This time ten years ago, I was watching some shit players, in a shit league, with a real sense of optimism.
Paul Simpson, Steve Sedgley and Steve Corica were wearing the Old Gold, and I was celebrating the impact of boss Colin Lee, if not his varicose veined legs. A year later, I remember driving to Bramall Lane on my own to watch a strike force of Roussell and Proudlock and still remember feeling smug for having the best front-two pairing in the league!
Promotion in 2002 - Highlight of the Noughties?
Fair play, we’ve come a long way. When you think that we’ve been established since 1877, this last decade has been a miniscule part of our history, yet monumental in terms of its significance.
Who’d have thought, after the pain of 2002, that we’d be here now, competing well in the Premier League, a win at White Hart Lane and, even more incredibly…Terry Connor still in the dug-out with his clipboard!
Who’d have thought that come the advent of 2011, Leeds United, Southampton and Charlton would be in League 1, never mind the Championship? And Fulham and Wigan firmly established as Premier League forces?
If the last decade has taught me anything, then it’s that patience is a virtue. That goes for my personal life too. I could barely bribe a bird to be my girlfriend before 2000 and had more wanks per week than George Michael in a Clapham toilet. Now I have a wife, little boy and plasma screen to my name.
Things certainly have changed.
For me, the perverse ‘woe is me’ comfort of supporting an underachieving, middle-of-the-road Championship club has gone. The age-old soundbites and anecdotes of Wolves being a team that was ‘guaranteed to let you down’ are redundant.
Ten years ago, my brother-in-law and lifelong Leeds United fan would cock his head sympathetically, spread his arms, and cradle me like a baby when we talked about football, such was the aching chasm between our sides. I’d contemplate doing the same today but I can’t get this grin off my face!
No more conspiracy theories about Molineux being a curse. No more harping on about Robbie Dennison, Ally Robertson and Mark Kendall like they were Brazilian superstars. In my eyes, I am looking at them today when I see King Karl Henry, Kites and co. Thank you Mick.
So I’m not going to look back at the last decade and recollect misery or pain (there were a few moments to choose from), but instead ask you what your highlight of the Noughties has been for you?
As a spontaneous feeling of unadulterated joy, I would plump for Cardiff on May 26 2003. The Promised Land at last. The Holy Grail, with 35,000 Gold and Black friends to enjoy it with.
I’d love to get your comments, and would like to wish you all a Happy New Year.
· Best game of the Noughties: Wolves 5 Forest 1. Sounds like a strange choice, but it was the most pure, majestic display I have ever seen from a Wolves team. It was more than a result, but a glorious statement of intent that seemed to sum up our season.
· Best goal of the Noughties: So many to try and think of. Top two would be: Alex Rae away at Bolton, 2003/04 and SEB v Charlton in 2007. Vio Ganea scored a belter against Preston in a customary Hoddle inspired draw, and jumped into the North Bank. Also a special mention to Kennedy’s FA Cup goal against Newcastle in 2003. Gloriously simple football. And I’ve got to mention Big Chris’s goal in the game above. How beautiful was that move? And then there was Keogh’s header away at Derby.
· Best signing of the Noughties: So many of Mick’s to choose from. Karl Henry? SEB? What about Kevin Doyle?! I’ll be controversial and go for Henry. A bloke who cost about £200k, who came to a pre-season friendly against Villa with his boots. Never looked back. Also mentions to Paul Ince, Rae, Kightly, Jarvis and co.
· Best atmosphere in a home game. I said I wouldn’t be miserable, but I have to mention Norwich at home in the play off semis in 2002. I think we all knew we had next to no chance of getting through, but you’d have never have known. One of the best atmospheres I can ever remember.
Apologies to Ben as I was supposed to put this up a few days ago but forgot. Doh!
Great article mate.
My choices would be:
Best Game: I have to be boring and say the Cardiff playoff win. 3-0 up at half time and Matt Murray saves knobhead Brown’s penalty. There was a real sense that things were about to change for Wolves that day, which made it extra special. That FA Cup tie against Newcastle was also electric. Nobody misplaced a pass all night and George Ndah was unplayable.
Best Goal: I’d have to go for SEB’s wonder strike against Charlton. Skill, strength and an absolute missile of a finish. Our number 9 at his very best.
Best Signing: Very difficult to choose, but I’ll be controversial and say Chris Iwelumo. The reason being that McCarthy desperately needed a potent strike partnership to silence the ‘Freddy, Freddy’ brigade. It was a massive gamble to bring big Chris in and ship Eastwood out, but it was probably the best decision he’s ever made in his management career. And without the big man, I don’t think we’d have enjoyed the same level of success last year. But to be honest, I could just have easily have said Foley, Henry, Kightly, Jarvis or SEB and been equally happy with my choice.
Best atmosphere in a home game – The play-off games are always a big occasion and the one that sticks in my mind was Palace at home, but I think that was late nineties. The home win against Man Utd in 2003 has to be up there. The place was bouncing when Michael Oakes had the ball in his hands and everyone knew the final whistle was coming.
Best Game: Preston away last season. Big Chris’ official arrival. Everyone played well that day and the game had everything, penalties, hat tricks, red cards. Iwelumo’s overhead kick will live in the memory the rest of my life-I won’t see many better than that.
Best Goal: As above.
Best Signing: Paul Ince. The Gaffer. I love him to bits I really do. And he clearly loves the club. He was (in my opinion) one of the main reasons we went up in 2002 and the fact he kept signing new contracts up until McCarthy came along just shows his dedication. Not bad for a free either.
Best Atmosphere: 1-0 against United. As Thomas said.
Best Game: The game against Newcastle was fantastic, probably the earliest game I remember. I mainly remember the throw Murray did as we counter attacked Newcastle.
Best Goal: Got to be Ebanks-Blake’s wonder goal.
Best Signing: Kightly for the price we got him at 25k when United came in with a bigger offer but Gray’s had already done the deal with us.
Best Atmosphere: For games I’ve been at, away at Everton was a great atmosphere in the Wolves end.
Best game and goal is the Charlton away one for me… but only because I took five non-Wolves supporting mates to it.
All premiership supporters (bar one), there had been some scoffing at the quality of football in the CCC all afternoon. But when SEB scored his wonder goal, I turned around to find one of them who supports Arsenal hugging people four rows back in rapturous joy, and they had Sylvan’s chant stuck in their heads for weeks.
Thomas – you’re right about the Palace game, it was the 90s. Molineux was thunderous that night.
Best Signing – I’d put having denis irwin for a season on there
Hallam – surely the “Guv’nor”??
sorry – two seasons, re Irwin
yeah he was definitely the “Guv’nor”. Irwin was a really good signing too
Incidentally – great, timely post Ben. A good wake up call for all of us who’ve never had it better with a Wolves scarf around our necks.
Ben, another brilliant post and very true at the same time! Need to arrange a catch up soon mate, its been too long!
Best game prob was Playoff final but to be different i will choose Reading away in the semi. Spent 6 hours queuing outside the ground to get tickets despite being a season ticket holder! Went to the game honestly thinking we were gonna f*** it up again, then Rae scored…. I can honestly say that except Don’s goal at Leeds in 98 i have never celebrated a goal as much, sheer joy and relief.
Best goal is def SEB, nothing else comes close…
Best signing i will plump for Kites, yes Rae, Irwin and Ince were all very good signings but they were coming to the end of their careers, 25k for someone of Kites potential and quality is unbeatable. Special mention to SEB in this category, yes he cost 1.5m but look at what he has done since, value for money without a doubt!
Best Atmosphere, i think this varies from person to person on the meaning of the game and the day you had. I can’t really explain why but beating West Ham 4-2 at Molineux and seeing Ince celebrating in front of the fans who had baited him all game. Just seemed like an awesome atmosphere and we were all prayin he would score. Then there is Rocking all over the world at the end of the Playoff Final, still brings a tear to my eye every time i hear it!!
No0t many straight answers in there i know but its just too hard.
Happy New Year everyone !!!!!
Best game for me was the Wolves Leicester game last time we were in the Prem, 3 nil down at half time and promising myself I’d leave after 10 mins of the 2nd half and eventually winning 4-3!!! oh the look on Mickey Adams face!
Incidentally this was the first game I took my new girlfriend (now wife) to, she hated football and this game, for some reason, still didn’t change her view! Oh well!
That game was closely followed by the FA cup win over Newcastle for 3 reasons – 1. George Ndah 2. Bellamy pointing to his Premiership badge into the BBC camera (w*nker!) and getting lambasted for it in the media 3. My mate the toon fan sat by my side in the John Ireland and watching him having to cheer the Wolves goals – priceless!
Best atmosphere would have been the Palace play off game in the 90′s but as that’s not allowed then the Man Ure win.
Best signing – Alex Rae – different class!
Best Goal – clearly can only be SEB’s goal against Charlton
Funny Dboy,if I wear a Wolves scarf around London I will be at risk from Tottenham fans. Sounds silly, but on my way back from a sunday league footy match I was attacked by a couple of Spurs fans.
Newcastle FA cup win was my game of the decade – what a night. Kennedy’s goal, the injustice of their penalty, Jo Lescott’s incredible double clearance off the line, George Ndah showing the class he had when not injured, and winding up Bellamy enough to make him childishly point to his Prem League badge. Incredible.
Incidentally, wasn’t that the turning point that season? I remember the talk of Dave Jones being close to the sack before the game but afterwards the season just got better and better.
I’m glad we’re focusing on the best transfers of the decade; given the shocking acquisitions we’ve made over the last ten years (Frankowski, Al-Jaber…the list could go on and on) it’s nice to be reminded that we did a lot of good business too!
I don;t why people make so much of the “noughties” . We have won nothing of any note for 50 years. Ince was a good signing, even though it was his twilight years. We have signed so many of this ilk over the years, we refuse to pay the money for them when they are younger, but get them to close their careers out. If only we had the ambition to have signed the likes of Irwin, Ince, De Wolf, Thomas, etc when they wer ein their prime. As it stands we have no chance of ending that 50 year drought with this Board. … and puhrleeze don;t tell me we won Div 4, Div 3 , Sherpa Van etc….I’m still embarrased that we ever sunk that low and had to play in that damn Egg Cup !!
Selfishly best game would be the Perth Glory friendly at the start of this season. So much excitement about getting into the prem, and to see them play at the ground where I play my football was seriously fun (and Keogh almost lobbed in a 30 yard volley on the turn).
Best Goal – SEB v Charlton – was watching at my mates house and I woke his parents up when it went in with “Wow”.
Best Signing – Jody Craddock, sured up a leaky defence at the end of last season to secure promotion, has been a great servant. Good value for 1.75m.
Best Atmosphere – The only time I’ve been to Molineux – home to Crystal Palace last season. SEB scored on 30 seconds and the place went mad.
Best game – Beating Man U
Best Goal – Not just because I was right behind the goal when he hit, but Alex Rea agaist Bolton. What a goal!!!
Best signing. You can talk about Kights and SEB all day, £25k and £1.5m and all the good they did in CCC, that is a mute argument now they are doing nothing in PL. For that reason, my opinion of our best signing……………Karl Henry.
Best atmos…….Norwich playoff game, just amazing.
Best after match atmosphere…………….The Clarendon pub after the 1-0 win over the shit from sandwell town, it was hilarious in there and don’t think I have enjoyed a day out much more in my life.
Cheers DBoy and Rob for the nice comments. Rob, the best game was certainly not 0-0 away at Stoke City…Remember that beauty?! Still can’t believe that Stoke got promoted that season. Will definitely have to go for a beer soon!
Jody Craddock was a good call t’OM. And a mention for Dean Sturridge? Bought for nothing in the window, and scored more than enough goals to get us up. Just a shame the other players cracked. Didn’t he score about 15 after Jan?
Deano was arguably the best finisher I have seen at the Wolves, particularly in that ’02 season. Yes, Bully will always be number one, but when you think about a 1 on 1 and having time to think about a finish, he was always ice cool.
The unfortunate thing for Dean Sturridge is that many Wolves fans just want to forget about that season because of the nightmare manner in which it ended.
But like you say Ben, a great signing and I think he got even more than 15 if memory serves. I remember one absolute beauty of a chip in a home victory over Walsall.
Some of his finishing was just outrageous. The bloke was sub-zero in front of goal. Does anyone remember that penalty he chipped over the bar in a 4-1 home win against Grimsby? That was an example of him being far too casual. I don’t think Dave Jones ever forgave him for that and the Blake/ Miller partnership became the preferred option.
Christ dazza the way you talk about wolves is sometimes better than a bottle of whisky and 30 – 40 strong painkillers.
No we haven’t won anything for 50 odd years but we are definitely going in the right direction. Slowly and bumbling along at times but definitely the right direction.
I’ve only been to a handful of games in the noughties as i only graduated a year ago and living in devon or london for most of my life hasn’t made it the easiest. But watching the playoff final was just brilliant. In the pub with all my older cousins getting me drunk watching everyone play with more heart and determination than ever. Pure joy afterwards as well, with the parade and standing in the stadium as the players did a lap of honour. What a week!
best goal skill wise is probably SEB against charlton. He just shouldnt have scored but he did and it was amazing. another good one for selfish reasons is the goal michael gray *what a player* scored for us against watford. I cant remember if it was the winner or drew us level but i knew at that point i’d predicted the match score. We won 3-2 and i won £320.
Best signing. For me I loved the Ince and Ray days but if its over the decade then probably henry. Local boy done good.
Best atmosphere, well considering every home game i’ve been to we’ve played terribly. pompey being the most recently game im gunna go spurs away. After that first goal it was just cheering and chanting for over 90minutes. Fun times.
Anyone read the express and star article ‘Festive cheer for Lalley and Wolves’ – Mr Lalley has a right go at Muscat and praises Craig Bellamy! A little over the top me thinks.
Worth a read.
Yeah, I took a look at that Stourbridge. Very interesting indeed.
The Express and Star is a very good read when columnists actually share their thoughts and opinions, rather than simply regurgitating mundane stories from the official Wolves site, more often than not putting a sensationalist spin on pretty minor news.
I have to agree with Lalley that chanting ‘there’s only one Kevin Muscat’ is pretty poor form. Yes, we all know that Bellamy has knobish tendencies and the badge pointing when he was at Newcastle is a prime example. But during that match against City he was whiter than white throughout, showed what a good player he is and didn’t deserve the abuse he got.
As for Muscat, I have mixed feelings on the bloke. I think he did some good things in a Wolves shirt, but like Lalley points out, he also committed some despicable acts. I’ll never forget that sending off against Grimsby in what turned out to be his final match for Wolves. A sad way to sign-off on his Molineux career.
Sam – Only Dazza could read this article and come out with such a miserable post!!! Just imagine what he’d be like if he still lived here in England and didn’t have the glorious sunshine to lift his mood!!!
Tom – Thing is mate, there WAS only one Kevin Muscat. I absolutely loved that guy. Always gave 100%. Yeah he might have got carried away at times but that was part of his game. He was one of those players who you loved if he played for you but hated if he played against you. Much like your man Bellamy. These type of players get abuse deservedly but i’ll always back Muzzy over any player who he had a running with cus he wore the gold and black, and he wore it with pride. Wish a few more of his team mates around that time had shown half of his fight!!!!
Ed, you’re right mate. Muscat did give everything in games and when he was wearing a Wolves shirt, he had my complete backing, as every player does. And I did loving having him in the team at the time (particularly as we basically got him and Dougie Freedman in return for Jamie Smith).
I don’t think it’s particularly fair to label Bellamy ‘my man’, just for stating pretty indisputable facts:
1. Bellamy has knobish tendencies.
2. He stayed out of trouble in the Man City match.
3. He’s a good player.
Muscat was a very good full-back, but he went down in my estimations in his final minutes for the club, getting himself sent off (deliberately in my opinion) and then high-tailing up north to join Rangers. Just left a sour taste in my mouth.
I personally loved Muscat’s thuggish mentality, if not the challenge on Bellamy. No player deserves that do they?
I loved the way he completely got under the skin of Birmingham’s hardman Martin Grainger (and countless others), who wimped like a baby about how horrible and nasty he was. And then we went on to spank them. What a poof!
I loved some of his challenges and the way he’d get right in the faces of opponents who blatantly didn’t want to go near him. A real presence.
He’s what you want in an Auzzie. (if only Corica had Muzzie’s mindset? What a player we’d have had then!)
I just went off him at the end…not so much for the Grimsby red, but just for the fact that he was never the same player after his injury IMO. Not sure what you all thought, but I just sensed he was a yard or two slower by the time he left us, and it showed. Shame really, as he was a fantastic footballer first and foremost.
Sorry guys my mistake.
Also @ Louie
That Michael Gray goal was absolute quality. It’s a shame he left, he was a good player
Hallam, what are you apologising for? I’m confused.
I liked Michael Gray. He’d lost some pace and wasn’t a particularly good full-back by the time he came to Wolves, but in midfield, I couldn’t knock him.
I’m a little late but here’s my noughties verdict.
Best Game – Has to be the 03 play off final but for a game i was at i’d say the win over albion in 06/07. That was such an over achieving season and that albion side were so much stronger than us. I think they beat us four times that season, but it was still a sweet moment, a good atmosphere too
Best goal – a toss up between Rae’s screamer at Bolton and SEB at Charlton, probably just Rae
Best signing – Dave Jones made some great signings and just because they were older, doesn’t make them less so. We all know how difficult Mick’s finding it to bring in experienced players in. Rae and Sturridge for that season were probably his best. But i think Kightly just nicks it. 25k, an unknown non-league player. We all thought ‘who the hell’s he?’ and he’d just be a reserve player. But what a player he’s been for the last three years
Muzzy stepped in to stop Carl Robinson beating me up once in O’Neils when he thought I was eyeing up his bird. Robinson was having a go at me and when I saw Muzzy come over I thought I was done for but he pulled Robinson away and pretty much told him to stop acting like a prick. I always loved him for being physical on the football pitch but, luckily for me, it seems he was pretty mild mannered off it.
Personally I think Ince was the best signing. His influence on the team was invaluable. Even though his legs were going a bit he still managed to boss the game and never pulled out of a tackle. I loved the way he used to yell instructions to every player on the pitch apart from Irwin. Best captain we’ve ever had, I felt proud every time I saw him in a Wolves shirt. Hopefully when him and Rae have got enough managerial experience at MK Dons they’ll come and do a job for us. I’d love that.
Hallam was apologizing for calling Ince the Gaffer
Dunno why he was telling me about the Michael Gray goal. He scored a couple of great goals for us though. I thought he was pretty good, really hard working and a good footballer
I’m not miserable !! I was being realistic. Good news that the deadwood is disappearing..>Ward, Collins etc… but will we repalce them with PL quality? I see we are linked with Johnson from Boro… more Championship fodder
Dazza – Adam Johnson looks a quality player to me, someone who could easily cut it in the prem
Rich, i agree. I think Dazza has got sun stroke or somthing. Adam Johnson would be a fantastic signing, but boro don’t need to sell him and if they did clubs would be queuing up round the block to take, we would be ucky to have him.
Nico, I think the question is…………………….WERE you looking at Robo’s bird or not?????
Tom – sorry about that mate, I wasn’t labelling Bellamy ‘your man’. I meant it more as just a figure of speach. Sometimes written word comes over differently to spoken.
Dazza – Suppose Adam Johnson is championship fodder just like scott dann and rodger johnson are!!! There are plenty of good players to be picked up from the championship so don’t discount someone just because they are playing in that league. Have you forgotten where we signed Kevin Doyle from!!!
Nick – that story is quality. Like something out of Dream Team.
I hate Rat boy for the pointing at the premier league badge incident after we beat them in the cup.
It’s just a shame that stray firework (in our last league encounter) didn’t hit Bellamy and finish off the job Muscat started. ha,ha,ha!
You ask any other footy fan and they would say that they would have had Muscat in their team any day of the week. (like Savage for Blues really – we all hated him but you’d have had him in your midfield) Yes his ‘dark side’ tackles made you cringe at times, but name a striker that would have wanted to play against him?
Edward, Dazza has lost the plot mate, we only have three players who have EVER played in the PL, so the majority of our squaud is CCC fodder acording to him.
Also I think all three that have played PL were all signed by us when playing for a CCC side???????????
Get a grip Dazza, we are 16th at the moment with “CCC fodder”. Johnson & Moses would be fantastic signings.
4 if you count Mancienne…………………but he is not really ours
I have to say on the Muscat debate he is a legend in my eyes, still remember watching him throw a lump of mud off Hasselbaink’s back as he was running up to take a late penalty in the FA quarter final! How none of the Leeds players never spotted it i will never know. As for Bellamy i agree he does seem to be mellowing in his old age but i can’t forgive him for being a total idiot for years. I’m sure something happened in the reverse fixture at Norwich earlier in the season when Muscat snapped him? I remember going into the game with a few people talking about revenge on Bellamy and then a sense of pride when Muscat floored the little s***! Can anyone remember what that might of been?? As this article is slipping towards people that we don’t like (!!) can i make a suggestion for Total W****R of the noughties…….. Mr Hoddle.
Able bodied Christians love him!
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Quite a scintillating entry. I just am bewildered at the title Farewell to the Noughties. Simply wonderous!