Richly Deserved Honour For Rachael

Tuesday, August 4: Much pride around Wolverhampton today when it was announced that Rachael Heyhoe Flint was to have some gates named after her at Lord’s. This is a serious honour for anyone with the background in cricket that she had…she even rang the bell once to signify the start of play in a Test Match at the sport’s spiritual home.

Wednesday, August 5: Saw one or two emails from Alan Hinton to Les Wilson, commenting about the passing-away of the Leeds legend, Terry Cooper, who was well on the radar of Wath Wanderers and Wolves before making his way in the game at Elland Road. What a ‘catch’ he would have been had he signed as a professional here and developed as he did under Don Revie and Alf Ramsey.

Saturday, August 7: The recent stories we have published about Ron Stockin – with a very happy ending – have smoked out an interesting response close to home. Wolves-supporting former Lincoln, Grimsby and Walsall keeper Malcolm White was a team-mate of Ron’s at Blundell Park and apparently has a Mariners photo in his collection on which he is standing next to the recent recipient of a 1953-54 League Championship winners’ medal. Who should relay this snippet to us other than one of Malcolm’s best friends, who just happens to be called Malcolm Black!

Saturday, August 14: Sorry to miss out on a face-to-face chat with Mike Stowell at the Leicester v Wolves game today, although there were plenty of sightings of him from my seat in the main stand at the King Power Stadium for Wolves’ visit – and several texts before and after. How good it was to be back in a packed ground and to witness an encouraging performance from the side now under the management of Bruno Lage.

Sunday, August 22: A first match day back at Molineux for many of us today and so many side stories! Whatever the merits of the result of the game against Tottenham, Nuno handled it pretty well and received the warm welcome back that he deserved. In the press box talking about it all on radio was Chris Iwelumo as well as Andy Thompson and Mel Eves.

Tuesday, August 24: Good to see Conor Coady move into the top 40 in the all-time Wolves record appearance-makers’ list. The Euro 2020 squad member leapt over Dave Woodfield with his outing against Spurs two days ago and is closing in on the 280-game mark for the club. He will have to be patient to carry on climbing, though, as it will take him at least a couple of months to reach the next two men above him, Willie Carr and 19th century forward Harry Wood.

Saturday, August 28: Crazy scenes late in Shrewsbury’s home victory over Gillingham as two former Wolves players received red cards – and one of them didn’t even make it to the pitch! As David Davis was walking off, an unseemly touchline scuffle saw Town’s substitute keeper, Harry Burgoyne, dismissed also. Compare their despair with the delight a third ex-Molineux man, James Henry, felt after scoring a hat-trick today at home to Lincoln.

Tuesday, August 31: A big thank-you to Richard Skirrow and Wolves for asking me to go along as a club representative to the induction of Paul Ince into English football’s hall of fame in Manchester today. We don’t have too many sightings of Dave Jones’s chosen captain in the flesh these days and it was lovely to see him warming to an occasion that he was initially quite reticent about.