Unlike many former players, there isn’t much chance of Don Goodman disappearing from our football lives – not while he finds such regular work with Sky TV as an articulate commentary-box summariser. Here, though, John Richards puts a host of readers’ questions to the popular Molineux striker on behalf of Wolves Heroes.

Q: Did you have any hesitation joining Wolves after being an Albion player previously? (From topcat99) 

A: No hesitation whatsoever. I was ambitious and wanted to play in the Premier League. That was my driving force in leaving Albion in the first place. I went to Sunderland believing they would be the vehicle to get me there – a big club, Roker Park, a huge following and lots of passion. I thought they would be that club but it became evident while I was continuing to make a decent goal-scoring contribution that I was playing in a team round the middle to the bottom of what is now the Championship. I had bigger plans and Wolves were up there near the top of the Championship, spending money on players, like Steve Froggatt and Tony Daley, two wingers getting crosses in – just how I liked to play. It was ideal, Bully was there, and David Kelly. I honestly felt this was the team to get me into the Premier League. That’s why the answer to the question is an unequivocal ‘no’. It’s not as if I went straight from Albion to Wolves. It’s a brave step to go from one to another. I know Bully and Tommo did it but they weren’t particularly first-teamers at the time. If they had been established players at Albion, then moved across, it might have been different. Albion’s loss was Wolves gain in that case.

Don Goodman - the latest interviewee in John Richards' q and a series.

Q: Which stint in your career did you enjoy most? WBA or Wolves? (from Rocky Balllboa). Q: Which fans gave you the most support? WBA or Wolves? (from Edgmond Wolf )

A: I am asked on an almost daily basis about whether I preferred being at Wolves or Albion. I enjoyed them both – I had five good years at Albion and four good years at Wolves. I think that’s very different to a Steve Bull, who had two minutes at West Brom and an eternity at Wolves, and someone like Cyrille Regis, who was the opposite way round. My scenario was very different. West Bromwich Albion was the club that made me the player I was – predominantly through the coaching I received from Stuart Pearson. They were the first set of supporters to put me on a pedestal and that stays with you. Obviously, I then went away to Sunderland and was well received there. Then, when I came to Wolves, it would have been so easy for the fans not to give me a chance, especially as I didn’t score for seven games. I played up front in my first game against Notts County and then put out on the right wing. That was the manager’s prerogative. With Bully and Ned Kelly, he had two excellent players. But the Wolves fans were very fair to me and I will never, ever forget that, as long as I live. It would have been very easy for them to have a go – big-money signing, seven games without a goal, ex West Brom, what a waste of money! They could have got on my back. Not once did I get any of that, though. I then went on to have four good years at Molineux and struck up a wonderful relationship with those terrific supporters. Ideally, like many others, I would like to see both clubs battling it out at the top of the Premier League. That’s where they should both be. Wouldn’t it be great to have these local derbies in the Premiership every year, the way we’ve got it now? 

Q: I would like you to cast your mind back to the cracking Wolves v Sheffield Wednesday FA Cup fourth-round replay at Molineux on February 8, 1995. Wolves won 4-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw over the 120 minutes. The game was so atmospheric, broadcast on a freezing cold night on Sky TV for the world to see. It was so nail-biting, it must be stored in the top drawer of your football memory bank……Wolves were 3-0 down in the penalty shoot-out and looked dead and buried. So how did it feel to score THE penalty, the one that decided the game, down at the South Bank? Did you sleep that night or stay awake, scoring the penalty many times over in your mind? And does your heart still pump that bit faster when you think and talk about it today? (From Berlin Wolf )

A: Yes, I remember it well. We were 3-0 down and out of the competition really. I wasn’t in the first group of five to take a penalty and I thought we were dead and buried. I never thought I’d be called upon to take one. But they missed their last two, Chris Waddle was one of those, and we scored our last three to bring it level. Their guy missed the next one and I remember thinking I just wanted to get it over with. I’d already made my mind up that I was going to smash it as hard as I could down the middle and didn’t waiver from that. Ironically, the keeper Kevin Prestman didn’t dive but I struck it well and it beat him for pace. I’ve actually got a photo from a cameraman who was behind the goal that night, with the ball bulging the net and the keeper with his hands in the air, not a million miles from it. I have to say I was very relieved because I was still a new boy. This was the February and I’d only signed in the December. The last thing I wanted to be remembered for was the clown who ruined the Great Escape. I can’t imagine that there has been another occasion when a team was 3-0 down in the penalty shoot-out and still won. Great memories! 

Q: The 1994-95 season was Graham Taylor’s only full season as manager of Wolves. I’m certain we’d have been promoted that season had it not been for the fact we had horrendous bad luck – arguably the unluckiest season in Wolves’ history. The following summer, Dean Richards was signed permanently and the Premier League experience of Mark Atkins was added to further bolster the squad that had just missed promotion. Of course, Taylor was sacked quite early in 1995-96 but, as a player with insight into both contrasting seasons, why do you think Wolves struggled so badly in those few months that led to Taylor’s sacking? (From Beowulf )

Q: You were always one of my favourite players in those days, Don. What’s your take on why we never quite got that promotion we were so desperate for? Everything seemed to be in place? (From crocos) 

A: As I mentioned, I came to wolves because one of the prospects that excited me was playing with Froggy on one wing and Tony Daley on the other. I’d played against them both several times before and they were the sort of players who were going to get lots of crosses in and create lots of chances. However, straightaway, they both got injured and then there was Geoff Thomas, who I think could have made a major difference, but who was already injured and who never really got back properly. Three quality players there, all of whom played for England, and we didn’t have access to them. So, that was one thing. 

All Wolves fans will remember the game when we only beat Bolton 2-1 in the first leg of the play-offs at Molineux. It should have been 10-1. We absolutely murdered them but fate conspired against us. We hit the woodwork four or five times that day. It’s such a fine line between success and failure. And, obviously, in the second leg, John McGinley could and should have been sent off for headbutting David Kelly. If that gets seen by the referee, it’s a whole new story. And we would have fancied our chances in a game at Wembley with the players we had. It wasn’t to be that year, then because of the money that had been invested in players, there was pressure on Graham Taylor. There were factions of the press that were desperate for him to fail because he was the ex-England manager. When I say the press, I mean the national press not the local ones. They turned up waiting for Wolves to fall, so they could have a story to write about Graham Taylor. I don’t think that helped the club. Then there was the board. You need strength and resolve there, but, with the greatest of respect, I think they buckled under the pressure to get rid of Graham. When I look back and think of what Graham went on to achieve at Watford after being at Wolves, taking them from League One to the Championship and from there to the Premier League, I think it was one of the biggest mistakes Wolves have made in modern history. So, there were lots of things that seemed to be conspiring against us at the time.  

Greeted by the law when arriving at Tonbridge for a friendly in July, 1995.

Q: How did it feel getting the winner against Leeds, having been born in the city but never played for them? (From Dewsburywolf ) 

Q: My favourite goals of yours for Wolves was the one against Leeds in the FA Cup sixth round. Which was your favourite? (From Mugwump)

A: It is one of my favourites. I’ve scored technically better goals than that but, for what it meant and what it was, it’s very special. It was the quarter-final of the FA cup, I’m a Leeds lad, I was born and brought up there, I stood on the terraces at Elland Road as a boy, I was also a ball-boy there - and I’d been rejected by Leeds as a young lad. Ironically, Leeds are a club I always used to score against – for Bradford, West Brom, Sunderland, whoever. That was my first game against them in a Wolves shirt. When the chance came, I just saw the keeper coming off his line and dinked it over him. That was something I always tried to do when I was one-on-one with the keeper, just try to lift it over him. It was late in the game. There were about ten minutes to go and I don’t know where that calmness came from. When it hit the back of the net, it was an amazing feeling but then young Robbie tripped up Hasselbaink. I remember going numb and thinking we’d blown it but Hans Segers saved the penalty and the day and the rest, as they say, is history. Great occasion! I still get Wolves fans coming up to me, saying ‘Elland Road, 1998, I was there.’ It’s a brilliant memory for all of those reasons mentioned and the fact that it got us into the semi-final of the FA cup, which is no mean feat as a Championship club. 

Q: How did Bully and Keane react to being benched for the semi-final v Arsenal by Mark McGhee and what effect, if any, did it have on the players going into the game that day? (From DurhamWolf )

A: The manager signed about four new players before the semi-final, including Steve Claridge and Robbie Slater, and Bully and Keane were left on the bench. But, make no mistake, Arsenal were a great team. They were one of the best of that era. It was unfortunate for the lads to be left out but I also remember being hauled off myself with about 20 minutes to go and I felt I was the one causing their defence most problems, even if it was only through sheer physicality. I remember David Seaman and Tony Adams scowling at me because I clattered into them. I couldn’t understand why I came off but I never really saw eye-to-eye with Mark McGhee and don’t know whether that had any bearing on his decision. You’d like to think it didn’t but you never know. He once went six weeks without talking to me. If he saw me going towards him, he would turn around so he wouldn’t have to acknowledge me. That’s how petty it got with him. We had a great day out at Villa for the semi but it would be fair to say we were second best on the day. 

Q: What do you remember of your debut for Sunderland? You played against Wolves and had two players sent off? (From Mugwump)

A: We had two players sent off in the first five minutes, for dissent would you believe! You can imagine what it was like. I signed for Sunderland and then, a couple of days later, I was making my debut for them at Molineux. You couldn’t write it really. Of course, I got barracked when I got off the bus, when I warmed up, during the game. It was a busy linesman who took exception to one of the lads swearing because he disagreed with a throw-in decision. If every footballer who swore was sent off, there would be nobody left on the pitch. I remember the game clearly because I was ploughing a lone furrow. After an hour, I was physically exhausted. I was winning all the headers from our keeper’s kicks and my only instruction from our manager Denis Smith was to ‘head it for touch and get behind the ball.’ That’s all I did throughout the game. We held out until a few minutes from the end before a great shot by Paul Cook beat us.  

Q: Who was technically the best player you played with, Don, and who was perhaps the worst – but made up with it by hard work. And did you ever consider playing at left-back? (From OLDGOLD) 

A: That’s a good question because the word ‘technically’ has been used. I’ve played with a lot of good players, a lot of internationals who were coming to the end of their careers, like Andy Gray and Tony Morley. But what I would say that, technically, the best is someone Wolves fans will remember – Gordon Cowans. An absolutely incredible player, Sid, again coming towards the end of his career, but left foot, right foot, he was the best by far.  

Q: Don, who would you say was the most underrated player of your time at Wolves, such as an unsung hero or just a player that did not quite get the recognition he deserved? (From OoohRobbieRobbie) 

A: Difficult question and obviously I’m looking at someone from a Wolves perspective. Actually, I’m going to say someone who, sadly, is no longer with us – Paul Birch. You were guaranteed a performance from him week in week out, without stealing the headlines. He was consistent, reliable, the sort of player you’d want in your team. 

Getting in a header (centre) in the Steve Bull testimonial game against Santos.

Q: You suffered a serious head injury while playing for Wolves at Molineux. How hard was that to come back from and how nervous were you about going into your first competitive aerial challenge after that? (From Mutchy) 

Q: You suffered a horrific injury while playing for Wolves and cracking your skull. We were all desperate for you to get well. How worried were you that you’d never play again? How did you spend your time during your convalescence? How worried were you that you’d not be the same player? And how’d you celebrate coming back from injury. (From singwolf_1) 

 A: It was a fractured skull which I did at Molineux against Huddersfield in 1996. It was two weeks before my daughter was born – that is how I remember the date so well. We had a corner and I flung myself at a ball I was never going to get, and smashed into the back of the full-back Steve Jenkins’ head. He was concussed, if I remember right. I was conscious throughout but was down and couldn’t feel my arm. The physio Barry Holmes started looking at my arm, then I put my hand up to my head and felt some blood. Basically, there was a big hole in my head. It was a depressed fracture of the skull and it had caved in. I said to Barry: ‘Actually, I don’t think it’s my arm that’s the problem, I think you’d better take a look at my head’. I saw his face when he looked at my head and realised it was pretty serious. I was paralysed down my right side because the skull was pressing onto the left side of my brain. It was a nasty one, six months out, but no after-effects thankfully. The operation involved drilling four holes into my skull and lifting it back into the shape it should have been. A depressed fracture, as described to me by the surgeon, is like pressing your thumb into a ping pong ball. They said I’d be out for a year but, fortunately, I was back much sooner. I think many people thought I would never play again. It was that serious. But, the surgeon was amazing and reassured me that, in time, the skull would actually be stronger than before. In training, I was wearing a skull cap and taking part in one of my first five-a-sides and a ball was smashed in my direction straight at my face, I automatically dipped my head down and it hit me on the skull cap and knocked me off my feet. All the lads came running over and were panicking around me. I got up, smiled at them and said it was alright. That was the moment I knew it was going to be alright. 

Q: How did you sometimes defy gravity by appearing to hang in mid-air when heading a ball? Is it just me who thought you were defying gravity? (From OoohRobbieRobbie)

Q: Don, you were superb in the air – what was your secret to be able to ‘hang’ for so long? (From Boss Hogg) 

A: I get asked this a lot. It’s just something I could do naturally. I’ve always had strong legs, big quads and big calves, and that obviously helped me sprint and helped me spring as well. I also had good timing. I could judge the flight of a ball better than most. It was just a very natural thing.

Q: Don, your nickname was “Woody” how many times do you remember hitting the woodwork? I think one season it must have been about 20! (From Arcadius)

A: That’s a new one on me. I did hit the woodwork a lot, that’s true, but I don’t remember being called Woody.

Q: There’s a lot being said about racism in football today, what with the alleged Terry incident and Blatter’s gaffe. What was it like to be a black player during your time? How much racism did you face at Wolves or at any other club? (From singwolf_1)

A: I think it was the generation before me that we have to pay homage to – the likes of Big Cyrille (Regis), Laurie Cunningham and Brendan Batson. They were the ones who took it on the chin and came through it. That was the most important thing. Those lads were so mentally strong, they got through it. And that enabled the next generation of players like me to be able to play without fear. I was lucky. There wasn’t that much racism directed at me and, even if there had been, I was one of those guys who could laugh it off. In 20 years, it only happened to me once. This player made a racist remark to me in front of the referee. I asked the referee if he was going to put it in his report but all he said was: ‘I didn’t hear a thing.’ That was the only time it happened to me on the pitch. We had jovial banter in the dressing room and things were probably said then which wouldn’t be acceptable now. But it wasn’t offensive. It’s just the way things were. People like me and other black players need to be grateful for those lads who had to deal with it in the sixties and seventies. I’ve seen photos of Cyrille having bananas thrown at him and he was mentally strong enough to deal with it and come through it. It’s players like him with that resilience that has allowed me to go on and have a career in football. I’ll be eternally grateful for that. With regards to Blatter, he has made himself look an idiot on many fronts other than race; it’s remarkable that he is still in the position he is. 

Q: You refused work with Sky on the day of Wolves’ play-off final victory at Cardiff because you are quoted as saying you wanted to go as a fan…..(From Shergar)  

A: I went to the game as a fan but the play-off final was 2003 and I wasn’t even on Sky’s radar at that time. 

A natural in front of the Sky TV cameras at the Masters tournament.

Q: On the subject of Sky, how did you get into that line of work? (From JR) 

A: I really enjoy my work with Sky. I was never interested in going into management and was always told I talked a good game. It seemed a natural progression. I actually called Gary Newbon for some advice. He said I gave good interviews and advised me to get a column in the local newspaper if possible. I did that for the Express & Star, then starting summarising on games for Radio WM – something I did for a season. Gary said I would be picked up by someone if I was any good. And that’s what happened. I did three years with Radio 5 Live and, from there, got a call from Sky asking if I was interested in TV co-commentaries. That’s what I had aspired to. Once I’d made the decision to try my hand at broadcasting and media, then the biggest and the best to work for is Sky Sports. They are the market leader and, when they came calling, it was brilliant. But, then, you’ve got the pressure to maintain your standards, make your commentaries interesting and do a good job, otherwise they’re not going to keep you. I’ve now been with them for five years. I love it. Some would say, apart from playing, coaching or managing, it’s the best job in the world. And they probably wouldn’t be far wrong.

By John Richards

Our interview with Derek Parkin in this area is long overdue…..he is, after all, the record appearance-maker in Wolves’ history. Once more, the feature is based on questions set by our readers…..

Q: Am I correct in saying that, when you signed for Wolves, you were a right-back before becoming our left-back for all those years? (From Fleet Wolf)

Q: How did you come to be one of the best left-backs we’ve ever had, as your right foot was your dominant side? (From Wallace)

Bernard Shaw - also better on the right.

A: Yes, I was a right-back at Huddersfield and came to Wolves in that position. I was hopeless with my left foot. I stayed in that role until Bernard Shaw was signed by Bill McGarry – he was also right-footed but was signed to play at left-back. He was like me, though. He couldn’t kick with his left, so McGarry stuck me out there. After a time, I got better with my left foot but I did feel awkward. I got away with it really. I would have been a lot more comfortable on the right, every time, as that was my natural position. If you look at any old videos, I always tended to bring the ball on to my right. I could kick with my left foot but not as accurately as with my right.

Q: Did you ever feel that you might have had full international recognition and would your chances have been enhanced if you had stayed right-back? (From Saltyjim)

A: That’s very difficult to answer. I don’t know. There were a lot of good full-backs around at the time. Ray Wilson was my mentor when I was at Huddersfield, although I never played with him. What a great player – probably one of the best full-backs I’ve ever seen. His move to Everton gave me my chance of getting into the team at Huddersfield. We also had Bob McNab there and then Chris Cattlin. Chris and I went into the team at about the same time. Huddersfield always produced good full-backs.

Q: Who had the most influence in the dressing room while you were with Wolves? (From Wallace)

A: It has to be Mike Bailey and The Doog. They were the personalities in the dressing room, the ones with the experience and the ones prepared to have their say. Mike, in particular, was a good player and a natural leader.

Q: You played in a side full of Wolves legends. It might be an unfair question but which of all the great players you played alongside did you admire the most and why? (From Harlow Wolf)

A: That’s another difficult question because we had so many good players in the early 1970s – Mike Bailey, Big Frank, Scouse, Hibby, Waggy, yourself. The list goes on and on. At that time, we had a really good team. I don’t think we realised how good a team we were. It’s only when you look back that you see how much success we had at the time.

Q: Who was the best left-winger or left-sided midfielder you played behind? (From Bridgnorthwolf)

A: It has to be Waggy and, I have to be honest, I don’t know what made him so good. He was just a natural talent. He could drop the ball on a sixpence. He was a bit frustrating at times but that’s the mark of a great player. There were a lot of us who had to work hard to improve our games but Waggy just did it naturally. He’d sit and have a cigarette, do the crossword and go out and play the game.

Q: If you could have picked one area in the side that could have been strengthened, which would it have been? (From Oldgold Wolfcub)

A: It’s a different game now, there’s a squad system. It wasn’t the case of us needing strengthening in any one particular area. We probably could have done with another three or four players in the first-team squad to cover for injuries. But it didn’t work that way in those days. The difficulty would have been keeping players happy. Players want to play and we were only allowed one substitute then.

Q: I’m not expecting instant recall on the 609 games that you played for Wolves but was there one opponent that always gave you a tough time? (From purplepault69)

A: Mike Summerbee at Man City and Terry Paine of Southampton were tough opponents. Both were difficult to play against. They were both very aggressive, which was unusual in our day for a winger.

Q: Which other team of your era would you have loved to play for and why? (From Hicko)

A: Liverpool were a great team in the early 1970s under Bill Shankly. All the time I played, they were a top side. Anfield was the place to play, with the best atmosphere. What a great stadium! The first time I played there, I counted their players coming off at half-time. I thought they must have four or five more than us – we were chasing shadows. They chased you all the time. They were the country’s top team for a long time, started by Shankly and carried on by Bob Paisley. If I hadn’t gone to Wolves, I would have loved to play for them.

Q: During your pomp in the early 1970s, was there ever any chance of you moving away from Wolves? (From Saltyjim)

A: I don’t know. I heard rumours but we were never told anything in those days. It’s totally different now with agents and newspapers leaking news but we didn’t have any of that. We were kept in the dark.

Q: What would you say was the biggest game you played in for Wolves? I can’t remember if you played in the UEFA Cup final but you were certainly in the League Cup wins (From Vietnam Wolf)

Q: Which of the two League Cup finals was the greatest occasion in your opinion? I cannot separate them – they were both magnificent in different ways. The League Cup was not the poor relation it is now and it certainly was a great achievement at the time. (From reanswolf) 

Bonus time.....Parkin (left) watches Paul Bradshaw's safe hands exude control at Wembley in 1980.

A: Probably the 1974 League Cup final. It was a great day and a great side. We couldn’t believe that we had actually beaten Man City because it wasn’t expected. Wembley was fantastic. I wish every player could play there at least once in their career. It really is special. It was a fantastic day. It was Mike Bailey’s day. It was a bonus for us to go back in 1980 and again win against the odds. We were very lucky. Also getting to the UEFA Cup final was a hell of a feat. It was only because we played against another English team that we didn’t get the recognition I think we deserved. I didn’t realise it while we were playing but recently someone told me that our era was the second most successful time in the club’s history, after the great team of the 1950s.

Q: What was it like leaving Wolves after all those years and appearances? (From Burton Wolf)

A: I didn’t really want to leave but the club were going under and my contract was up. I enjoyed my time at Wolves and wouldn’t want to change anything. Who’s to say I would have had the same sort of career if I’d gone anywhere else? I had a great relationship with the supporters and still do. It was the right time to go. You know inside when that time is. What is surprising is when you think of the business side at the club, there were lots of players who left and they got nothing for them. I should have gone when I was about 28, so they could have recouped their money, and that applied to a lot of the other lads. They made nothing from them. Moving earlier in our careers might have done us good. You do become stale and being at a different club lifts you.

Q: You obviously played most of your football under Bill McGarry, although I can’t remember whether he brought you in or Ronnie Allen. What did McGarry do most to help your game and what do you think were his strengths and weaknesses? (From Oldgold Wolfcub)

A: Ronnie Allen signed me. I think he left a good team for Bill McGarry to take on. With Bill, it was difficult to put your finger on but there was just something missing. I quite liked the guy. He was a bit of a tough nut but, as long as you did as you were told and worked hard, he was ok with you. There was also the fear factor, which worked. However, as I said, there was just something missing; something that could have just made us a really great side. We were good and we were up there at the top end of the League on a number of occasions, which takes some doing with the good sides about at that time.

Q: How did the other managers you played for compare? (from Oldgold Wolfcub)

A: I also got on well with John Barnwell. With Richie Barker, they did a good job at Wolves under difficult circumstances. He picked the club up and got us to another League Cup final, which was a hell of an achievement for a club on the decline. I liked John’s honesty and openness, and the same with Richie. I didn’t always agree with Richie’s philosophy and the way of playing – launching long balls down the line all the time. I was too old to change. I still respected him as a person because he was big enough to tell you to your face if he felt you’d done something wrong. He didn’t hide behind someone else. Which is why I went to Stoke when Richie was the manager there. He rang me at home and asked me to sign. I told him I couldn’t play for him with his style of play. To his credit, he said he’d been wrong. He said he hadn’t realised how good the players were at Wolves, so I’ve a lot of respect for him.

Q: How did your heart problem affect your ability to play at the top level and are you ok now? (From wallace)

Q: You were out for most of a season in the early 1970s…..what did you do during that time? Why did the docs take so long to give you the all-clear? (From singwolf 1)

A: The heart abnormality was actually diagnosed in the end as being a ‘normal’ abnormality for me. It was something my heart had adjusted to. For some reason, it was classed as normal in me. They tried to suggest it might have been something I picked up from our trip to Australia in 1972 but it wasn’t. It’s something I’d always had and still have now. At the time, however, it was very worrying. I went to see a specialist at Brompton Hospital in London. They had a look inside with a camera. It was the specialist who gave me the all-clear. He said everything was fine. What a relief that was! That was when McGarry was good. He stood by me. I was out for around six months. They had to make sure. As you can imagine, it was one hell of a shock. You’re fit as a fiddle, then you’re told you could die of a heart attack if you play again. It was very frightening as I was only 23 and had just bought a house and had a young family.

Q: Do you think that the role of full-back has changed since you were playing? (From purplepault69)

A: Definitely. In our day, my first thought was to hit the ball to you or Doog, down the line. If I didn’t, I’d get a rollicking off McGarry and the crowd would be on your back. Get the ball forward, they screamed! If I’d knocked it square, I’d have got a roasting. That’s what I wanted to do but they wouldn’t let me.

Q: Who would you say is the best left-back we’ve had at the Wolves since you retired? (From Vietnam Wolf)

A: Andy Thompson was a good, little player and the blond-haired guy who used to live in Codsall – Mark Venus. I thought he was a nice player.

Q: If Wolves circa 1970-73 played against the current team, who would win and why? (From singwolf 1)

A: It’s difficult to compare but that team of the early 1970s was one of the best in the country at the time. Don’t forget, we reached the UEFA Cup final by beating some of the best teams in Europe. My son Noel recently bought me a video of the 1974 League Cup final. It was the first time I’d seen it and I was surprised by how fast and aggressive the game was. It was non-stop. You didn’t have time to breathe. Tackles were flying in and players were just getting up and getting on with it. People talk about the speed of the game now but that match was played at quite a pace. At the moment, the ambitions of the team are just to avoid relegation. That was never a consideration with our team. Also, and probably the biggest difference between the two sides, is the number of players we had who were capable of scoring goals – and not just the strikers. We had midfielders like Kenny Hibbitt and Jim McCalliog knocking in as many goals as strikers do nowadays. They had to score goals. It was expected of them.

Proof of the long service.....

Q: I saw you play through your career at Wolves but never knew where the nickname ‘Squeak’ came from (From derbyrameater)

A: Mike Bailey gave it to me. I used to shout to him for the ball and, every time I did, he kept laughing because he thought my voice was high-pitched.

By John Richards

Matt Murray was in the Sky Sports studio yesterday, providing expert articulate analysis on QPR’s Championship draw with Hull. Here, he gives his answers to the second batch of the questions posed by our readers.

Q: As someone who has seen it all at first hand, what do you think Wolves can and will achieve over the coming years? (From WolvesAreBoringOnCeefax) 

A: I definitely feel they will stay up this year. It is still basically the team we got promoted with. There have been signings but they don’t all play. I think we’re getting more experienced and adjusted to the Premier League. With the stability we have in the club, and the backing from the chairman, we could become similar to Bolton – an established, steady Premiership team. I believe we can do that and that’s why I’m so gutted about being injured and not being involved. I keep thinking I could be part of that. It’s frustrating. I know people say nice things about me but I still wish I could have fulfilled my potential.

Q: Would you like to have played for any other team in your career? (From JW) 

A: I would have been happy as a one-club player at Wolves. But, as my step-dad was an Everton supporter, it would have been nice to have played for them at some stage. And, also, anyone would be delighted to get a chance to play for a team like Manchester United or Real Madrid. 

Q: Why do you think goalkeepers don’t seem to go on to be managers? (From A Wanderer From Bristol)

A: I really don’t know. Some of it has to do with percentages. There are a lot more outfield players than goalkeepers. That lowers the odds for us. I was asked the other day if being a young black coach in the game might hold me back. My answer was ‘no’ but the fact I’m a keeper worries me more. You worry that you could be pigeon-holed into just being a goalkeeping coach. There are a few more keepers taking coaching qualifications nowadays. I’ve got my level 2 coaching qualification, I’m doing level 3 goalkeeping and outfield in the summer, so that will be UEFA B level, then there’s the final qualification the year after. I’ll then see how it goes and, if I’m enjoying it, I can go for my pro licence. 

Q: Have you given Carl Ikeme any advice or support in his similarly injury-ravaged career – perhaps telling him where you may have gone wrong in your fitness regime? (From Dewsburywolf)

Q: Are any of Carl’s injuries similar to your own? (From wanderer24) 

A: Carl actually went four years without injury and he’s having niggling injuries rather than serious ones requiring operations. He had a shoulder operation but then it was a stress fracture in his back. He went out on loan and twisted his ankle. It has been a catalogue of niggles. If you look at Carl, he’s like a finely tuned racehorse and sometimes you wonder if that is why. George Ndah was the same. And so is Matt Jarvis. Yet Wayne Hennessey is different. He hasn’t got the best physique, he doesn’t lift any weights, yet he has played week in week out. Carl and me do all the extra training, all the weights and pilates, and seem to be getting the injuries. Carl isn’t on my level with injuries but I really feel for him because he is a very good goalkeeper.

Q: What are your long-term future plans and will you be still be involved with Wolves in a capacity other than playing. There are tens of thousands of Wolves fans that would love to have you at this club for the rest of your life. (From Pumpking) 

Q: Do you have any aspirations of heading into the media? I recall you being a pundit on one of Wolves’ televised games this season and presenting yourself very well. Is it something you’re looking to do more of? (From Rockstar Wolf) 

A: I enjoy my TV work with Sky, ESPN and Premier TV. I’m just trying it all and having a go. Hopefully, people like me but, again, because I’m a goalkeeper and because I didn’t play as many games as I would have liked, you worry if your opinions carry any weight. Do people want to listen to a goalkeeper? Apart from Schmeichel, there’s no other goalkeeper doing much TV work. 

Q: Is management something you fancy in the future? (A Wanderer From Bristol) 

A: I want to have as many strings to my bow as possible. I’m enjoying my coaching at the moment and love working with the kids. I need to get more experience and make my sessions flowing better. As a player, you just go and take part in a training session. As a coach, you need to plan and work out the purpose of the session. I would take the opportunity to become a manager if I had it. Before, I didn’t think I would but I think I could handle it in the right way now. Being a manager is something I’m definitely interested in. 

Q: I understand you have become quite involved with the Alzheimer’s Society. I’ll declare an interest….my brother works for them and I feel very supportive. How did you become involved? (From A Wanderer from Bristol) 

A: With my testimonial, I’m involved with four charities and Alzheimers is one because of Bert Williams. He’s a legend and such a top man. Bert has done so much for me.  

Q: How did your bond with Bert come about? (From Boss Hogg) 

A: I saw him around at matches and he always took an interest in me. I did interviews with him and we just became friends. It was interesting listening to him. He gave me advice and told me things about his playing days. Bert’s just a really nice man. He’d give me a call every now and then to tell me he thought I’d played well that day. He encouraged me and, when I was injured, he would ring me and wish me all the best. I supported some of his charity events and we just became friends from that. He’s a great bloke, 91 and fit as a fiddle.

Q: Have the club helped to prepare you for life outside football should you decide to take that route? (From MonkeySpanner) 

A: Wolves are a very special club and, in my opinion, a dying breed in the game. They couldn’t have been more helpful. They have stood by me during my injuries – some clubs would have got rid long before. They got me the best treatment and paid me up for the rest of my contract, even though they didn’t need to. They have given me the ambassador role on the Community Trust, I’m doing some coaching with the kids and they have said there’s a position for me later if I want. I can’t ask for any more. They have been different class. Just another little thing I’d like to mention…..as an example of the type of club Wolves are, at Dean Richards’ funeral, there were 19 people from Wolves, 16 of them ex-players. It was a brilliant turn-out and shows what a family club they are. 

Q: Matt, do you and the Wolves players read some of the rubbish we all post on fans forums in general and Molineux Mix in particular – because we all know how to run a football club better than anyone! (From Pumpking) 

A: Yes, of course players follow them. Everybody wants to be popular and sometimes fans are fickle and things are said in the heat of the moment. But I think our fans will be one of the reasons we will get out of this relegation battle. They are all behind us. Everyone is entitled to an opinion. What annoys players is when fans say the players aren’t bothered. That’s not the case. They are bothered. They are only human and do have off-days but they never go out there and not try. 

Q: And what have you got coming up for your testimonial year? (From JR)

A: Well, I’ve got a sports forum with you in May, John, and a golf day at The Belfry. We’re planning a dinner with all the players who were involved in the play-off final – that should be a great evening. And we are finalising details for a game during the October international weekend, either the 8th or 9th.

* Matt is also an ambassador for the Wolves Community Trust and is this year taking over from John Richards as Patron of New Cross Hospital Kidney Patients Association.

By John Richards

Having previously covered the 1960s, 1970s, 1980s and 1990s in this section, as well as spotlighting the 91-years-young Bert Williams, we now come much more up to date by profiling the much-loved Matt Murray. Questions come from a variety of sources as usual but largely from Molineux Mix followers.

Matt at Molineux. Picture taken from the Running With Wolves book in which the keeper was one of author Peter Lansley's chosen interviewees.

Q: At what age did you realise you had the ability to become a pro footballer? (From WolvesAreBoringOnCeefax) 

A: My mum says I used to dribble the ball up and down the garden as soon as I could walk. I was fascinated by kicking it, picking it up and catching it. My earliest memory is when I was about four, playing football with all my cousins or brothers. They were all older than me, so when I played with them, they stuck me in goal. My first proper game, when I was eight, was for Lichfield Cubs and I played in goal. We won 6-0. 

Q: Who was your goalkeeping idol when you were growing up? (From Mugwump) 

A: My step-dad is from Wallasey and an Everton fan, so my first idol was Neville Southall. He was the first keeper I saw and I thought some of his saves were unbelievable. I signed for Wolves at nine and we used to get free tickets to games, so I saw a lot of Mike Stowell and idolised him. As I got older, just because of my physique and obviously because of my ethnicity, I used to look up to Shaka Hislop and David James. People used to liken me to them for obvious reasons, so they have been the keepers I’ve idolised most. 

I lived in Lichfield and my step-dad used to take me to Wolves for training every Monday and Tuesday night. It was quite a commitment. He came in straight from work and we had to be there for six o’clock. I always like to thank them for the help they gave me. 

Q: Who was your first-team debut against? (From JR)

A: It was away to Wimbledon in the League, at Selhurst Park just before they became the MK Dons. There were more of our fans there than Wimbledon fans. I was just 21. We lost 3-2. 

Q: That was quite young for a keeper?  (From JR)

A new name to conjure with.....(try clicking on image to enlarge).

A: I actually felt it was quite old because I had waited so long. I nearly made it into the first team when I was 16. I’d been playing in the reserves because Hans Segers had been injured and Stowelly had flu. I played in the reserves midweek and was expecting to play for the first team on the Saturday but Hans was put through a fitness test I didn’t know about. I turned up expecting to play but Hans passed his test. In some respects, it was good I didn’t play because I wasn’t ready. But I then had injury problems and ended up waiting five more years. 

Q: I admire your endeavours in coming back from your various injuries over the years – how did you get through all those setbacks? And did you ever think “I’m not going to make it this time”? What drove you on in those dark years? (From Dewsbury Wolf )

A: It was very difficult at times because I always had serious injuries. I didn’t just get a niggle, it was always a big one. I got through because of the great support I had from everybody – family, friends, the club, fans. That kept me going. There’s no better feeling than running out in front of a full Molineux. I used to draw on that to keep me going when I was having to work hard on the exercise bike or the weights, or was in pain after an operation. That’s what keeps you going. If I’d been older and starting to get bad injuries, perhaps that would have been more difficult. I had these injuries right from the start when I was young and just had to deal with them. 

Q: The play-off final was possibly my greatest day as a Wolves fan. It was our World Cup final and what that day and occasion meant to every Wolves fan will possibly never be surpassed. When you saved the penalty, did you purposefully stand slightly to one side and had you practised this in training? Also, what were you actually thinking when you stood there at the end in that jester’s hat, watching the celebrations? Thanks again for those great memories, especially for that day and also for single-handedly keeping Albion out on South Bank ‘reclamation’ day. (From Reanswolf) 

A: I’d faced Michael Brown earlier in the season when we played at Bramall Lane and drew 3-3. He scored a penalty and went to my left. He’d been taking penalties all season and always went that way. We were aware the final could go to a penalty shoot-out and, if so, we knew he’d take one. So we worked on it in training, thinking he might take the first one and, if I could save that, it would be a massive psychological bonus for us. Obviously, the penalty came during the game, so I left him more space to the left to encourage him to go there even more. As soon as his head dropped, I went early and luckily it was a nice height. Bobby Mimms and Dean Sturridge had practised with me for some time. 

I had a wig on at the end of the game, I was looking for people in the crowd. I knew Ade Akinbyi was there but was also looking for family members. It took a while for the fact that we’d won to sink in. Then someone told me I had got the man-of-the-match award. It was the furthest thing from my mind. I don’t think anyone knew there was going to be one.  

A new hairstyle for the big day in Cardiff. Picture taken from Running With Wolves.

We’d worked so hard during the season and had the heartache of just missing out the year before. It was a whirlwind season for me. Everything seemed to go right. I also remember thinking I couldn’t get drunk that night because I was having an operation the following morning. I’d been playing with a double hernia for three months. I needed to get it done that day, otherwise the surgeon wouldn’t have been able to fit me in for another three weeks. 

Q. What is the best goal you’ve been involved with? If I remember correctly, the one against Newcastle in the 3-2 Cup win started with a magnificent bowl-out and culminated in a flowing move and brilliant finish. (From arctic rime) 

A: Yes, I remember that. I came and took a corner. I was very positive about going for crosses. It was something I worked on in training. Everyone knows I don’t kick the ball as well as most keepers, so I had to bring things into my game that would give me an edge, Obviously, we all have to keep the ball out of the net but I focused on taking crosses and getting the ball out quickly. Both the full seasons I played, we had flying wingers, like Shaun Newton, Mark Kennedy and Michael Kightly. I just made my mind up I was coming for the corner against Newcastle. It was an outswinger. I took it near the penalty spot and threw it straight out to Newty. He played in Colin Cameron, who squared and Mark Kennedy hit a sweet shot. That was part of my game. As soon as our wingers heard me shout “keeper’s ball,” they were off. 

Q: Matt, you have been associated with the club for a long time and a number of managers have come and gone. I would be very interested to hear your views on each of those you have worked with, including our current manager. (From Seasider) 

A: I’ve got on with all of them. Mark McGhee gave me my first contract, so that was special, but I had a lot of injuries under Colin Lee and Glen Hoddle. Dave Jones was great to play for. He gave me my debut but we didn’t always see eye to eye at first. He seemed to have an opinion about me. He obviously thought I had a lot of potential and wasn’t maximising it; I wasn’t fit. I was living the high life with some of mates, like Robbie Keane, who were doing well in the game. I was going to night clubs but maybe I was going out when it wasn’t right. I was having problems with my knees. He read me the riot act, so I asked if he would let me go and have an operation on my knee, which he did. We had some big bust-ups. He really caned me on occasions. That first season with him, I spent the whole time on the bench and the next season I played all the time. I don’t hold grudges, nor did Dave Jones.

Playing for Mick McCarthy was the time I enjoyed the most. I’ll never forget the first time I played for him. I said I wanted someone on the six-yard line at set-pieces to head it away. He said: “If the ball comes on the six-yard line and you don’t come for it, I’m not saying I will beat you up but I’ll hurt you enough to make sure you come for the next one.” He told me there was no way I was having anyone on the six-yard box to head the ball. Mick is very good at getting the best out of people. He’s very fair. What you see is what you get, a very honest guy, and he doesn’t mind you making mistakes as long as you’re honest. I’ve got so much time for him. He has been brilliant for me. 

Q: Who do you feel were the best defence you played behind? (From WolvesAreBoringOnCeefax) 

A: Obviously, I played behind a lot of good defenders but, as a unit, probably the lads in the play-off final. We had the experience of Paul Butler, everyone knows about Joleon (how good is he?), Denis Irwin at right-back and Lee Naylor at left-back. They were a brilliant combination.

Q: Matt, my first game was the 6-0 defeat against Southampton which I’m sure you remember so well! What were your memories of the game and the reaction from the fans? (From North West Wanderer) 

Q: We all remember you for great shot-stopping and commanding the box but are there any goals you conceded that you can only look back on now and laugh at? (From WolvesAreBoringOnCeefax) 

A: Not laugh! I didn’t find any goals against me funny. There are some that have really disappointed me. Against Southampton in the quarter-final of the FA Cup, I should have done better. I thought Beattie was going to kick it….I just took my eye off it and it squirmed under me. That upset me because we were having a great Cup run. There was also a goal against West Brom when we lost 3-0. It was a header by Kamara which I should have done better with. I should have saved it. I hate letting in bad goals, especially in big games. 

In the company of young fan Taila Miller in Ireland.

The game that stands out most – and I suppose you have to laugh in a way – was when we got beat 6-0 by Southampton. We had a standing ovation from the Wolves fans. Everything they hit went in. We missed a penalty and it was one of those days when nothing went right for us. It was a crazy game. The fans were singing “We’re going to win 7-6!” 

Q: Who would you say is the best attacking player you’ve ever faced? And did you come out on top? (From WolvesAreBoringOnCeefax) 

A: Probably Alan Shearer but Andy Cole always seemed to score against me as well. 

Q: What are the three most memorable games you played in? (From JW) 

A: The play-off final, obviously, beating West Brom 1-0 and probably beating Newcastle in the FA Cup. 

Q: How close did you get to breaking into the England set-up? (From Hoganstolemywife)

A: I played for England under-16s and was selected for the under-18s and under- 20s but was injured each time. I won five caps for the under-21s and had the scout for the senior squad, Ray Clemence, coming to watch me. They were keeping an eye on me but I kept getting injured and never got in. David James was in the England team at that time and Scott Carson was in and out. Nobody had actually claimed the position as his own. Paul Robinson was also around. It was just as James was coming to the end of his time as no 1. 

Q: Who are your tips for players in our youth teams that could be the next Keane, Lescott or Murray? (From WolvesAreBoringOnCeefax) 

A: Ishmael looks promising – he’s highly rated and a very talented player. I also like the young goalkeeper coming through, called John Flack. He’s only 15 or 16 but very impressive when I watch him. He’s going to be the next Wayne in my opinion. He’s a very good kicker and understands his position so well for his age. He watches and learns from the senior boys. I rate him. Jack Price is another and Ethan Ebanks-Landell, if he can keep himself fit, is a good athlete. I remember him coming and training with the first team and thought this boy has got something. But he’s just struggling with his knee at the moment.

* Part two of this feature will follow later in April.

By John Richards

Q: You were quite young when you knew Wolves wanted to sign you, so how did you feel? And how does it feel to look back on it now? (From Oldgold Wolfcub)

A: The only thing I knew about Wolverhampton Wanderers was that they played in gold and black. I didn’t know where Wolverhampton was. I’d seen the team a little bit on television and had heard about Derek Dougan and Peter Knowles but that was it. I can’t say I was excited because I was only 17, still an apprentice. You don’t expect that sort of thing to happen and, when the manager at Bradford Park Avenue called me in to say Wolves had put in a bid for me of £5,000, I nearly fell over. It was such a lot of money.

My dad’s wage was about £14 a week. He had just died, so I spoke to my brother Terry, who was at Leeds, and he spoke to Don Revie about it. They told me to take the opportunity. I was convinced by Terry and Don’s advice and the fact that my dad had wanted both of us to play in the top flight. Unfortunately, he never lived to see it but I knew it was his aspiration for us both. I wasn’t excited, I was worried about leaving home, leaving my mother and sister. It was so far away. The furthest I’d been from home was a trip to the Isle of Man when I was about 12. I didn’t really want to leave home but I believe my dad was there pushing me along. 

Q: What was the best goal you ever scored for the Wolves? (From OLDGOLD) 

In she goes.......Hibby draws first blood at Wembley.

A: All goals are best goals but the most important was the one in the 1974 League Cup Final when we beat Manchester City. The best one, I believe, was my last against Newcastle the day I scored all four goals. It was a left-footer into the top corner. I enjoyed that one. 

JR: I remember that one because it whistled past my ear. I’m sure it singed my hair. I was just grateful it didn’t hit me, otherwise I would have been in trouble!

Q: Who was the best manager you worked for? (From OLDGOLD)

A: It’s a very difficult one because they all had different qualities and faults. Bill McGarry hated everybody and wanted everybody to hate him but he did command respect. I respected him for what he did for me in the seven years he was there. Then there was Ian Greaves. He was a player’s manager and I thought he was outstanding. I just wish we could have had a bit more time with him before Dougan sacked him. John Barnwell was also successful. He came in to do a job and brought in some big players such as Andy Gray, Dave Thomas and Emlyn Hughes. Unfortunately, his car accident affected him very badly and he was never quite the same afterwards. He was my type of manager because he liked passing, he liked quality play. I learned a lot from all these managers, particularly qualities such as discipline and respect, which I tried to put into effect when I became a manager. Man-management is what it is all about. 

Q: What was the loudest crowd you ever played in front of? (From SanFranWolf)

A: It has got to be Wembley. When we walked out of that tunnel in 1974 and saw all that gold and black, it was amazing. 

Q: What was your favourite away ground? (From JR)

A: Old Trafford. I made my debut there for Wolves in the reserves. I played in midfield with Frank Munro, who had come from Aberdeen for £55,000 a few months earlier. Old Trafford was always an amazing place to play. 

Q: The FA Cup semi-final at Hillsborough in 1981 – was it a dive? (From Saltyjim)

A: I get asked this question asked all the time, especially by Spurs supporters! I fell over Glenn Hoddle’s back foot. It was never a penalty. It should have been a corner. If you remember, you came and said to me: “It’s a penalty, you’re going to take it.” And I said: “You can go and get stuffed,” or words to that effect. But then Willie Carr said: “I’ll take it.” I think we were both relieved. 

Q: Did you ever feel that a move from Molineux might have brought you England recognition? Was there ever any interest from bigger clubs? (From Saltyjim)

Sammy Chung congratulates Kenny Hibbitt and Steve Daley. John Bond had to choose between the two.

A: In the early seventies, Bill McGarry once called me into his office and said a club had offered £100,000 for me and asked if I’d be interested. I asked him who it was but he wouldn’t tell me, so how can you be interested if he won’t tell you? That was on a Friday morning before we went off to Ipswich. I think the club might have been Birmingham City because Freddie Goodwin and his chairman were up in the stand. But I had a nightmare of a game! Leeds, when Allan Clarke was manager, also came in for me. And Manchester City, when it was me or Steve Daley – and they plumped for Steve because he was younger. 

Q: You played with some great forwards over the years … Doog, JR , Curran, Gould, Gray etc and also scored more than your fair share. Which forward did you have the best playing relationship with? (From Vietnam Wolf)

A: You and I played together for a long time, 12 or 13 years, plus we used to go out together socially. We knew each other off the field as well as on it. I also had a good relationship with Willie Carr. We played alongside each other for seven years and got on well off the field as well. The three players I would pick would be you, Willie and Andy Gray. Then, from a team members’ point of view, there were Derek Parkin, John McAlle and Geoff Palmer – great people to have in the side.

Q: What do you consider was the best year of your Wolves career in terms of [1] personal achievement and [2] the best side we had ? (From Vietnam Wolf)

A: From my point of view, I felt every year I played for Wolves was my best year. Each year is different, though. Sometimes a new manager comes in and you wonder if you are going to be part of his plans. Fortunately, I was always picked by each manager. Personally, I had a good year when we were in the Second Division, especially from a goal tally point of view. The best side, in my opinion, was the one in the early seventies. We reached the UEFA Cup final by beating some of the best teams in Europe. Don’t forget, we were only young – I was 21. We had a very successful time from then, building up to winning the League Cup in 1974, so that period was pretty special to me. 

Q: Of all the games you played, which ones stand out in your memory and why? (From Singwolf 1) 

A red-letter day......

A: The Newcastle game in1974, playing against my brother, and scoring all four goals when we won 4-2. Terry came up to me after the game and called me a “little b*****”, but he added: “If we were going to get beat, I’m glad you scored all four.” I’m disappointed that there is no TV film of the game. In those days, only a few games were covered. There are photos of some of the goals and I can remember all four very clearly. It’s a long time ago but I just wish they were on video.

Q: You scored 17 goals one season (1974-75) and tied with Frannie Lee as the League’s top scorer but you still couldn’t break into the England team. How you never got an England cap is beyond me! What do you think stopped you from getting a cap? (From Singwolf 1)

A: Actually, it was 18, but the League never gave me one goal. I scored straight from a corner and they put it down as an own goal. It was a left-wing corner that curled in the far side of the goal. On the England question, there were a lot of top-class players around. Some people say it’s because we played for a Midlands team but I don’t believe that was the case. I always believe if you’re good enough, you’ll get in. At the end of the day, I don’t think I was quite good enough to get picked. There was a lot of competition because many of the players from the 1966 World Cup team were still around, then you had the likes of Tony Currie and Glenn Hoddle. Alan Hudson was another who only got a handful of caps. Perhaps if I’d had a bit more pace, I might just have made it. I was disappointed but it didn’t bother me. You can’t dwell on those things. We were very lucky to have the careers we did.

Q: Do you have many memories of the UEFA Cup final? I can remember the disappointment in the second leg after playing so well and only getting a draw. (From Vietnam Wolf)

A: Not a lot of good memories, especially the first leg which we lost. And it was obviously to another English team, who were a bit of a bogey team in those early days. It was our first and only defeat in the competition. It meant we were facing an uphill battle going to White Hart Lane. We got a draw there but it wasn’t enough. The 1972 final doesn’t get much of a mention nowadays – there is very little recognition whereas everything gets highlighted now because of the television coverage – but it was quite an achievement to have two English clubs in a European final. I don’t think us or Tottenham got enough credit for what we achieved. 

Q: Sammy Chung always seemed an odd choice as manager yet he was reasonably successful. What are your memories of his tenure at the club ? (From Vietnam Wolf)

A: My memories of him are as a coach, probably as good as anyone in the country at the time. His sessions were enjoyable and interesting but we used to have a real laugh while learning all the techniques at the same time. We did everything – volleying, pinging the ball into people, laying it off, finishing. When Sammy took over as manager, we’d just got relegated and I believe we had a team capable of coming straight back up. We had a lot of very good players. Sammy had to make decisions and pick the team but the team virtually picked itself. He had never been number one before and knew he had a side which could get straight back up, and it did. In the top flight, it was different. I felt that was the difficult time.

Q: In 1982-83, after the Bhattis/Dougan takeover, we had a blistering start which became mediocre in January and then worsened towards the end of the season. History shows this was the turning point and the start of our serious decline. What do you remember about this period? Was there a clear sign to the playing squad in January, 1983, that something was [very] seriously wrong? (From Vietnam Wolf )

Dark days approaching.....Wolves in 1983 and about to go into a nosedive.

Q: Having been on the playing staff during the demise of your hometown club Bradford PA, you must have thought lightning was striking twice when Wolves went out of business in 1982. What was the feeling in the squad at the time? Was there optimism or did you all assume it was the end and you’d all be looking for new jobs ? (From Vietnam Wolf)

Q: How did it feel when the decline hit the club in the early 1980s? (From Saltyjim)

A: I knew something wasn’t quite right, both off and on the pitch. Ian Greaves had actually got me a deal at Seattle Sounders for the summer of 1982, so I was over there when Wolves went into receivership and Dougan and the Bhattis took over. I had calls from the club telling me to come back but I had a contract with Seattle and had to honour it. After I came back, John Bond at Manchester City wanted me. I wasn’t sure what the contractual situation was at Wolves, whether I still had a contract, whether they held my registration or whether I was a free transfer. It was one of those situations where I didn’t know what I was coming back to. Dougan rang and told me to come back straightaway but I couldn’t until after the last game because we’d got through to the Soccer Bowl final. I met up with Derek when I got back and negotiated a two-year contract to take me through to 1984. 

We got promotion in the first year with Graham Hawkins but I knew there were big problems in the club. When I left in 1984, I could have stayed another year.  The way the offer was made convinced me it was the right time to go. I was basically told: ‘There’s the contract offer, you can take it or leave it.’ So I left it and went to Coventry. I know the club had to cut wages and save money but it was the way it was done that upset me. It was disappointing to leave a club where I’d spent virtually all my career and to see it in the state it was in. How it was allowed to get in that state is beyond me and, of course, it got worse. It hurts because only four years before I left, we won the League Cup. Then, within seven years, Wolves were in the Fourth Division. It was crazy.  

Q: Is it correct that you never played League football with your late brother Terry? If so, what was the highest level that you played at together? (From Fleet Wolf)

A: Terry and I played together just once, when he was 11 and I was eight. It was for the school team and it was a cup final which we won 1-0. Terry scored the goal. I remember it now – the keeper took a goal-kick, it dropped at Terry’s feet, he controlled it and lashed it into the top corner with his left foot. I was playing with a broken collar bone and was strapped up with a figure of eight bandage. I was the baby of the side and the rest of the team kept a look out for me in case anyone tried to tackle me too hard. They all protected me. Terry went on to join Leeds straight from school at 15 and I left at the same age to join Bradford Park Avenue. I left school on the Friday and started on the Monday. 

Q: If you could go back in time and chose again, do you think you would do anything different? Given your handicap, would you like to have been a pro golfer instead ? (From Gixxerwolf)

A: No. Golf played a big part in my relaxation. In the early 1970s, I used to play golf but not particularly well, then Bill McGarry started taking us to courses such as Brocton and Beau Desert. My wife’s father, Len, was captain of Penn Golf Club in 1974, so I joined. I found it was my relaxation. I got away from football and it became my release. It was a lot healthier and cheaper than going into the bookies, as some of the lads did. As I got more interested, I decided I wanted to do it properly, so I worked on trying to get my handicap down. But, no, I wouldn’t swap it for my football. That gave me more opportunities than I could ever have dreamed of.

Q: Kenny, would you have liked your managerial/coaching career to have continued for longer? And was it ever your ambition to hold one of those roles at Wolves? (From Mutchy) 

Wayne Clarke, seen here challenging Frank Munro at Castlecroft, later became a Hibbitt signing at Walsall.

A: If the opportunities had arisen, of course, I would like to have continued in football management and take on a role at Wolves. Actually, I did have an interview at Wolves with the Bhattis about taking over as manager but nothing materialised. I must have been one of the few people to meet them. It was in 1986, just after I left Coventry, so it was just before the club went into receivership again. I had a tough four years at Walsall. I took over from John Barnwell and they had been relegated two years on the trot. The club were nearly bankrupt but I sold a lad, Stuart Rimmer, for £100,000 which, in 1990, was a lot of money. It kept the club afloat, then we moved to the new ground at Bescot. We did very well. We managed to bring in some quality players such as Derek Statham, Wayne Clarke, Kevin McDonald and Martin O’Connor. I also managed to attract Sky coverage of games, which brought in about £60,000 a time. When I left, the club also had assets on the pitch, which is what’s needed for a club in the lower divisions. I left after a fall-out with the chairman just six games into the season and, ironically, the club got promotion. However, to be fair, the new manager Chris Nichol acknowledged that it was the team I’d put together that went up. Actually, leaving Walsall was a great relief. When the chairman told me to go, I got in the car and rang my wife and told her to put the kettle on. I felt as if a large weight had gone from my shoulders.

Q: How did you feel when you returned to Molineux as Bristol Rovers coach in the late 1980s? It was one of the most emotional moments I can recall (From Saltyjim)

A: It was my first time back after being a player there. I was hoping to get a warm reception but, as I walked out on to the ground, everyone stood up and applauded me to the dug-out. Even some of my players said they were overwhelmed by the reception I had. One of them, Ian Holloway, said it brought a lump to his throat. You hope for a nice response but I had never experienced anything like it. Again, the sad thing about it is that it was not televised. It’s in my head and it’s amazing that fans who were there still remember that day. It is a wonderful memory for me.

Q: You’re now a Referee Assessor for the Premier League – what does that involve and how did you get into the role? (From JR)

Q: How much do you think football has changed since your playing days, both for players and match officials? As an assessor now, do you have more sympathy for the referee’s job now than you did as a player? (From Mutchy)

A: It was during the summer about eight years ago that I got a phone call from the League Managers’ Association about this new initiative of delegate work assessing the referees; not to replace the existing technical assessment, but looking more at the management side. They were approaching former players and managers and assessing their interest. My wife, Jane, took the initial call and she was laughing when she told me it was to do with assessing referees, bearing in mind my previous views of referees. As a player, I wasn’t always their best friend. I went to a meeting in London to find out what was involved and liked what they were putting forward. I then went on some workshops to learn exactly what was to be done - and that’s how it started. This is my eighth season. I have to admit that I now look at referees in a different light. They have a lot to deal with and they’re put under a lot of pressure on the pitch by players and cameras, and I’ve learned a lot about how they work. And how difficult and tough a job they’ve got. The role also allows me to meet a lot of old friends. There are many former players and managers still involved with clubs. I only deal with the Premier League and I see a lot of players I used to play against. Some are hobbling around, but some look really good! (I didn’t ask Ken if they were hobbling around as a result of a tackle by him – JR). 

Before a game, I make sure everything is in place for the officials. I listen in at the security briefing, so if anything happens during the game, we know what to do when certain announcements are given and how to get the officials safely off the pitch and out of the ground. It’s done to ensure that we all know what to do in those circumstances. We also need to know where the emergency services are located around the ground, so the officials can call them on if needed. During the game, I make notes on the officials’ performance, particularly any significant incidents, such as the one a few years ago at Wolves when a firework went into the crowd. I make notes if things are missed on the pitch, with regard to poor decisions, how the referee manages the players, how he approaches players for bookings, positional play etc. At the end of the game, I debrief the officials. 

Now, the referees see us as allies but that wasn’t the case when we started and that was understandable. There was some doubt and concern from the officials. But, we’re not there to tell them how to do their job. None of us are referees but we are former managers or players, so we’re football people and here to teach them how to approach players and deal with managers who may be shouting abuse. It is also important to offer advice on positional play. A lot of referees have improved their overall standard by learning where to position themselves. The last thing a player wants to see when looking to make a pass is the referee in his eyeline. We’re teaching them where players like to put the ball, down the side, into the channel, so they can keep out of the way. Unfortunately, we never anticipated how players would behave in the penalty area. Forwards are now putting their legs around defenders to try and get penalties. Then there’s the simulation - more and more of it. So we’re trying to help referees, to show them what to look for. 

The week following a game, I will also speak with the managers or coaches to get their comments on the referee’s performance. The managers do sometimes ask me my opinion on the referee but I make a point of staying independent. If the manager makes a criticism which I know to be incorrect, I will explain and protect the referee’s decision. As you can imagine, I do get one or two strong comments, particularly from managers of the losing team. Sometimes, it would be nice to hear managers criticise their own players in the way that they do the officials. Instead of passing the blame on to the officials, they should say: “My team were awful today, they didn’t play well. I don’t want to hear about the official’s decisions.” It would be quite refreshing and honest to hear that every now and again. 

There is respect from the referees for the assessors and they do listen and take things on board. We’re not there to teach them how to referee but how to manage the players on the pitch. I have a lot of sympathy for the referees, particularly as the game has changed so much and they are under continuous scrutiny. 

No cameras required.....Kenny celebrates a goal against Luton.

A: About three years ago, we had the goal-line technology, Hawkeye, in place at Reading. It was all set up and ready to go but then Blatter and FIFA refused it and said it was not going to happen. Their concern was how far it would go – should it be just for the top level or through every level? And then there’s the cost involved. But I think the main reason is because FIFA weren’t the first to think of it and we were. But now, after the World Cup, seeing goals scored but not given, he has changed his mind. In my opinion, the goal line is the only area in which we need technology; to tell us if it’s a goal or not.

By John Richards

Kenny Hibbitt was one of Wolverhampton Wanderers’ finest ever midfielders and was at Molineux for Wednesday’s memorable win over Chelsea. He will be back at the stadium tonight for a special honour, so we have chosen this time to catch up with him and quiz him at length, with part one of our feature focusing on his big evening.

Kenny Hibbitt (right) with Mel Eves at Molineux in the early 1990s.

Q: Congratulations, Ken, you’re about to be inducted into Wolves’ Hall of Fame. How do you feel about it?

A: Well, I’m absolutely thrilled. It’s something I wasn’t expecting and, when I see the names of the people who have been inducted before me, I feel privileged to be joining what I consider to be a very elite group.

Q: How and when did you hear about it?

A: I received a letter about two months ago from the club, saying that I had been proposed for induction into the Hall of Fame, and asking if I would be able to attend the dinner on January 7. The date was prearranged and, fortunately, I was available.

Q: Are you looking forward to the evening?

A: I’m looking forward to seeing one or two old friends. I don’t know what to expect because it ‘s the first one I have been invited to. I don’t know what the format is. If you remember, I did a pre-taped interview about you last year when you were inducted and, when I was covering a Wolves game recently in my role as a Referee Assessor, I was told that Bob Hall had been doing some similar interviews with one or two of my former playing colleagues. I believe one of them was Andy Gray, so I’ll be interested to find out what he has said about me!

Q: You and Derek Dougan are being inducted at the same time, so that will be five members of the early 1970s team already in the Hall of Fame. What are your best memories of that team?

A: I have fabulous memories, in particular the success of getting to the UEFA Cup Final in 1972. We were only young lads, just 21 in my case, and we were involved in so many competitions. In that era, there were three major domestic competitions and we were there or thereabouts in all of them. We won the League Cup in 1974, we were in semi-finals and we did well in the League. We played a lot of games becaue we were always involved.

They were great times and, from my point of view, there was the fabulous experience of seeing other countries, places I had never dreamed of visiting. Going on a plane and playing in all sorts of conditions was totally new to me. We had snow in Carl Zeiss Jena, playing behind the Iron Curtain before Germany was unified. What a wonderful experience for young lads to be able to see all these places. And then we went on tours as far afield as Australia, New Zealand and America. We travelled the world. They were countries I’d only seen on maps. Even for domestic matches, we did a lot of travelling. In the early 1970s, we were virtually living out of suitcases. They were fantastic times.

I also remember Bill McGarry making us stay at the Mount Hotel one Christmas Day. The staff had to open the hotel up to let us in. I took some Christmas cake with me.

Q: Talking about McGarry, he wasn’t particularly liked by the players……what are your thoughts now of him as a manager, particularly given your own subsequent experiences as a manager?

Bill McGarry (left) in the spotlight - but not in Hibbitt's affections. He was, however, highly respected.

A: He was from the Ron Saunders school of managers, a bit of a Sergeant Major. I didn’t like the man but I respected him, and the respect comes from the fact he made me the player I was. He gave me the opportunity to play in the first team and he taught me discipline. That is something I took into management. I like discipline. I believe it is crucial for any team. I had it as a child, I had it as a teenager and, when Bill McGarry came, we had it at Wolves. We had discipline on the field of play and, if you weren’t doing what he was asking, you got a rollicking. When you walked past him, you said ‘good morning.’ You respected him for his position. Unfortunately, I have to say I don’t see too much of that now.

After I’d been at Walsall for four years, McGarry advised me to get out while we were doing well. He was right because in the end I didn’t have much choice! He was a very key part in Wolves’ success in those days and there was the odd time that he showed he was human. I can remember vividly his reaction when we won the League Cup in 1974. You and me had scored the goals but he ran straight past us, with his sheepskin coat flapping, to hug Gary Pierce. I had never seem him so affectionate.

In the seven years I was with him, I think he only ever said ‘well done’ to me once. But we all knew, by the fact he picked us week in week out, that he was looking after us anyway. All any of us wanted to do was play in the first team. By playing you, he was saying that he looked upon you as one of his team.

Q: Final question for now: Do you wish you were still playing?

A: I would love to play now, simply for the money. In the seventies, the basic salary wasn’t great and we had to get in the first team to earn appearance money and bonuses. The money now is way beyond anybody’s dreams. A player of our era would never have thought that, by 2010, somebody would be earning a quarter of a million pounds a week playing football. In another sense, I wouldn’t like to play now. From speaking to one or two of the Premier League managers, the players can’t go out, can’t go to restaurants for example, without being pestered or photographed. They’ve lost that ability to have what we would call ‘a normal life.’ We were able to mix with the public, without being overrun by them. Now, that’s just not possible, so they are paying the consequences, I suppose, for their high wages. So, to answer your question – yes for the money, but no as far as the fun of the game is concerned.

JR: Thanks, Ken, my congratulations once again and have a great evening.

* The questions kindly submitted to us by supporters will be put to Kenny in part two of this interview.

By John Richards

Andy Thompson is one of Wolves’ most popular players of recent decades. He joined the club at the same time as his good friend, Steve Bull, and together they saw Wolves through a traumatic but eventually successful period. I started off by asking Andy about his current employment, as a teacher, and enquired why he decided to move into that profession.

Andy Thompson - a much-loved bundle of energy at Molineux for 11 years.

Q: Was becoming a teacher after finishing football something you always had in mind?

A: I went back to college mainly for me. I left school with no qualifications apart from my PE, so, just to prove it to myself, I went and did English and Maths GCSE. I enjoyed it more than I thought, especially being out of education for 20 odd years. Surprisingly, I found it a lot easier and more enjoyable than I expected. Probably, it was because I was older and more experienced and you realise you do need something to do after football has finished. I was doing the GCSEs while still playing, then I went to do an evening access course at Cannock College for mature students, which was the equivalent of 2 A levels – in subjects such as history, psychology, science and computers. Again, I enjoyed it.

I passed all those qualifications and thought I might as well put them to good use. Someone suggested I do a degree in sport or something like that. I thought it was a good idea, so I enrolled at Wolverhampton University and started doing sports studies. However, after talking to the tutors and some colleagues, they said ‘Why don’t you go into teaching?’ So, I moved from one course to another, and took an education degree, with teacher training straight after it. I actually did a Graduate Teacher Programme, which included being based at a school in Coseley for a year, having hands-on experience of working with children. It was totally different, the kids were quite demanding and I thought it was a good place to test myself to see whether I could continue to do teaching. I really enjoyed it. Now I’m in a full-time position at a large school in Derby, with 1,700 pupils. It’s a senior school taking youngsters from 12 to 18. I have some involvement with the sixth form but am mainly involved with years 7 to 11. At the moment, I am Acting Head of GCSE for the year. This is my third year at the school and I have to say I haven’t been disappointed with any of it.

Q: It takes a lot of courage and determination to go back into education, especially as a former professional footballer. Did you get any comments?

A: Yes, people used to ask me why I was doing it. I had to explain that I was doing it for myself. I just wanted to prove I could do it. Also, my oldest son is currently taking a degree at Wolverhampton University. At school, he got 14 GCSEs and 2 A levels, and I wanted to set him an example. People were sceptical, saying: ‘You do realise you’ve got to put in a lot of time and effort.’ ‘Yes,’ I said, ‘I know that!’

Q: What did you REALLY think when you first saw Wolves and Molineux in 1986, given the state of the place and the team in those days? (From OWEI). What were your initial thoughts on the state of the club on signing in 1986? (From Trevor Worth) 

Bully and Thommo in action amid the early 1990s splendour of Molineux. But it wasn't always like that.....Photo courtesy of Mutchy.

A: West Brom had just been relegated from the old First Division, the Premier League as it is now, and I’d played 15 or 16 games for them. Ron Saunders was the manager and, at the start of the season, I was a regular in the first team. But I had a message after training to go and talk to the manager down at the Albion ground. Saunders was walking down the corridor, and he said: “We’ve spoken with Wolves and we’ve agreed terms, go and speak to them,” and walked off! As a 19-year-old kid, I’m thinking: ‘What’s going on here?’ I was gutted at the time, because I’d been at the club since I was 13.

When I went to Molineux, it had a nice buzz about the place even though the conditions were terrible. Basically, they were having to start from scratch. However, I’m from Wolverhampton, I’m a Wolves fan and, despite the state of the ground, I thought it was worth a go. I thought: ’If I’m going to make it, I’m going to make it.’ I was only 19 and, at that age, you don’t look too long-term. All you are looking at are the immediate aims and I wanted to play for my home team.

Q: Did it help joining at the same time as Bully and Robbie Dennison?

A: Robbie actually came a few months later. Bully and me joined in the November and Robbie followed in March. When I was told by Ron Saunders to go to Molineux to talk terms, I was asked to hang on because someone else was coming with me, and Bully came through the door. I suppose it helped joining at the same time as him. I think we’d talked ourselves into signing for the club even before we got to the ground. It was the way Ron Saunders had treated us. Graham Turner was Wolves’ manager, and the club paid £100,000 for the both of us. Sometime later, last year actually, I found out why Albion had got rid of us so suddenly. I met their former coach, Norman Bodell, and he told me the club were desperate for cash. Albion had some big names who were on big money and Wolves, because of the position they were in, were willing to pay cash up front. I didn’t understand why they sold us originally but now I do.

Q: You played in many different positions during your career at Wolves, including a few games up front if I remember correctly. Where did you prefer to play? (Saltyjim). Q: Given that you were originally signed as a midfielder, how did you feel being moved around positionally before settling at full-back? (From KevinAshleyreallywasawful)

A: Originally, I went to Albion as a centre-forward, then ended up playing in midfield. I did play as wing-back a couple of times, so I had some experience in the role before moving to Wolves. I didn’t mind what position I was in, as long as I was playing. At Wolves, I started off playing in centre midfield or wide midfield. I occasionally played at full-back to fill in because the manager knew I’d played there before. Basically, it got to the stage that I just stayed there. The Sherpa Van Trophy final was in 1988 and I was a permanent full-back by then.

Q: You had a remarkable appearance record and rarely seemed to be injured. Were you naturally fit, just lucky or did you often play on through discomfort? (From David Instone)

A: I was always naturally fit. At school, I took part in all sports. I ran for the county at 1,500m and cross country, and played rugby and football for the school. Fortunately, during my playing career, I didn’t have any serious injuries. All I had were two hernias – one at Wolves and the other at Cardiff. At Tranmere, I had a small spur on my knee shaved off but I’ve not had any serious knee problems such as cartilage or ligaments.

Graham Turner....responsible for the crucial double signing in 1986.

Q: You mentioned Ron Saunders and Graham Turner. Who were your other managers?

A: At Wolves, Graham Taylor came after Graham Turner. He did a great job at the club and was responsible for developing the Youth Academy. I thought he was a brilliant manager, similar to Graham Turner - very professional and very organised. You knew exactly what he wanted you to do. He explained it to you. There was no reason to say I don’t know what I’m expected to do. Then there was Mark McGhee and, unfortunately, we had a bit of a fall-out and I left the club. I went to Tranmere in 1997 with John Aldridge as manager. I’d been at Wolves for 11 years and was gutted to leave, especially under the circumstances. However, I had three great years at Tranmere, who were a good club and reached the Worthington Cup Final, where we unfortunately lost to Leicester 2-1. David Kelly and Paul Cook were there with me. They had a decent set-up, a good squad with a mix of youth and experience.

I left in 2000 and joined Cardiff for a year and a half. Bobby Gould was the manager. That was where I had the second hernia problem. It was a lot worse than the one I had at Wolves, where I was out for five weeks. The one at Cardiff put me out for three months. In my comeback game, in a Welsh Cup match, I was tackled from behind and did the ligaments in my ankle. I was in plaster for three weeks but I finished the season in the team. We finished second in the old Third Division and won promotion. However, Bobby Gould left and  Alan Cork came in. He phoned me and said I wasn’t part of his plans, without me even playing for him. I had another year on my contract but they wouldn’t pay me off, so I went in every day for training without being included with the first team. This went on for about six months. He wouldn’t put me out on loan. Then Lennie Lawrence came in and things changed. He said the club needed to offload, which was fair enough, and let me go out to Shrewsbury for the rest of the season. I then signed for Shrewsbury for the following year before I finally packed it in.

Q: What would you say was the best back four you played in during your time with Wolves? (From Vietnam Wolf)

A: Floyd Street would definitely be among them.  I also played with Steve Froggatt when he was left-back and I was right-back. He’s another. For what he did for the club, at the time of his career, I’m also going to say Ally Robertson.  I know he was coming to the end of his career but the way he went about playing, with his experience, he was a natural leader. In the earlier part of my time at Wolves, he was a big part of our success. Floyd was a strong, quick lad while Ally read the game well and was a great organiser. It was a perfect combination. 

Q: What was the pressure like when taking a penalty against the Baggies? I’m thinking of the time around 1995-96 when you scored in a 2-0 win over them at Molineux. (From Bungle Bonce)

A: Of course, there was pressure. I think it was 0-0 at the time. David Kelly scored the other and I think he won the penalty as well. The match was at Molineux and I took the penalty in front of the Albion fans. There was certainly a bit of pressure and I was relieved when it went in.

Happy memories from 1988.

Q: What was the high point of your career at Wolves? How did winning the Sherpa Van Trophy feel, seeing so many Wolves supporters celebrating at Wembley (From LHB)

A: The Sherpa Van was brilliant; a Fourth Division team playing at Wembley in front of 85,000 people.  I couldn’t believe how many Wolves fans actually went there, considering all the problems we’d had. There had to be over 50,000 fans following the club. It shows you how big the club actually are and what its potential is. It really hits you when you come out of the tunnel, you hear the fans singing and then there’s this sea of gold and black.  And, of course, it was even better to win. I’ve been there and lost, so I know how it feels. It was brilliant, the whole thing, coming out of Wembley after the game and seeing the response of the fans. It was a great day.

Q: What did you and Bully say to each other when you watched that FA Cup tie which Chorley won?  (From glasgowwolf)

A: Bully and I had just signed and weren’t allowed to play under the FA Cup rules. We went up to the game and looked at each other afterwards and said: ‘What have we done?’

Q: You saw Wolves at one of their lowest points and were part of a wonderful revival. Did you think that the promotions back up the leagues would take you to the top flight with Wolves? What do you think was needed for us to have taken that final step and gain another promotion at that time? (From Mutchy)

A: We had a good run in my early years with Wolves, although we lost the first three games I played in. Then we weren’t beaten until losing at Southend away. That game was to virtually decide who went up automatically, us or Southend, and then we lost to Aldershot in the play-offs. The following year, we stormed the league, and the following year did exactly the same. The only down to that second year was when we lost to Torquay in the semis of the Sherpa Van. We won 2-1 away, then lost at home 2-0. We thought we were there again. All my pals had their coaches booked for the final and Torquay were in the bottom three or four in the league anyway and we were something like six points clear at the top.

Our best chance of promotion was probably in 1994/95, when we were challenging to get into the First Division in the last ten or so games. I feel we probably needed to strengthen the team, a couple of players just to push us on. We lost in the play-offs a couple of times but didn’t have things going for us. In 1995, we battered Bolton at our place in the first leg of the play-offs, but only finished 2-1 ahead. The result didn’t reflect our dominance of the game. They had one shot, from Jason McAteer, which flew into our net. It was just one of those days and you’re thinking: ‘We’re not going to win this.’ Then, at Burnden Park, McGinley elbowed David Kelly, and he should have been sent off. Everybody in the stadium had seen it, apart from the referee, then he goes and scores a second goals. Sometimes, you just need that little bit of luck, but it didn’t go for us at that time.

The good times are still rolling!

Q: Over recent seasons, we’ve seen you as part of Wolves’ Masters team. How much competition is there for places in the squad and how seriously do the players take it? (From Mutchy)

A: Put it this way, it’s getting more and more serious each year. Also, the players you are up against are getting younger. I’ve been involved now for seven years and there are players coming to the end of their normal playing careers who want to be involved, and want to win it. You can tell by their attitude towards the tournament. From our point of view, we’ve had a good run. The last couple of years, we’ve done all right but should have done better. Recently, there have been changes which I don’t feel are right. They gave Villa and Birmingham byes to the finals because they were being held at the LG Arena in Birmingham. We ended up playing in the Central League against teams such as Forest, Derby and West Brom, and lost to Forest in the final. The important part to the Masters is knowing how to play that type of game, and having a regular team has helped. There’s pride at stake, and all the players still have that competitive edge. That’s what being a professional footballer is all about. You want to be a winner, no matter how old you are. And everybody is the same in the Masters. There’s a handshake before you start but, as soon as the game starts, it’s very serious. 

By John Richards

Conducting the second part of my interview with Mike was more difficult than I imagined. Considering he is supposed to be retired, he is out and about more than many of my friends who work full-time. Mind you, he does enjoy his golf and, when I eventually tracked him down, he admitted he spends a lot of his time out on the course. And who can blame him? So, it was 8.30 one morning when I pinned him down – and he exercised his skipper’s preroragative to tell me to get a move on as he was teeing off at 10am! 

A reassuring Molineux sight for a decade......

Q: Mike, a lot has been said about the gulf in standards between today’s Premier League and the First Division in your day, ie that the football is faster and the players more skilful and fit. On the other hand, you played with heavier balls and boots, and the pitches were terrible. Do you subscribe to this view? Would Wolves circa 1971-74 hold their own in the Premier League now? (From Singwolf_1) 

A: Our team of the 70s would definitely hold their own given today’s training standards and the modern-day pitches. John, you know better than anybody, they’re like billiard tables, absolutely beautiful. The players nowadays don’t even have to look at a ball coming to their feet and can play a lot of one-touch football. We had to keep our eye on it in case it bobbled. Even their training grounds are superb. In a lot of cases, they are exactly the same construction as the main stadium pitch – same size, same surface. We used to train at all sorts of venues with different surfaces – at the racecourse, at Castlecroft, all over the place. Sometimes, the day before games, we’d even train on the redgra surface at Castlecroft and we would also train and play on frozen pitches. They now have fantastic indoor arenas. It has all moved on, for the better I have to say. I watched the Brian Clough film on the TV. What was that Derby County pitch like! It was unplayable. If you had a ball at your feet and pushed it forward, you ran past it. It was difficult to pick your feet up. Pass-backs to the keeper were a nightmare – you just daren’t risk them. 

Q: What is the best ever performance by the team in your time? (I loved the 3-1 win at United, because we were so absolutely and completely the best side.) (From BostonWolf)

A: I’ve got two. One is obviously the 1974 League Cup final. I thought we played really well on the day. But I felt our best ever performance was against the Portuguese side, Porto, in the UEFA cup. If you remember, we lost 4-1 away when John McAlle scored a fantastic 40-yard own goal. Porto were a top team and played really well against us. I scored our goal. But, when we got them back to Molineux around the November time, the pitch was a bit greasy and I thought we played our best ever football. We were 3-0 up at half-time and paralysed them again in the second half but couldn’t get that fourth goal. They scored in the last minute when they hit a low corner which squeezed in at our near post. If we had kept it at 3-0, we would have gone through on the away goals rule. I thought the passing and movement that night was fabulous, we just cut them to ribbons. 

Q: Curran or Gould? Which one was better in your view? (From BostonWolf) 

A: They were different types of player. For a start, Bobby was right-footed and Hughie left-footed. Bobby was an all-action player, always a nuisance, chasing people. He worked extremely hard and could score goals. Hughie was better in the air, a fantastic header of the ball. He was a hard player who took a lot of knocks, a great front man. Both were good top-flight players.  

Q: Any idea why Derek Jefferson was never the player at Wolves that he had been at Ipswich? (From BostonWolf and jayeff17)

Derek Jefferson - struggled at Molineux to live up to his Ipswich billing.

A: Derek had been at Ipswich with McGarry and done well but I think he was slightly out of his depth with the type of players we had. Ipswich had some good players but they didn’t have the level of quality we had. Derek was happy at that level but found it difficult against higher-level players. He was an out-and-out defender who could destroy rather than being someone who could use the ball when he had it at his feet.

Q: Tell me about Ernie Hunt. You were good pals with him (From JR). How successful was the restaurant you opened with Ernie Hunt? (From Charlie Bamforth)

A: Ernie was a great pal. Not only was he a great character in the dressing room but he could play. I met him through the England under-23s who paired us as room-mates, and I got to know him very well. We had a great understanding on the pitch. I could always find him with the ball. I knew just where he’d be. And likewise, he knew where I was, and we knew what each other was going to do. At free-kicks, he just kept an eye open, gave a little move and he knew what was going to come. We did have a little restaurant business together, the Savoury Duck in Birmingham. We had the same accountant who suggested we buy this. It wasn’t our best decision. We kept it for a couple of years, then Ernie was transferred to Everton and we got rid of it. 

Q: Wolves now have wingers Kightly and Jarvis – how do they compare with Dave Wagstaffe and Terry Wharton? (From Astraltrader)

A: In my opinion, Waggy and Wharty were more in the class of Hancock and Mullen. They were at that sort of level, compared to the lads of today. Both of them played at the top level for many years. Wharty was a quality player, who scored a lot of goals. I would describe him as a very good wide player. But Waggy was in a different class. He would have gone on to the top level and been an international if it hadn’t been for his nerves. As you know, he smoked to calm him. Defenders hated him. He was that good and could have been even better but didn’t have the confidence in himself. 

Q: If you could take two of your Wolves team-mates into the 2010-11 Premiership, who would they be – and where do you think the team would finish in the league? (From OLDGOLD)

A: I’d take you (JR) and Frank Munro. 

Q: Particular reasons? (From JR) 

The versatile and awesome Frank Munro.

A: You were a prolific goalscorer and Frank could play anywhere. He was quality, a pure footballer. He had great feet, he read the game very well and he was always in position. He was a natural footballer. He could have played up front, on the wing, in midfield, anywhere. I’m not sure though that the two of you would make that much difference to today’s team. They would need a lot more players to make an impact when you consider the size of the top teams’ squads. We got by with about 14 or 15 first-team players. Nowadays, you are looking at squads of 20-plus first-team players. 

Q: Mike, you are seen as one of the best captains ever to lead Wolves. What do you think makes a good captain and what specific qualities do you feel you brought to the role? What extra responsibilities towards your team-mates did you have as captain, both on and off the field? (From Mutchy)

A: First and foremost, the captain has to lead. I was a talker. You need to communicate with players and I strongly believe the captain should be a midfielder. You have to be able to get everywhere. I know the Spain captain was the goalkeeper but how is he going to speak to the centre-forward if he wants him to do something differently? It’s ok when things are going well but you need to pick things out when they are going wrong. I remember in the League Cup final, in the second half when we were under pressure just after we had conceded the goal, we were hitting too many long balls to you and Doog and they kept coming back at us, whereas in the first half we were knocking it about and building up. In the end, I had to go and take the ball myself and start keeping it. It’s things like that a midfielder can get into and sort out. You’re near enough to be able to speak to everyone all over the pitch.

Q: You had a very long throw in….did you practise it and was it a pre-planned tactic against certain opposition because you did not overuse it? (From FMM)

A: It wasn’t a long throw-in compared with some of those nowadays. The ball was different but we had the ability and freedom to improvise at throw-ins and free-kicks. We had some set plays but were able to do what we felt was right at the time. I remember when we played Leicester, we had a throw-in and Kenny Hibbitt had the ball. I jogged towards him as if to take the throw-in but their full-back turned away, so I went past him down the line. Kenny threw the ball to me and I knocked into the near post, where you scored. We had that freedom to play it as we saw it. We had plans but we could do something different when it was on. 

Q: Did you break your foot before hitting a scorching 25-yarder that put paid to Manchester United in the Cup or was it after you scored? I can’t remember after all this time. (From Wolvesman)

A: I can’t recall the goal but I can remember the injury. Bobby Charlton stood on my foot when I went into a tackle with him. We’d already scored. The injury was in the first half and the lads had to play on without me. I was in hospital when I heard that we had won 1-0. 

Q: I guess Wisbech, where you were born, is a bit of a football backwater. Did you support a team when growing up there? (From Charlie Bamforth)

A: It was during the war. My dad was in the Army – I think he was in India. So, my mum was evacuated from Great Yarmouth to Wisbech. It’s funny how things work out. I couldn’t understand the sense of it because they were evacuating the London people to Norfolk. That’s how I came to be born in Wisbech. It was two years before the end of the war. Afterwards, we moved back to Great Yarmouth. My dad’s favourite team were Tottenham, so I used to support them. But, locally, Norwich have always been my team. They were the first professional team I saw, Norwich at Carrow Road. 

The scourge of Manchester United.

Q: Didn’t you ‘room’ with the coach driver? And was McGarry’s disappearing suitcase really an accident? (From Adrian Monk)

A: I never shared rooms with the coach driver, Sid Kipping. He was a fantastic character and great with the lads. Ernie used to put his hands over Sid’s eyes while he was driving. When I think back, it was so dangerous. Fortunately, there weren’t as many vehicles on the road in those days. About Bill McGarry’s suitcase…..Sid actually reversed the coach over it! We were at the hotel in Droitwich Spa when somebody got the cases out of the back and McGarry’s was left behind the coach. Sid ran over it and, as you can imagine, Bill wasn’t too pleased. We had some good times!

* Wolves Heroes extend their usual thanks to Molineux Mix for their assistance in making this lengthy feature possible. 

By John Richards

This latest Q & A has been particularly enjoyable for me because it involves my former captain and team-mate, Mike Bailey. Mike was the man who led us to the final of the UEFA Cup in 1972 and then succeeded in lifting the League Cup two years later. He was a natural leader and an inspirational player. He was without doubt the best captain I played under and I firmly believe Wolves have not had a captain of his calibre since he left in 1976. As you’d imagine, we were inundated with questions for him, so much so that we are going to publish this interview in two parts. And, in one or two cases where questions are very similar, we have linked them together.

An England cap to go with Mike Bailey's Charlton colours, rather than those he would wear for so long at Wolves.

Q: Mike, you were awarded a full England cap early in your career at Charlton….why do you think this was not built on during your career at Wolves? And how disappointed are you that it was not? (From Jim Heath). Why did you never get more than the two England caps you gained at Charlton? You had an outstanding career (From Goldeneyed)

A: My involvement with the full England team came after an under-23 tour in 1965 when I was with Charlton. I had been home for a week, then I got a call from the FA saying I had been selected to go on a senior tour to Brazil. Alf Ramsey was the manager. We flew to America for a warm-up game, I played and we won 10-0. Then we went to Brazil, where we played Brazil, Argentina and Portugal in a mini tournament. I didn’t play in Brazil but, in the November after we got back, I was picked to play against Wales. I was then in the squad for the next international against Holland but broke my leg. It was during the lead-up to the 1966 World Cup, so, sadly, I was not involved in that. That was a big blow, being out of the reckoning for the World Cup. I got back in the squad once the leg was mended but the manager was not going to change his World Cup winning team and they went all round the world playing exhibition matches.

Q: Do you think your England career was in any way held back by playing at Molineux, rather than a high profile outfit in London or in the North West? Lord knows, you were plenty good enough! (From John Lalley)

A: There was a suggestion that the move to Wolves was detrimental to my England career but I never felt that was the case.

Q: Can I ask you about Mexico 1970 and whether you had any contact from Alf Ramsey about being included? I remember Geoffrey Green of The Times saying at the time that you should have gone (From Wagstaffe was Magic)

A: I was included in a few of the squads after 1966 but Alf Ramsey, understandably, stayed loyal to his World Cup winning squad. By the time 1970 came around, I wasn’t in the squad and didn’t have any contact. After all this time, I can’t remember the Geoffrey Green article but it was nice of him to write that!

Q: Do you feel Wolves could have sustained a title challenge between 1971 and 1973 if a bit of team strengthening had occurred. Did we come up slightly short? And why, after the high of Wembley ’74, did the club, instead of building on the triumph, allow it all to fizzle into relegation within two years? (From John Lalley). Who do you think would have made us the complete side that would have topped the league? (From Oldgold Wolfcub). The relegation season in ’76…..what do you think went wrong? (From IrchyWolf)

'We were title challengers.'

A: I felt we were challenging for the title during that time. I think we probably didn’t believe in ourselves as much as we should have done. We’d got the players. After promotion in 1967, we spent a couple of years developing the team and I felt we should have marched on from there. We might have got a bit more help from Bill McGarry through adding more experience to the squad. I was quite happy with the players we had. We were strong in all positions. Perhaps we needed more quality in the back-ups, ie in the reserves. It’s not like today, where clubs have a squad of top-quality players. When we lost one of our first-team players for a length of time, it did make a difference. If you look at the teams now, the back-up quality is as good as those on the pitch. We really relied on 15 or 16 players to get us through a season. I also felt this was a factor in our relegation two years after the League Cup victory. We had players getting older and key players getting injured but the replacements of the necessary quality weren’t there.

(JR): This is also my view of the relegation we suffered in 1982, two years after the second League Cup final win. There were a number of players, myself included, who were in the 30-plus age bracket but replacements weren’t being lined up.

Q: Given that your era included a lot of flair players and hard men, it would be interesting to know which players you most feared playing against (From Nimrod)

A: Liam Brady of Arsenal was a quality player and, of course, Georgie Best. With George, you didn’t mark him, that wasn’t possible. It was a case of the nearest person to him marking him. That’s how it worked. They were both great players with brilliant football brains.

Q: I think the best goal I ever saw you score was for Charlton against Wolves just before your transfer to us. What are your memories of this and your subsequent move to the Midlands? (From Red Socks)

A: That’s a long time ago now. I can’t remember the goal, sorry, but I think the score was 1-1. My move to Wolves happened very quickly. I was training one day when the manager Bob Stokoe said Ronnie Allen had been on the phone and he would like a chat. He asked if I’d be interested in having a meeting. I said yes, so I went up to meet Ronnie and signed on the day. I was so impressed with the club obviously. I’d played against Wolves and they had players like Ernie Hunt, who I knew as I’d shared a room with him on the England under-23 tour, and Dave Wagstaffe. You could see Ronnie was putting together a very good team.

Another shot from the Cambridgeshire boy's days at The Valley.

Q: It was a very quick decision. You were married at the time – did you discuss the move with Barbara? (From JR)

A: I was negotiating the move with the Wolves chairman, John Ireland……you know what he was like. He wanted to get the deal done straightaway. I asked if I could think about it but he said: “We haven’t got time for that.” I was a bit naive, so I just asked if I could call my wife. I told her I was going to sign and we were moving to Wolverhampton. Fortunately, she was working for the Bank of England and they had a branch in Birmingham, so that fitted in and she transferred to that branch. I signed and went back to Charlton. Bob Stokoe asked me how I had got on and was a bit surprised. “Signed?” he said, “there are a couple of other clubs who were in for you!” However, it worked out well. I was very pleased to come to Molineux.

Q: How did it feel to lift the League Cup, especially given we were such underdogs? And were you worried about Gary Pierce being in goal? (From Waggy’s Boots)

A: No way at all was I worried about Gary Pierce being in goal. I was very disappointed for Phil Parkes because he had played in all the previous rounds. To be fair, I didn’t expect Gary to play the way that he did. It was a fantastic one-off performance. McGarry had prepared us well for the final. We spent the week at Worthing. I felt we were just superb on the day and we settled down quicker. Because of the big occasion, I did wonder if we would be a bit nervy but that wasn’t the case. We just got at them from the outset.

Q: What was Bill McGarry like to play for? (From Waggy’s Boots)

A: We didn’t have a particularly good relationship. I just did as I was asked on the pitch – whatever the plan was. My job was to make sure McGarry’s orders were followed in games. There was a difference between McGarry and Ronnie Allen. Some people felt things were getting too lax under Ronnie and players were deciding things whereas McGarry came in with a strong disciplinarian style, both on and off the pitch.

Q: How did you like management when your career branched out in that way? (From Waggy’s Boots)

A: I enjoyed management when we won. I enjoyed the every-day stuff and I enjoyed transforming teams, getting them to play how I wanted them to and getting success out of it. Barbara says I would never have lasted as a manager because I was too worked up on match-days - a nervous wreck she described me as. We had a good side at Brighton and did really well. They got to the (1983) FA Cup final the year I was sacked. The difficulty I had was with the chairman. He was not satisfied with anything. I made Brighton a difficult team to beat. I knew the standard of the players we had and knew how to win matches. We used to work on clean sheets. With the previous manager, they hadn’t won away from home but we went to Anfield and won. But the chairman kept saying: “Why can’t we score a few more goals?” He didn’t understand it.

Q: Mike, we believe you did some scouting for Dave Jones. It would be interesting to know who you watched and if you felt any players were missed by not following up on your recommendations? Did anyone sign for Wolves because of your advice? (From Shergar)

A: That really wasn’t my role. I was mainly doing assessment on games and teams. It was match analysis rather than scouting for players.

Q: When Leeds beat us in the FA Cup semi-final at Maine Road in 1973, were you really fit or still struggling? I know Bill McGarry desperately wanted you to play and you must have desperately wanted to be involved but was it touch and go? (From BitterBob)

A: I felt I could have played from the start but McGarry was worried about Frank Munro, who was also carrying an injury. I came on part-way through the second half and, although we put Leeds under a lot of pressure, we couldn’t get the equaliser I felt we deserved. It was a very disappointing day.

Kenny Hibbitt - challenging here with Spurs' Martin Peters and regarded by Mike Bailey as a high-quality midfielder.

Q: Who was the best midfielder that you ever played with? (From Japan Wulf)

A: It has to be Kenny Hibbitt. He was a bit special. Some people have suggested Danny Hegan and he did have plenty of ability but he was inconsistent.

Q: How good was Peter Knowles and how far could he have gone? (From FMM). As captain, did you feel you could or should have tried to get Peter Knowles to change his mind about quitting the game? (From Dewsburywolf)

A: He could have been in the England 1970 World Cup squad. He was as good as that. He had unbelievable ability – super feet, a very good football brain and an ability to entertain. He could do tricks and would sit on the ball, which wasn’t to everyone’s liking. To be honest, yes, I did believe he would change his mind about quitting football. I thought he would come back. I think we all did. Give him a year or so and he would be back – that’s how we saw it. But he stuck to his belief and principles, and I admire him greatly for it. There had been rumours about him leaving and I remember sitting by him on a coach trip to a game and saying: “Don’t talk to me about religion.” He had been talking to other players about them joining his faith. But that was it and I never saw him again until last year when he attended Bobby Thomson’s funeral.

Part Two of this q & a will follow in the next couple of weeks

Mike Bailey fulfilling the dynamic role Wolves fans fondly recall him in.

Mike Bailey is to be John Richards’ next subject in our Q & A feature.

The inspirational long-time Molineux captain has agreed to step in and field questions from readers and JR himself.

The feature is due to be posted in the second half of June and we have been bowled over by the number of questions our readers have submitted.

“I’m on record as saying that I regard Mike as the best skipper I knew and the best Wolves have had since Billy Wright,” Richards said.

“He really was a leader you responded to and wanted to play for. If you let your standards slip, he wasn’t slow to let you know.

“I have very fond memories of playing alongside him. We had many years together in the same Wolves side, so I’m looking forward to talking to him at length about that era.

“But the idea of this feature is that we put readers’ questions to the chosen person. With that in mind, we want to hear from as many fans as possible.

“There’s certainly plenty of material for us all to go at.”

Bailey had twice been capped by England when he was signed by Ronnie Allen for £40,000 from Charlton in March, 1966.

The Legends section of this website shows him to be standing 13th in the list of all-time record Wolves appearance makers with his 436 games for them in League and cups.

That famous barrel-chested appearance......

The highlight of his 11-year stay was lifting the League Cup at Wembley in 1974, although he was also named as Midlands Footballer of the Year in 1967 after skippering the club to promotion back to the top flight.

What is less known is that the 68-year-old served Wolves as a scout in much more recent times.

Questions on all these matters – and many more – will be welcome, so please send them by June 8 to JR@wolvesheroes.com or info@wolvesheroes.com or follow the usual procedure set by our friends at www.molineuxmix.co.uk