Exciting Times For Gooding

Wolves’ team of Masters Cup champions are keen to test themselves against their counterparts from abroad.

Organisers are investigating the viability of staging a European version of the event that Wolves won thrillingly at the expense of Manchester City at the NEC in September.

And the news has been welcomed by Mick Gooding, the man who skippered the side to victory after they had lost in the national final the year before and in one of the previous finals.

“It would be great if a European Masters could tournament could get off the ground,” he said. “Obviously, now isn’t the easiest time to finance a new venture like this but we’re told the idea is being looked at and they are keen to spread the brand.

“We’d very much like it to happen, wherever it might be. Apparently, there was a tournament in Dubai recently involving former Manchester United and Liverpool players – something like that for us to aim at in the future would be terrific.

“But even a short hop over to Europe would be exciting and a chance to face sides from other countries.”

Gooding, an area manager in a Home Counties estate agency, is thrilled by the distant domestic prospect of a one-two by a couple of his former clubs in this season’s Championship promotion race.

As a BBC local radio summariser, he has watched every one of Reading’s League games so far and will be at today’s Boxing Day home clash with Cardiff and then Sunday’s match at Southampton.

And, just over a month before Wolves go to the Madejski Stadium, he warns that Reading will continue to push hard in the pursuit of Premier League football.

“I don’t think they have played so well since the last international break because some of the football just prior to that was outstanding,” he added.

“But the mentality of their players is that they don’t just want to go up – but to go up as champions. And it would be the ideal scenario for me if Reading and Wolves were promoted automatically together.

“Reading have so much pace and energy in their side that opponents have had trouble coping with them.”

Geordie-born Gooding, 49, played 54 games for Wolves in the late 1980s, scoring five goals. For Reading, he made 368 appearances and had spells both as a coach and as caretaker co-manager.