Woodfield Home At Last

David Woodfield is back living and settled in the UK – following a staggering three decades in far-flung corners of the globe.

The long-time Wolves centre-half was said to have few designs on returning home when we featured him at length in January, 2009, relying purely on third-party help.

But we have now finally caught up with him and received first-hand confirmation that he is here again for good.

“I decided some time ago that I would come back to England and stay,” he said. “I have been away for about 30 years after all.

“The last time I was in the UK was 1999 but I’m living in a village near Cambridge with one of my sons, Gary, his wife and their three daughters. I suppose it’s the fact that I have family growing up here that brought me back.

“You do lose some contact when you are so far away, although it has been a real experience to live and work in different countries. I have lovely granddaughters and needed to come back and see them.”

‘Duggie’, now 67, first left England for Qatar, where he worked as assistant to national coach Frank Wignall, one of his former Molineux team-mates.

He was subsequently employed beneath two of his Wolves bosses, Ronnie Allen and Bill McGarry, in the national set-up in Saudi Arabia and, after returning to work with McGarry at Newcastle and then run a pub in Newmarket, his travels became even more widespread.

He had two stints in both Kuwait and Bahrain, then went to Brunei before embarking on an 11-year spell in Malaysia.

“I became a school teacher and taught history and geography in English as well as coaching football,” he added.

“The teaching jobs weren’t well paid. It was almost like missionary work but the lads were so keen.

“I was only renting a place in Malaysia and, when I left, I sold everything that was mine except for some personal belongings, so it has been helpful to be living with family.

“I am doing a bit of coaching now in the village and would like to set up an academy if the chance came along. I am watching loads of football on TV and going to the gym every day to stay in good shape – that has been a help in fighting the cold as well after living for all those years in the sun!”

* Wolves All Stars play at Boldmere St Michael’s tomorrow (Sunday) in a game in memory of Colin Brazier’s late brother Andi. Kick-off at the Trevor Brown Memorial Ground is 2.15pm and admission is £3.