A Blue Sky Occasion

Saturday, March 12: Good to hear that Bobby Gould, Brian Roberts and many who didn’t play for Wolves had a fulfilling time at the Coventry Legends Day this afternoon. It’s always pleasing when a reunion of old mates at a club coincides with a good victory and so it proved when the Sky Blues powered their way today to a 4-1 home win over promotion rivals Sheffield United.

Monday, March 14: Was able to do the Daily Telegraph a small favour as they prepared their write-up of the fact that Wolves might be heading to America on tour before the start of next season. The paper’s correspondent had thought the club had not properly visited there since 1969, so my reminder that Bill McGarry took his men back to the west coast in the summer of 1972 gave them the handier line that we are now talking about being 50 years on from that trip.

Wednesday, March 16: Good to see that a group of former Wolves players were invited for a look around the club’s magnificent training ground at Compton today. We didn’t have to be there to imagine the comments and observations from the likes of John Richards, Kenny Hibbitt and Phil Parkes, whose own preparation for matches several decades ago – like their counterparts up and down the country – was done in altogether more spartan surroundings.

Friday, March 18: Have been taking a belated look at some of the coverage that was given to Wolves’ trip to Jersey 50 years ago this winter. Our thanks go once more to our good to Gwilym Machin, who stumbled across this write-up while in the Channel Islands recently.

Monday, March 21: Heard Dave Edwards co-commentating on Forest Green’s League Two victory at Colchester tonight – and possibly sharing the joy and relief that the three points brought to his former Wolves team-mate Rob Edwards. The two former Welsh internationals had a few years at Molineux together and have since taken different routes in their careers but you would expect both, given their personalities, to do well wherever their respective paths take them.

Wednesday, March 23: So disappointing to hear that the Wolves FPA dinner has suffered a further delay. Clearly the fire that broke out in Molineux’s Billy Wright Stand a few weeks ago caused more damage than was first thought…..hence the decision to pull the plug on the revised May 12 date for the hall of fame get-together. A new date will be announced as soon as possible. “There is no guarantee that the work will be completed for the end of the season (May), let alone for the dinner,” said Wolves FPA chairman John Richards.

Monday, March 28: Heard from Les Wilson, expressing his delight at Canada’s qualification for the World Cup finals for the first time since 1986. The former Wolves utility man was manager, with Tony Waiters as head coach, when the country went to the finals in Canada 36 years ago….now they will be in Qatar later this year and this Vancouver-based supporter will be watching their progress very carefully.

Saturday, April 2: A comparatively rare sighting of Lee Naylor – in the media room at least – as he reported for radio duty at this afternoon’s big West Midlands derby between Wolves and Villa. It’s a fixture he was not too familiar with as a Molineux regular, his only two competitive meetings with these opponents both coming in 2003-04 and both ending in defeat. Also present today, as usual, were Andy Thompson and Mel Eves.