League One was hardly equipped to deal with a Wolves side expertly orchestrated by their play-maker, who was duly named in the third-tier PFA team of the season. What a steal it was when he arrived during Kenny Jackett’s early weeks! Time is moving on fast – the Scottish international was born in the other season in which Wolves took the third tier by storm, 1988-89.

In a second successive relegation season – one even more depressing than the fall from the Premier League – there was one bright spot. The enigmatic but gifted Mali international arrived on Stale Solbakken’s watch, scored on his debut for the club (in the Capital One Cup) and again on his League debut for them – part of a double-figure goal tally heavily backed up by assists.

The Euro 2016 semi-finalist became another keeper to wrap his hands round the club’s Player of the Year award for a second time when he did his best to stand firm in a campaign that teetered on the edge for six months and then went into a horrible tail-spin. Six of his 40 games over the season were for Wales – evidence that he was also becoming an international star.

Another typical McCarthy signing…..good attitude, on the way up, unused to the big time. Gillingham is where the midfielder had been playing his football but he quickly looked at home first in the Championship and then the top flight and his five goals this term included a precious winner at Villa in the year in which he also won his one and only England cap.

It was tough in the big League but the man signed in an unsuccessful attempt to bridge the gap for the 2003-04 season was outstanding when Wolves coped much better with the step up six years on. Not surprisingly, there was plenty of defending to do and the former Sunderland centre-half’s experience was vital in survival being secured with a couple of games to spare.

What was that phrase Sir Alex Ferguson used to describe Denis Irwin in their time together at Old Trafford? ‘Eight Out Of Ten’ could easily have been a nickname applied to this likeable and successful example of the club’s concentration at the time on the Irish market, the ex-Luton full-back maintaining virtual ever-present status in the memorable rise to the Premier League.

The heroics of yet another keeper were celebrated as the man from North Wales – one more glowing example of the club’s prolific player development programme – came to the fore in a big way. Hennessey kept Graham Stack in the Molineux shadows with an ever-present contribution to a near-miss League campaign that resulted in the concession of a miserly 48 goals.

The hugely popular local boy and home-grown star held off several worthy rivals to take the Player of the Year honours in a season that ended in depressingly familiar fashion……he was injured and missed the play-offs. Until then, he had missed only two of the 46 League matches for Mick McCarthy’s upwardly mobile side – and both of those were in the spring.

A fitting Molineux reminder of the talents of a man who had spent almost five years at the club and hit a play-off final goal. The Glenn Hoddle era at the club was underwhelming and the relatively modest tally of 12 goals was enough to win individual acclaim for the Scot here. Who would have thought he would still be going strong north of the border over a decade later?

More recognition for one of the finest of Wolves’ many Academy products came at the end of the club’s unfulfilling first year back in the Championship. Although it was the following season that Lescott achieved ever-present status at Molineux for the only time, he excelled for Dave Jones and Glenn Hoddle and signed off with a last-day goal against Sheffield United.