Fletcher at best! At worst, his foot needs lopping off.

Typical that the hideously inaccurate article is the one which got all our hopes up and the truth is that Fletcher is missing both of Scotland’s Euro qualifiers.

It’s just typical full stop isn’t it?

You’d think the Express & Star would know better than anyone not to randomly speculate about a star player, and the need to reconcile an indirect quote with a bit of medical fact.

After all, one of their sports reporters – who now scribes in a north east newsdesk somewhere – told me that Barry Holmes was sacked from Molineux for injecting three painkilling injections in Michael Kightly’s ankle. All three needles were inserted in the wrong place! (hence lengthy mysterious no-show after Cambridge cup win)

It makes you wonder how ‘bruised’ Fletcher’s foot really is. It made me wonder if he’d broken a metatarsal after hearing he had to yank his boot off to ease the throbbing once subbed against Stoke.

My prognosis may well be laughable, but no less believable than a bruised foot, which has now taken three-and-a-half weeks (and counting) to heal. Some bruise.

So after passing the latest orange billboard outside Queen Street, I thought I’d check the club’s official injury page on their website for up-to-the-minute news on the player.

How strange then, that Steven Fletcher’s name hasn’t been mentioned on the site since August 24^th.

Hmm.

I suppose the club have been so busy extolling the renaissance of SEB and his insatiable appetite for goals that they haven’t had time to tell us how the £6.5 million man is.

I can understand this of course. Why wouldn’t you want to bury a month-long mystery injury under a far more joyous story, which has got our juices flowing to such an extent that we barely remember what Fletcher looks like?

 I mean, the Doyle and Sylvan partnership has never looked so good anyway, right? Bring on Fulham, with or without him.

Well excuse me as I temper my enthusiasm and seek a simple answer to a simple question:

What is wrong with Steven Fletcher?

Is it a bruised foot as in a Dean Richards ‘bruised thigh’ which was closer to an amputation job? (according to his local car dealership)

Is it a bruised foot as in a Joleon Lescott minor injury, like the ‘minor’ knee surgery in the summer of 2003?

Or is it just a bruised foot?

The answer is probably undisclosed somewhere, in an undisclosed news section in an undisclosed website, which contains all of the undisclosed transfer fees we have ever paid out.

I get the feeling that I’m in the minority to get flustered by all of this. Take away Sylvan’s two goal start to the season and I think we’d all want answers, wouldn’t we?

Those were the days

It’s a funny thing you know, but I have something in common with Geoffrey Boycott. We both fell in love at a very early age and have remained faithful ever since. Unlike Boyks though, I didn’t fall in love with myself. No, my first true love was Wolverhampton Wanderers and I love the old girl more with every passing year. (I realise now that, what I thought was love for Susan Legg, when I was seven years old, was just pure unadulterated lust!)

Something that made my feelings even stronger was the fact that my club was always so tantalisingly far away. Any visit would always involve a three hundred mile round trip. That was my dad’s fault, as he moved from his home town of Wolverhampton to Southampton a few years before I was born. What he did do, though, was pass on his love for the club to his youngest son (but not to my three older brothers, by the way, who never showed any interest) and although there hasn’t been much success enjoyed over the years, I wouldn’t swop my old girl for any of these young floosies around today. No, you can keep your Chelseas and your Man Citys with more money than sense and your Man Uniteds with endless success. Real love is for better, for worse. You don’t really know love until you’ve shared failure and disappointment – and we’ve certainly shared a bit of that over the years.

Let’s face it, I didn’t choose a great time to start following the Wolves back in 1961. I had just missed the glory, glory years of the fifties and I was not to know, then, that the future was to hold so many disappointments.

My first exciting memory of Wolves, though, was reading on the notice board at junior school that our next match was away to Wolverhampton! I couldn’t sleep for a week. Imagine my disappointment then, when the school bus stopped a few miles down the road at some village called Woolhampton (stupid name). Reading was never my strong point.

I was football mad and I was Wolves mad, but the only chance I could get to see them was on the odd family visits, which were few and far between particularly as we didn’t have a car then. It meant that when I did go it was awesome. I remember walking in the first time and staring up in wonderment at the massive human mountain behind the goal to the right. I loved the curved roof of the stand opposite with the clock. I thought it was wonderful and, I realise now, that was the day I fell in love. I don’t remember much about the game, except wonderful Waggy Wagstaffe tormenting them down the left wing and, I think, Terry Wharton on the right, thundering shots in on goal. I was in love and I had my first Wolves heroes.

My faithfulness was tested on a couple of occasions and, I’m ashamed to say, I had a couple of flings with local hussies. When I was without transport as a kid, I used to catch the football bus to watch my nearest team, Reading. Then, when I moved to Bournemouth, I watched them under Harry Redknapp, when they knocked Man U out of the cup and got promoted to what is now the championship, for their first and only time.

At the time, Wolves were plummeting under the Bhatti boys and finally the day came when they played Bournemouth in the old 3rd division. Who would I support? They were both my teams. I wanted them both to win. That was until I neared the ground and heard the deafening chants of the Wolves fans and those two wonderful words‘ The Wolves!’, ‘The Wolves!’ Despite the state of the club and the team at the time, the away supporters took over large sections of the ground with banners demanding ‘Bhattis out!’ My chest filled with pride and, much to the disgust of my mates, I went next to the away support and cheered them to the final whistle. Well, of course I had to, didn’t I, they were my first true love. That was the first time I realised how much emotion was invested in this football team, from a place where I had never lived. There was no logic to it. Logically, I should have supported my local team, who were going places and I could watch every week. But, you see, I just liked them, I didn’t love them.

I’m not ashamed to admit that, occasionally, Wolves can make me cry – and it’s not when they lose and I’m sad. It’s when they make me proud. I remember when Football Focus did a piece on the opening of the new Molineux. The Terminator was playing and the camera closed in on a girl as she chanted ‘The Wolves!’ My wife walked in as tears rolled down my cheeks and, when she asked why I was crying, I had to admit I didn’t really know.

I guess that’s just love for you. There’s no rhyme nor reason really. Although this love affair’s had its bad times, it’s also left some wonderful memories. Of my absolute favourite players: John Richards, Frank Munro, Mike Bailey, Kenny Hibbitt and, of course, Bully. Of being there when we got to the UEFA cup final and the two league cup wins and, of course, our steady revival under the present regime. In fact I’d say my old girl’s looking a lot better than she has for a long time. I reckon I got a goodun there don’t you.

When did you fall in love?

Michael Kightly - left out

That means he will not play a game for us until January at the very earliest, when Mick McCarthy can revise the 25-man roster.

Gutted. Well, I am anyway.

Here’s a little secret – I love Michael Kightly.

Some might have gathered this already. The flying winger has after all adorned the banner of this very blog from it’s inception, and there, despite constant struggles with injury, he has remained.

That iconic image from Wolves 5-1 demolition of Nottingham Forest two years back was perhaps Kightly’s finest hour in a gold shirt. He tormented them that day, scoring two of the finest goals I’ve ever witnessed at Molineux and spanking another sizzling effort off the bar.

Of course he’d already found a way to my heart long before that glorious sunny afternoon.

His arrival from Grays Athletic in 2006 coincided perfectly with an immediate upturn in our fortunes and a string of tireless performances almost single-handedly dragged us into the play-offs.

The following season was filled with frustration as he was besieged by injury and with Wolves only missing out on a top six finish on goal difference, I couldn’t help but think at the time that things would have been different had Kites remained fit.

Even in our Championship winning campaign he spent lengthy spells on the sidelines and despite contributing significantly to our success, he never hit full stride after limping off at home to Reading.

Last year he played a handful of Premier League games but was a shadow of the player I’d come to love. An impostor. A lack of match practice was probably the underlying factor given that he’d missed the entire pre-season.

Glimpses of the real Michael Kightly emerged in that horrendous 1-0 home defeat to Blues, but that turned sour when he rocked his ankle and subsequently sat out the rest of the season.

We were then promised he’d bit fit and ready for the start of this campaign. Then we were told he was a few weeks behind. Then we were told he wouldn’t be ready for the Stoke game. And now, finally, we’ve been given confirmation that he’s not really anywhere close to full-fitness and definitely won’t be pulling on a Wolves shirt until at least January.

The rational side of me recognises that when a player has been out for as long as Kites has, it’s always going to take a while to get him back fully fit and perhaps it is best that he takes another month or two to get into his stride.

But it’s massively frustrating.

Last week’s news that Matt Murray was hanging up his boots came completely out of left field, even if retrospectively it didn’t seem like a massive shock. It hit home that some players just never return from long-term injuries and it resonated when the big man said ‘I just didn’t feel I could get up to the standard I’d want to be at’.

You see, that’s just it, we don’t want the shabby 2009 Michael Kightly back. We want the 2006 vintage. The marauding wide man, capable of winning games on his own with a moment of sheer brilliance.

A return of that Michael Kightly, is long overdue.

Any questions for Jez?

As a Wolves Blog regular, I thought some of you may be interested to know I’m serving a two year term on the Wolves Fans Parliament starting this month. I’ve never done it before so maybe it will prove a complete waste of time but if any of you have any issues that you would like to raise with Jez Moxey & co then I’ve been told to submit an agenda for the first meeting by September 8th.

A few things spring to mind – I will certainly be looking for more clarity on the Stadium expansion plans because it would seem to me that we have had limited information on this thus far – especially given that, all being well, the North Bank will be knocked down as soon as May next year. How will all this affect capacity / season ticket holders / pricing going forward?

Again, if you guys have any other concerns that you would like me to raise then just let me know and I’ll try and get the points across.

UTW

Bent - on loan until January

If Marcus Bent had brought Danielle Lloyd to Molineux with him after signing on loan, I’d be mildly excited as a Wolves fan right now.

Unfortunately, the busty Scouser moved on to better things some time ago and is no longer with the Birmingham City reject. I’d have thought we’d have done likewise.

The 32 year-old nomad is our much discussed fourth striker and will be playing for his 14^th club when he pulls on the old gold shirt in the near future. Surely that says something?

However, without wanting to bemoan the acquisition without giving him a chance, it is time to welcome the big man to the bosom of our squad and hope he notches some important goals for us, like he used to for Sheffield United all those years ago.

The problem has always been: How much quality can you attract to a club when the manager is selling a position on the subs bench? Maybe our new, sunken dugouts look a bit more cosy than those harsh looking blue ones at St Andrews?

The plus points: Bent will score more goals and put himself about more than Andy Keogh if given half a chance. He has Premiership experience (bloody loads of it!) and he will not need to settle in the area as he is already living here (scratching the barrel a bit now).

I can only go on what I have seen, which was actually quite encouraging. He bullied Michael Mancienne all over Molineux when we dew with the Blues 1-1 in our Championship winning season, and looked surprisingly mobile too.

If Mick thinks he can do a job, then let’s get behind Marcus and wish him all the best.

If it was down to me, I’d have kept Iwelumo, who is younger, statistically more prolific, and more likely to mess up an opposing centre half like Andy Carroll did to us on Saturday.

Better still, I’d have phoned Danielle Lloyd up and asked her what her current boyfriend is up to once his back gets better!

SEB has started the season impressively

Crunching tackles, bad decisions and well taken goals are the three things that will live long in the memory about this bruising afternoon at Molineux.

From the moment Karl Henry piled into Joey Barton in front of an approving South Bank, fairly I might add, the tone of the match was set and neither side shied away from this all or nothing, blood and thunder contest.

Kevin Doyle, Jelle van Damme, Matt Jarvis, David Jones, Adlene Guedioura, Ronald Zubar and a handful of Magpies all joined Henry in the book, some more deserving of their punishment than others.

This was a horrid match to referee, with both sides up for the scrap, but the man in the middle did himself few favours with a string of decisions that incensed the crowd and did little to appease either set of players.

The worst call, his failure to award Wolves a second half penalty was not only grossly incompetent but completely illogical. As Matt Jarvis skipped by James Perch and tumbled over the defender’s clumsy tackle, the outcome seemed obvious.

But having not given the penalty, not booked Jarvis for diving and not awarded a corner, what exactly was the referee’s conclusion? The answer to that, we will probably never know.

Of course at that point, Wolves were already a goal to the good thanks to an exquisite piece of skill and a finish to match from the resurgent Sylvan Ebanks-Blake.

Plucking a looping cross out of the sky and swivelling to fire the ball home in two sublime movements was our number 9 at his ruthless best and capped a performance full of endeavour.

Mick obviously appreciated his efforts too, choosing to withdraw Kevin Doyle when the time came to introduce Steven Fletcher. That was massive statement to make but one you’re hard pressed to argue with given Blake’s early season form.

Newcastle of course have a striker bang in form too and Andy Carroll’s measured header to drag the Geordies level was just reward for a towering performance in which he won practically every header.

It’s not often you’ll see Craddock and Berra bullied in the air, but that’s exactly what the young forward achieved and it surely wont’t be long until Fabio recognises the impact this powerhouse could have on our national side.

So ultimately, the spoils were shared and whilst both teams will feel they could have won it, both can count themselves lucky not to have come away from this bruising encounter with nothing.

And the fact both sides finished with eleven men on the pitch is, quite frankly, a miracle.

After Sylvan grabbed us a deserved point at Goodison Park, 24 hours later the Magpies put six passed Aston Villa, emphatically announcing their return to the top flight.

Mancienne - back in on another season long loan

As a consequence this game really is beautifully poised with both Mick McCarthy and Chris Hughton probably feeling this fixture represents a solid opportunity to get another early-season win and put some vital points on the board.

Interestingly, Newcastle haven’t made any significant additions to the side that won the Championship at a canter. However, some may argue their squad was already good enough to compete in the Premiership and if last weekend’s mauling of Villa is anything to go by, you’d be hard-pressed to disagree.

Experienced trio Kevin Nolan, Joey Barton and Alan Smith provide the know-how and with the likes of Wayne Routledge and Andy Carroll, they have a few young guns  looking to prove themselves. I think this gives their side a nice balance.

Carroll in particular has been impressive in the opening two games, notching a hat-trick last weekend and causing Villa no end of problems. Craddock and Berra will certainly have their hands full trying to restrict his influence.

For Wolves, we’ll be looking for a repeat of the first-half heroics that saw off Stoke on opening day. Hopefully Steven Fletcher will recover from his severely bruised foot, as Mick McCarthy is desperately short on attacking options after allowing Andy Keogh to join Cardiff.

Adlene Guedioura must be pushing hard for a place in the starting eleven following his vital contribution in rescuing a point from Everton. I’d imagine Mick will give him a chance on the right side of midfield, with Jarvis switching to the left, Elokobi getting the axe and Ward slotting in at left-back.

There are other options too. Zubar impressed in midweek so perhaps he’s in contention. van Damme may also return and after an determined performance against Stoke, he could well return to the side.

The news has literally just broken too that Michael Mancienne has signed on another season-long loan. He will no doubt take his place amongst the substitutes on Saturday but will certainly come into contention in the coming weeks. (Read the story from the Wolves site here: http://www.wolves.co.uk/page/News/0,,10307~2135014,00.html)

Here’s my predicted eleven:

Hahnemann

Foley
Berra
Craddock
Ward

Guedioura
Henry
Jones
Jarvis

Doyle
SEB

Prediction League

You’ll all be glad to know that I lead the Prediction League having correctly guessed the two results so far. Congratulations also to New kid on the blog who, like me, has a maximum return and sits on top of the pile.

Take a bow Super Kev Doyle, David, Jon Sidwell and t’OM for getting the result spot-on at Everton last weekend.

You can look at the full table via the menu at the top of the page or by clicking here.

It’s not too late to join in, so if you’d like to make a prediction, simply do so by leaving a comment below.

This weekend, I’m going all out for 3-1 Wolves win.

If you’re going to the game, have a great time and get behind the lads.

Up The Wolves.

Read the full story on the official site: http://www.wolves.co.uk/page/News/0,,10307~2135293,00.html

This is such a sad, but predictable end, to what should have been a career at the very highest level.

Regardless, we’ll all remember Matt fondly for some towering performances, not least his heroics in that play-off final against Sheffield United back in 2003.

Despite being plagued with injury for almost his entire career, he was also voted player of the season in 2006, Mick McCarthy’s first year at the club. The highlight of that particular campaign for me was the 1-0 home win over Albion in which Matt single-handedly  kept the Baggies out with a string of fine saves.

I’ve never met him, but anyone I’ve spoken to who has always says the same thing, ‘what a top bloke’.

Hopefully there’s a role for him at the club, but whatever he goes on to do, good luck to him.

Thanks for the memories Matty!

The players celebrate Stearman's extra-time winner

A Richard Stearman goal was enough to ensure Wolves squeezed passed Southend in the second round of the Carling Cup. But having squandered the lead given to them by Nenad Milijas from the penalty spot, they needed extra time to see off the plucky League Two outfit.

I wasn’t at the game so I can’t really assess individual performances but based on the scoreline, I can only surmise that it wasn’t a sparkling team effort from our second string. Anyone who did go, please chip in with feedback in the comment section below.

What I can say is that I would have been gutted to have seen us limp out in the early stages of a competition I feel we have every chance of doing well in this season. A good cup run is certainly long overdue.

Of course, while that was going on, Andy Keogh was putting the finishing touches on a season-long loan move to Cardiff. Here’s what Mick McCarthy said about the striker’s move following last night’s match:

“It’s a racing certainty that Andy will be going to Cardiff.”

“He didn’t want to be cup tied and Cardiff didn’t want him to be cup tied and it was a chance for us to give Ashley Hemmings a game.

“Andy has been fabulous here both for me and this football club.

“It’s a good move for him to go to Cardiff and good luck to him.

“He wants to play football and doesn’t want to be fourth in line here which I can fully understand.

“It was my decision to let him go but he goes with our best wishes and warmest regards.”

What surprises me about this move is that Cardiff already have a wealth of strikers on their books, with Chopra, Bothroyd and Bellamy the preferred trio. It seems entirely plausible that Keogh could become their fourth choice, unless he knows something I don’t. Regardless, good luck to him.

Anyway, with Keogh seemingly now out of the picture, I’ll be staggered if the transfer window shuts and we haven’t brought in another striker to compliment the three we have on the books.

The rumour circulating last night was that Michael Mancienne was close to completing a move to Wolves as a replacement for Keogh in the 25-man squad. And while I’d be happy to welcome the Chelsea-man back, whether it be in a loan deal or permanently, I can’t help but feel we’d be left short in the attacking third.

Caleb Folan from Hull has been linked with Wolves in recent weeks, so perhaps something will develop on that front.

Looking at the three forwards we have, I can’t shake the suspicion that Mick will want a more physical option to throw on in games where it’s difficult to get the ball down and play. If that is the case, I wouldn’t mind seeing us make a move for someone like Jason Roberts at Blackburn. Not the most technically gifted player around, but a proven threat at Premiership level and destined for the exit door from Ewood Park this month.

So a busy 24 hours and some interesting developments around Molineux.

What do we all think?

When it comes to the Wolves, people can throw any proposition my way and I can swat it away like a Matt Prior cover drive. When I’m with friends, we all swat it away and generally arrive at a unanimous verdict.

I wonder what Mick would say?

This one however, is different. And no amount of rational discourse over a bag of scratchings could lead me and my friends to a comfortable conclusion.

See what you think folks…

So a Portsmouth fan – who is known for taking centre stage in our little social circle – triumphed again after the Stoke City game in the Clarendon, where he asked us if we’d take eight years of what he has just had, with the one condition that it ends in relegation at the end of it all.

So the deal is: An FA Cup final win, an FA Cup final appearance, European football including AC Milan at the Molineux, and a collection of some of the best players in the club’s recent history over the course of the period.

Also thrown into the mix are regular, virtually guaranteed spankings of our arch rivals, a brand of football for purists to purr over, and some atmospheres and memories to tell the grandkids about. Let’s not forget winning at Old Trafford and Spurs in the semi-final, as well as a load of others in between.

The one condition is that it ends, after eight years, in relegation.

Would you take it? Or, would you take eight years similar to the one we have just had where we carefully build, stabilise and supplement our admirable young squad as we go?

Mr Portsmouth’s conundrum is probably as much a commentary about the Beautiful Game itself, and the expectations and romance that comes with it compared with, say 30 years ago, when anything seemed possible.

He is basically arguing thus: Where is the fun in following a Premiership side whose odds will long be stacked against them, while an elite band of clubs always challenge for honours every single year?

With that in mind, isn’t the prospect of an FA Cup final win at Wembley too alluring to turn down? Remember how such successes in 1949 and 1960 shaped our own club’s history. Remember what the competition means to Sir Jack. I’ve even got an original gold-tinted ‘It’s Ours’ Sporting Star framed on my wall from the final against Leicester!

After a few too many Carlings I arrived at my conclusion, and I’m sticking by it.

Like most things in life, football evolves. So too do expectations and outlooks. So I gratefully consider Mr Portsmouth’s enticing offer and hand it back to him.

Instead, I opt for eight years of stability, growth, and fighting like hell against the odds to stay in the league no doubt.

Why? Because this way, our great club will be in the strongest position ever to give my little boy years of enjoyment at the right end of the football hierarchy, along with every other Wolf cub of his generation. No 4th division for them!

We would have honoured the principles that we were founded on in 1877 and would be in the strongest financial position to make our long-term future a resounding success.

The fact the FA Cup matters little these days – thanks to Manchester United’s revolting snub in 2000 – is sad. The fact the Premier League’s riches matter more, and that we barely stand a chance of winning it, is also sad.

But like I say, football evolves and we act accordingly. I’ll take eight more years of what we’re getting, with the hope that the following 80 could then be something to really make Portsmouth fans jealous of.

What do you think?