It’s been a slow news day at Molineux, so ahead of my Man Utd preview tomorrow, I thought I’d slip in a cheeky post about one of my favourite former players, Steve Froggatt.
Steve Froggatt - Remembered Fondly
Signed from Aston Villa for £1 million by Graham Taylor, this must be one of those rare signings that you can say we got good value for some of Sir Jack’s dosh. Although he was hampered by injury at times, Froggy was a top player and produced some inspired performances in an old gold shirt.
As a little runt watching from the North Bank, I used to like nothing more than seeing Froggy burn rubber down the left or turn his full-back inside out. When we first had him at the start of the 94-95 season, he was immense and everything you could ever want from a winger.
I remember him skinning an ageing Ronny Whelan to setup Bully with an inch perfect cross, in a famous 5-0 win at home to Southend. He also roasted Bolton’s full back (I think his name was Alan Lee) in a particularly memorable 3-1 victory to take us top. Of course that season would end in tears and an unjust defeat to the Trotters.
I think it was McGhee who first played Froggatt at full-back and he excelled there to, bombing forward to support the attack. In fact, perhaps his best performance in a Wolves shirt came at left back, in that amazing 4-2 win at the Hawthorns (our last victory there, unbelievably). He was a constant thorn in the Albion’s side that day, setting up big Iwan Roberts for his hat-trick.
It was a sad day when the call of the Premiership came and we shipped Froggy to Coventry City for £1.9 million. I wasn’t surprised he did well there and even got into the England squad before having his career cut short by injury.
I wonder if he looks back on his career and thinks of Wolves as his main team? I think he played at Molineux longer than anywhere else, so I’d like to think so.
Here’s a video I just dugout from YouTube of the 5-0 win over Southend I mentioned. Look at the turn of pace and delivery for the fifth goal. What a counter attack. From Stowell’s hands to the back of the net in 4 touches.
* I might well make this ‘Blast from the Past’ feature a regular filler on days when there’s little to report, so feel free to suggest players or even do your own tribute.
Never got to see Froggy play, he was before I could remember anything. Only way I knew him was through Championship Manager and he was a decent player on that.
Nice feature, look forward to the next one!
I’m too young to remember him
This is so weird as I was talking to someone about Froggatt earlier today. He was an excellent player and the season we nearly went up in the play offs under McGhee I remember Froggatt playing left wing back with Jamie Smith (whatever happened to him eh?) on the right. They were quite a potent force but then Froggatt got injured again (I think he actually nearly died from having a blood clot in his leg) and Smith was sold to Palace in a swap for Muscat (and Dougie Freedman?). We really should have got up that season.
Personally if we are doing tributes I would love to see something on Mike Stowell. Legend.
I’ll give you some hints for Blast from the Past…Frank Munro, John Richards, Mike Bailey , Jim McCalliog , David Burnside and Terry Wharton
Ps Wolves/Manure is on live in Oz at 5am in the morning, Fox Sports 1 …yay
Have to say I never really rated froggat at all!! For me he was just another in a long line of average players that came here on big money and big wages but spent more time on the treatment table than on the pitch. When we signed him I remember thinking it was a real coup but I just think it was one of those signings we made (and there was quite a few around that time) that didn’t quite live up to its promise!!!
I think he connects himself more fondly with Coventry. I think he does quite a lot of work media-wise for them.
@Louie & @Hallam – You’re making me feel old. In his prime, Froggy was a great player. A good old fashioned winger with pace and agility.
@Edward Milson – Don’t know how you can say that matey. Yes, he was marred by injury, but he turned in a high number of great performances and was certainly decent value for the £1 million we paid for him. I agree that he perhaps could and should have done even better, given his potential, but I’d never say he was a bad signing.
@Dazza – You’ll have to write about those Wolves’ greats. I can hardly give a fair and honest opinion of them, given the fact I wasn’t even born when they were playing. Haha. 5am?! Ouch. I’ll be thinking of you at kick-off.
@Sam – What a swap deal that was. Smith for Muscat and Freedman. We robbed them. Micky Stowell is a great shout.
@kwolf – He was kept on by Coventry after he retired but I still think he bleeds old gold.
I thought Froggatt was quality, but I don’t think we saw the best of him consistently. I was devastated when he got injured as he was showing real promise, but I do have fond memories of him flashing down the wing. My favourite player of all time was Kenny Hibbitt which stemmed from me throwing the ball to him during the 3 all draw with Norwich in 1977 – where the f**k has all the time gone?
He never impressed me greatly during his time at Wolves; I imagine he looks back more fondly on his time at Villa. I also seem to recall him being quoted saying some ill informed rubbish at the time when Sir Jack put Wolves up for sale but before Steve Morgan came in.
I think he married a model – in David Instone’s diary of the 96/97 season he calls her a former Miss Aston Villa – so fair play to the bloke.
My favourite old Wolves winger? It’s gotta be Robbie Dennison.
Hi guys I am the studio guest for Sky sports Wolves V Villa at the weekend and I was doing some research for game when I came across this site and saw the blog about myself.
I have huge fondness for Wolves some of my best friends in football are from my Wolves days. I still play golf with bully, Thommo, Don Goodman and Dave Kelly regularly sadly Paul Birch passed away recently one of my big pals.
It is an amazing football club steeped in history with amazing supporters. I’ll never forget beating West Brom at the Hawthorns 4-2 and arriving back at the ground to an amazing reception from the Wolves fans that will staywith me forever! Also the fa cup semi final v Arsenal Villa park was swamped with black and gold and you completely outsang Arsenal for the entire 90 minutes it was a shame they beat us 1-0
It was with great sadness that I had to leave when I did. The truth of the matter was that Sir Jack wanted to sell myself and Robbie Keane to balance the books at the time. I never could understand why they wanted to sell us as I was only 23 at the time and although I had more than my fair share of injuries I felt my best years were ahead of me. I was out of contract that summer and Wolves never offerd me a new contract. As it was proved Robbie joined me at Coventry A short while later.
Yes of course I am very fond of Aston Villa too as I started my career there and was part of a team that finished 2nd in the premiership and we beat Man Utd in the coca cola cup final that season. I spent an equal amount of time at both clubs and they are the two results that I look out for first.
I do look at my days at Wolves and look at that team and think we should with the players we had have made the premiership we had some teriffic players! But injury hit us hard at times and yes as a group we did in my opinion underachieve.
As for the present team I love Mick McCarthy and his honesty. Having seen Wolves this season and I have genuine optimism about the teams cahnces of remaining in the premiership.
As for me I now run a personal training fitness company and work for tv and radio 5 live.
Best wishes to Wolves this season and thanks for the great support that you gave me during my time at the club.
Froggy