Flowers Well And Truly Blooming

Wednesday, June 5: Amazing to those of us who saw him emerge at Wolves at the start of his terrific playing career to think that Tim Flowers is now 52 – and might well have been approaching the 2019-20 season as a Football League manager. Even before reaching the first anniversary of his appointment as Solihull Moors boss, he lifted a club who had finished 16th and 18th in the previous two years to an outstanding final placing of second in the National League in the spring. Among a squad beaten in the semi-finals of the play-offs was Ron Flowers’s grandson, Harry, and former Wolves youngster Jamie Reckord.

Saturday, June 8: Great to hear of the success of the John Richards podcast evening with Mikey Burrows and Chris Iwelumo at Wolverhampton Grand Theatre last night. Around 550 plus tickets were sold, with Willie Carr there to give moral support to his former team-mate and Alex Rae and Dave Edwards on stage also. Please click on (or copy and paste) https://www.wolves.co.uk/news/club/20190429-king-john-richards-confirmed-for-old-gold-club-live/ for more information.

Tuesday, June 11: Bumped into Richard Skirrow in a Stafford town centre coffee shop and made plans to meet up with him properly in Wolverhampton in two days’ time after the Premier League fixtures for 2019-20 have been published. He’s always brilliant to have a good natter with and, as a long-time club secretary, must remember this as being a big week on the football calendar.

Friday, June 14: Thought it was high time I popped into Ron Flowers’ shop to pass on a best-wishes message to he and his family – and to marvel once more at the various photos of him on that wonderful montage. Utterly inspiring!

Wednesday, June 19: Saw Jamie O’Hara working as a TV pundit on England’s European under-21 championship defeat against France in Italy. Our disappointing campaign brought completely different feelings out in him than after the show of unrestrained joy he and Glenn Hoddle demonstrated after witnessing Tottenham’s epic Champions League comeback against Ajax several weeks ago.

Friday, June 21: Enjoyed popping into Molineux and using the tunnel area to record a piece to camera for Viking Wolves. I am their honorary president and wanted to send very best wishes for the 30th anniversary they celebrate in Bergen later this summer – and my apologies for being unable to join them on their big night.

Sunday, June 23: Have been delighted to play a part, alongside Les Wilson, in reconnecting Express & Star contributor John Lalley with a good friend of his from St Chad’s School in Wolverhampton that he hasn’t seen for 50 years. John has spoken at various times about Albion-supporting former Villa youngster Mick Hoban, who he grew up playing football with and who was lucky enough to receive Pele’s shirt after Santos had played at Villa Park in the early 1970s. The re-connection was made easier as Les has remained good friends with Nike high-flier Mick across the Atlantic and recalls going to St Chad’s to put on training sessions with Peter Knowles as part of the coaching licence he took under the tutelage of Don Howe and John Jarman.

Thursday, June 27: Was disappointed to miss the funeral of Jimmy Mullen’s wife. Joan, at St Thomas of Canterbury in Tettenhall this morning. To my considerable regret, I never met Jimmy but always found his widow friendly and cheerful whether it was at Molineux events or when I rang or visited her at home. She was particularly helpful in 1990 – less than three years after his passing-away – when I needed guidance on the chapter I wrote about him in a Wolverhampton Wanderers Greats book.