A Magazine That's Not To Be Missed

If you're mulling over New Year resolutions, may we suggest that you consider becoming a regular Backpass reader as a worthwhile one to make. Nostalgia pours from every one of the 64 pages in this outstanding retro publication, which is now some four and a half years old and set to expand even further in 2012.

Unheard Tales From A Season In Tinseltown

So what did happen to Los Angeles Wolves after Ronnie Allen and his squad of promotion winners had flown back to England in triumph in July, 1967? If you assumed the name ceased to be from the moment the homeward-bound plane carrying the Molineux squad had left the tarmac, you would be wrong. The side lived on for a year and a half as the Americans tried to get a professional game off the ground, the team playing a full season from spring to autumn in 1968 rather than the condensed summer programme Wolves fulfilled to great effect under Allen.

Winger Denies Kicking World Cup Legend

Dave Wagstaffe has dismissed suggestions that he goaded Bobby Moore into the only sending-off of the late England legend's long career. An article in the latest issue of the Backpass retro magazine describes how Wagstaffe - then a young winger at Manchester City - 'aimed a sneaky kick' at the back of the wing-half's legs in a League game at Maine Road more than 50 years ago.

A Meeting Chance Missed

Kicking off Christmas week by continuing our series about our less publicised dealings with Molineux favourites, we open with a regret.....did we really squander the opportunity to meet a goal-scoring forward who has barely been in Wolverhampton for four and a half decades? Sadly, it's true, so hopefully another visit to this area will be possible before too long. And we're not the only ones trying to catch up with old friends.

Winger's Time In Dug-Out Brought Big Cup Clash

Terry Wharton had a walk down Memory Lane today when he took part in a signing session for a book about another of his former clubs. Considerably less well remembered than the fact the popular former winger played 242 games for Wolves is the spell he had in 1976-77 as player-manager of Darlaston Town, then of the West Midlands League’s top division.

Burke Goes 'Live' On Line, At Home And Away

Mark Burke is spreading his wings further by expanding his interests into the world of football writing. The former Wolves midfielder, who already divides his time between business interests in England and family in Holland, is now reaching as far as Asia with his thoughts on the game.

Manager Speaks Of His 'Hopeless Task'

We have already reported on this website how Tommy Docherty once made a secretive attempt over cocktails in the Caribbean to lure Ray Crawford from Wolves to Chelsea. And on how football's lack of sentiment saw to it that the manager eased his former Stamford Bridge coach Frank Upton and reserve keeper Jim Barron out of Molineux 20 years later in order to find backroom jobs for his son Michael and the rotund Greg Fellows.

Undaunted - Debutants Who Shone Against The Famous Reds

Stewart Ross's remarkable Wolves first-team introduction was featured at length during the early months of this website nearly three years ago. But the blooding of the full-time accountant and part-time footballer in a game against reigning League champions Manchester United in December, 1967, is not a total one-off. The first senior sighting of him, watched by more than 53,000, is one of the many debuts Wolves have given against the opponents the club face at Old Trafford this weekend.

Star Foursome Are Booked In

Three men whose combined appearance tally for Wolves exceeded 1,500 games are due on parade at Molineux tomorrow to sign copies of the fast-selling new book, Wolves In 20/20 Vision. Derek Parkin, John McAlle and Phil Parkes - long-time team-mates in the 1960s and 1970s - will be back together in the main club shop from 6pm-7pm.

Writer on Whose Every Word We Hung

I will never forget our first home game of the 1968-69 season. I arrived by train in Wolverhampton from Wigan North Western nice and early and, as was my wont, walked to Molineux to get my programme before making my customary trip to a café in town for faggots, chips and peas. Don’t tell me I don’t know great food when I see it. What I had not anticipated was the wonderful surprise I had in opening the pages of Molinews. Wolves' programme had gone glossy!