Hail The Backstreet International!

Twenty-five years on, it remains a remarkable story worthy of a recap on platforms such as this. Steve Bull stepped from English football's third tier to a goal-scoring role in the national team and went on to play a meaningful part in the best World Cup finals performance this country has managed since 1966.

Qualifying For Mexico '86 Was A First For Proud Canada

Les Wilson has offered us a detailed insight into some of the background work he put in during his two decades as a ground-breaking international boss. The popular former Wolves utility man has a niche in history as the only man ever to manage Canada at a World Cup finals and is proud to have been inducted into his adopted country's football hall of fame.

How Winger Was Confronted By The Din Of Rio

If Steve Bull thought he had it hot in going on for his England debut against the Auld Enemy in the cauldron of Hampden Park, how must Norman Deeley, another famous football son of the Black Country, have felt almost exactly 30 years before? The tiny right-winger, having made a fine job of taking over from Harry Hooper in Wolves' all-conquering 1950s side, saw an even bigger opportunity present itself after contributing 19 goals at club level in the season the League Championship crown was successfully defended at Molineux.

When Wolves Mixed It With The Boys From Brazil

Wolves may never have played in Brazil but they have done the next best thing by facing two clubs from the country which is currently hosting a thrilling World Cup finals. Long before they took on Santos in Steve Bull's testimonial in 1997, Wolves contested not one or two but three highly competitive matches against Rio-based Bangu - and in different neutral venues at that.

A Distinguished Cast List With Molineux As Its Common Denominator

Listing the Wolves players to have appeared at a World Cup finals - on the pitch or in the technical area - is a vexed question. As with the record books, it is perhaps easiest to essentially stick with those who actually went to this ultimate stage while playing their domestic football at Molineux.

A Taste Of The Tropics To Take The Breath Away

Improbable as it is that this vow will last beyond Wayne Rooney's first misplaced pass or the next time Glen Johnson is caught out of position, I have nevertheless decided to go a little easier in my rants at the TV screen tonight.It's not that I am any less passionate about wanting to see England do well, nor that any Italian/Costa Rican/Uruguayan ancestry has just been discovered among the roots of the family tree.

A Scene Setter Par Excellence From The Masters Of Retro

What better way to properly kick off our World Cup-themed few weeks here on Wolves Heroes than by giving another plug to a publication that has previewed the tournament with all its customary expertise? For a brilliant job in placing Brazil 2014 in the context of past stagings of football's greatest event, we have no hesitation in directing you to the latest issue of Backpass retro magazine.

Calling It A Day A Little Early

Last night's bizarre goings-on in Miami had us scratching our heads and doing our research on Wolves' matches that, unlike the Honduras v England friendly, did not go the distance. Perhaps surprisingly, it is well over half a century since the club had a game abandoned - and a remarkable tale it was, too, although there was not a flash of lightning to be seen.

Time For An End-Of-Season Renewal Of Acquaintances

Wednesday, May 7: Paid a first ever visit to the home of Gerry Taylor at Perton. Had a chat with him about the various forthcoming golf days and also got him to add his signature to a couple of books. There was one other matter on my mind - could he remember or not whether he had played in Wolves' UEFA Cup tie in Portugal against Academica Coimbra in 1971? He couldn't and there's some dispute as to whether Frank Munro, as the record books suggest, or Gerry played in the game......we'll get it sorted out before publication of Dave Wagstaffe's excellent biography of his old mate later this summer.

Promising Wolves Impact Was Followed By Heroics Elsewhere

It's not just the fact that he went from truanting schoolboy to headmaster that marks Allan Jackson out as unusual. The intervening years, a couple of them spent on the fringes of an all-conquering Wolves first team, were eventful, too. He once got into bother with Stan Cullis for sneaking off to see his girlfriend. Then there was the dressing room dressing-down he received from the manager on the day he made what his team-mates thought was a satisfactory enough first-team debut in a victory at Arsenal 12 days before the club secured the second of their three League Championship crowns.