High-Scoring Draw Is Winger’s Wish

Dave Wagstaffe has told the nation of his mixed feelings as he makes his way to Wolves’ game at Manchester City today.

The 67-year-old has genuine legendary status at Molineux following his 404 Wanderers appearances in League and cups and remains a frequent watcher of home matches.

But he was born and bred in Manchester and played close on 200 games for City before moving south on Boxing Day, 1964.

And we couldn’t expect him to be too disloyal to his birthplace on a day when he will be enjoying some Eastlands hospitality!

Wagstaffe was interviewed by Phil Williams on BBC Radio 5 Live’s Weekend Breakfast Show this morning and said: “I want City to win the League, or at least finish above Manchester United, but I don’t want Wolves to go down.

“So a good result for me will be a draw, with plenty of goals, something like 2-2.

“I was going to get my partner Val to sew two halves of different scarves together but where I’m going in the ground doesn’t allow colours to be worn.”

Waggy will be mingling in the stadium’s Blues Room and is due to meet several players he hasn’t seen since he left Maine Road over 46 years ago.

Paddy Fagan, who played on City’s wing before he did, Barrie Betts, Roy Cheetham and reserve keeper Steve Fleet are also on the guest list, as, he hopes, will one or two he might have faced in Wolves’ 1974 League Cup final win.

“I have been fixed up with a ticket by Fred Eyre, who was also on City’s staff back then,” he added.

“We’ve had some bad news recently, though, with learning that Neil Young is terminally ill. I was the instigator behind his change of position because he was a left-winger, then I came along and he was moved for a while to the right and later played inside-left.

“We will be in the stand opposite the tunnel but I might try to make my way over to the main stand afterwards. In the Mancunian Suite, there are pictures on the wall of all the Manchester-born players who played for City and I’d like to have my photo taken with mine.

“My biggest worry is finding the ground. My only previous time there was for the UEFA Cup final between Rangers and Zenit St Petersburg a few years ago. I’ve never seen City play at this ground.

“The strange thing is that I used to live in Eastlands and had to catch three buses to Maine Road from my flat. But it has all changed.”