Focusing On New Horizons After Relegation Fears Extinguished

Manchester United 1 Wolves 3. That’s not a prediction for this Sunday at Old Trafford, however delightful it may be to envisage such an outcome.

It was the result in January, 1972 when the club last reeled off a fourth successive top-flight victory before Sunday’s conquest of Tottenham.

And, unlike the present, when the relief and delight at being well clear of the relegation places are paramount, Bill McGarry’s side of more than 50 years ago were actually being talked of as title challengers.

United were top when brought down by goals from Derek Dougan, John Richards and Jim McCalliog, the last of them a penalty at an under-reconstruction Stretford End.

The dismantling of Frank O’Farrell’s side was even more clinical than that of any bricks and mortar and did not tell the whole story.

The success meant Wolves had actually gone ten League games without defeat, successive First Division matches at the start of that run bringing them memorable victories over champions-elect Derby (2-1), defending champions Arsenal (5-1) and arch-rivals Albion (3-2).

They were dizzy days, marked by a final League placing of ninth and progress to the two-leg final of the UEFA Cup – by coincidence against the Molineux visitors of two afternoons ago.

That all-English showdown was a meeting between John Richards’s long-time employers and his favourite boyhood club. And he was present at the weekend for the extension of a sequence that had previously brought success at the expense of Southampton, West Ham and Ipswich.

Immediately beyond the Easter Sunday visit to Old Trafford is a home game against Leicester, who were among the quartet of clubs brought down in succession in the middle of 1971-72.

So there is optimism that Vitor Pereira’s men might ‘reel in’ more of the clubs above them after leapfrogging West Ham at the weekend.

Fifty-three seasons ago, Leicester were beaten 2-1 at Filbert Street by goals from Dougan and Frank Munro in between home wins over Stoke and Newcastle (both 2-0) in which Richards, Derek Parkin, Dougan and Stoke’s Alan Bloor were on the score-sheet.

Even more remarkable than that impressive rise to sixth place, only four points off the summit, was the fact that McGarry didn’t make any changes to his League line-up between November 13 and January 21.

Within the line-up of Phil PARKES, Bernard SHAW, Derek PARKIN, Mike BAILEY, Frank MUNRO, John McALLE, Jim McCALLIOG, Kenny HIBBITT, John RICHARDS, Derek DOUGAN, Dave WAGSTAFFE were scarcely used England and Scotland internationals and the Northern Ireland veteran that was The Doog.

Imagine their disbelief if they had known that not 11 or 12 but 16 players would set foot on the pitch in ensuring their 2025 successors matched their run of top-flight victories.

And thinking that those in gold shirts now would include three Brazilian internationals and a generous helping of regulars from the senior Portugal, South Korea, Algeria and Zimbabwe teams….that really would have scrambled their minds!