At the beginning of another EFL season – a campaign and competition that Wolves, thankfully, are not part of! – we update readers on some of the many changes at that level that involve former Molineux personnel.
It all starts tonight with Derby’s visit to Blackburn, who have signed Danny Batth following the central defender’s release over the summer from Norwich.
The League One title-winning captain started only seven games during his year at Carrow Road and, at nearly 34, will be hoping for more first-team involvement at the club where Keith Downing is among John Eustace’s backroom team.
Another Ewood Park new arrival that is familiar to us is Andreas Weimann.
Also in the Championship, Ryan Giles has continued his travels in England’s eastern half by joining Hull from Luton while relegation has led to promotion for Kevin Foley at Kenilworth Road.
We have mentioned before that the ex-Irish international was working with his long-time Wolves team-mate, Rob Edwards. Now we are delighted to report that he has been upgraded by him from transition coach to working with the senior side.
Lee Evans, who played in Walter Zenga’s side on the opening afternoon of the Fosun era at Rotherham in 2016-17, is another player on the move.
After following up service at Wigan under Leam Richardson and Rob Kelly with stints at Ipswich and Portsmouth, he has joined Blackpool, who open their Championship programme at Crawley tomorrow.
Our interest is not only confined to those clubs established in the Big 92. Will local resident Mick McCarthy be present when Bromley’s first home game as members of the Football League pitches them into battle against Wimbledon tomorrow week?
And, as we await developments at Maidenhead United after their extraordinary Max Kilman windfall and Maidstone following the FA Cup exploits inspired by George Elokobi last winter, we will keep an eye again on Solihull Moors.
They were beaten finalists in both the National League and FA Trophy finals at Wembley in the spring but go again with Richard Stearman now confirmed as an ex-player.
He has been made first-team coach at the club where Stephen Ward has been making an impact as director of football and we wish him and all the others named above nothing but the very best for the next nine or ten months.
Up the road at Birmingham, there will be no John Ruddy on view in 2024-25, the veteran having landed a surprise close-season move to Newcastle.
Tonight, meanwhile, is the time for Paul Cook to be seen again as a League manager. He leads newly-promoted Chesterfield into action in their Friday-night home game against Mark Kennedy’s Swindon.
We also express the fervent wish that Mark Venus returns soon to the dug-out – because that might well signify that his long-time boss, Tony Mowbray, is over the illness and treatment that forced him to stand down temporarily from Birmingham duties early this year and then permanently after their relegation.