Strange Molineux Exit Of Bully’s Stand-In

A scroll through the professional staff at Shrewsbury reminds us that connections between Wolves and Shropshire’s only Football League club are as strong as ever.

Among those currently in Sam Ricketts’ squad are Dave Edwards, Harry Burgoyne, Matija Sarkic, Scott Golbourne, Ethan Ebanks-Landell and last weekend’s match-winner, the 35-year-old Leon Clarke.

But how’s this for a stay across the county border from almost 30 years ago?

Frustrated with his lack of opportunities at Molineux, John Paskin checked in with a club then managed by John Bond for a loan spell that spanned one brief appearance on the pitch and less than a full weekend at the Gay Meadow.

He played in the 2-2 Third Division home draw with Chester on February 15, 1992, but, before training on the Monday, had joined Wrexham in a permanent deal in part-exchange for Jimmy Kelly.

Is this one of the shortest stays ever at a club by a player with clear Wolves links?

Paskin didn’t mark his ‘just-passing-through’ outing with a goal either. Kevin Summerfield and Mark Taylor netted for a Shrewsbury side who were relegated at the end of the season and turned to Fred Davies the following year.

The South African had already had loan moves from Wolves to Stockport and Birmingham and would later serve Bury.

More than half of his playing career was spent abroad, though, with spells in Canada, Hong Kong, Belgium and Norway, as well as the country of his birth.

The powerful forward, now 58, was the least successful of Wolves’ signings from Albion during the Graham Turner era.

Steve Bull, Andy Thompson, Robbie Dennison and Alistair Robertson all had wonderful times at Molineux but Paskin was limited to 25 starts and a further 15 games as a substitute after making the same move in the summer of 1989.

He had a stay of approaching three years and was signed as competition and cover for Steve Bull and Andy Mutch but scored only three times, home and away against Blackburn and the only goal at home to Plymouth soon after his arrival.

With Albion, he managed five goals in 28 first-team matches, all in 1988-89 and almost half coming from the bench. Don Goodman was a frequent strike partner of his before the former’s £75,000 departure across the Black Country.

If any of our readers know what became of William John Paskin in his post-football life, we would be delighted to hear from them.