There are some young lads, young boys in our dressing room who I really feel for because they have taken on a lot of responsibility that they will learn from.
"Especially going to away grounds - everywhere we have gone this year has been a sell-out. It is the highest gates for some clubs when we have visited them. It is something that a lot of the younger lads have not been used to but they will grow and get better, and will be better for it.
"But it is something we have become used to since the start of the season, we just have to keep learning how to deal with this and hopefully over the season we have.
"We have two games left and we have to treat them as looking to get six points from them and that will stand us in good stead if we are then in the Play-Offs."
