Happy Memories Of Waggy

Friday, February 3: How topical at the end of a week in which we held a meeting to discuss the next batch of hall of fame inductees at Molineux that Dave Wagstaffe’s partner, Val, informed us on Facebook that it had been ten years since the much-loved left-winger was inducted. He was glowing with pride that night – a fitting, final, full-on meeting with many members of his public before he was taken seriously ill.

Saturday, February 4: Some result at Molineux this afternoon with an emphatic home win over Liverpool. It does get better than this but not that much better and it was enjoyed by, among other ex-players including Colin Brazier and Andy Mutch, by the familiar media area quartet of Lee Naylor, David Edwards, Andy Thompson and Mel Eves.

Saturday, February 11: Felt strange to think of Wolves going to Southampton today without Vince Bartram being on the home club’s staff. The former Molineux youngster had been with the Saints for just over 12 years in a variety of roles, including goalkeeper scouting, but parted company with them recently and is seeking a new post. Good luck to him for wherever the game takes him next.

Tuesday, February 14: Stumbled upon a photograph of Greg Fellows – part of Wolves’ backroom team in the mid-1980s – signing as a young player for Villa in the late 1960s, watched by his father and Tommy Docherty and Doug Ellis. Immediately made plans to send it by Whatsapp to Greg, who was delighted to see it after all these years.

Thursday, February 16: Sad to hear via Twitter that Gordon Dimbleby, who had a brief spell as Wolves chief executive in the mid-1980s, had died in his early 90s. He was better known as an administrator at Albion and had spells there as both commercial manager and secretary.

Friday, February 17: Spent an enjoyable, illuminating hour in the company of Phil Parkes and Gerry Taylor at the ECC Club off the Stafford Road in Wolverhampton as they awaited their turns to be interviewed for a forthcoming Wolves nostalgia film, of which we will write much more in due course. Terry Wharton welcomed the same camera crew to his home this morning and all three are due to be introduced on to the pitch at Molineux tomorrow before the producers conclude interviews with one or two media people around the club after the final whistle.

Saturday, February 18: What a letdown on the pitch this afternoon. Wolves’ home defeat against Bournemouth lowered the mood following successive victories over Liverpool and Southampton. Enjoyed my time with Paul Berry before the match, though, the club’s former head of media having kindly invited me as his choice of interviewee on the mic in four different hospitality areas in the Billy Wright Stand.

Tuesday, February 21: Spent a wonderful hour and a half interviewing Geoff Thomas in Droitwich for an extended feature piece for the retro magazine Backpass. The more we learn about his illness and then the punishing programme he put himself through in training and actually riding the Tour de France course in aid of leukaemia research, the more it’s impossible not to marvel. What a man….no wonder he has been honoured again and again!

Tuesday, February 28: Great to see that Paul Cook clearly still has his mojo despite the tough times he has been going through at Chesterfield in February. Not only did we have a warm reception when greeted by him outside the ground before the Spirites’ game at Wrexham tonight – we also had an invitation on board the team coach for a quiet cup of coffee served by the driver.