From Wembley to the wilderness in just three months - what must Kevin Doyle be thinking?

At the home of football in May, the Irish international got a starting berth in Rangers line-up for the Championship play-off final against Derby in front of 87,000 fans.

There was even talk by boss Harry Redknapp of an Rs Premier League contract for the striker at one stage.

However, chairman Tony Fernandes made it plain there would be no slack in a tight-knit squad this campaign, and none of the loanees including Doyle, survived a post-season cull to make way for a new crop.

Queens Park Rangers v Burnley - Sky Bet Football League Championship
On the ball against Burnley: Doyle

Now Doyle is part of what former Hoops assistant boss Kenny Jackett ominously calls ‘Group Three’ at Molineux as he prepares to take on Fulham tomorrow night.

In a word, the group that sounds like something out of Spooks is eight expensive misfits from the hangover of Premier League relegation costing them around £11.6m in wages.

Former England international Steve Hodge has been brought in especially as part minder, part coach for Doyle, Jamie O'Hara and six others, who train apart from the first team and academy squads.

Doyle took a chunk out his £40,000-a-week to join Hoops in January, but has gone to back to his original wage earned on a far flung field in the Black Country, as Jackett counts the cost.

Play-off final: Doyle (C) gets stuck in at Wembley

“Does it impact on the club going forwards with regards to Financial Fair Play? Yes it does,” said the boss.

“In FFP you have to consider every single player on your books, so it does factor into the calculations.

Jackett is confident the situation will be resolved when the transfer window shuts at the end of next month.

“The players will find other clubs,” he said. “It happened last year where there was quite a big group but as the season progressed, there was probably only Jamie O’Hara left.”