After it’s second journey, the postcard landed in Alberta Canada, experiencing generous hospitality from Wolves Blog regular Jed. Massive thanks to him for the following.
Being born and raised in Stoke, I spent the majority of my life as the only Wolves fan that I knew of, so I was happy to continue that when I moved to sunny St. Albert, Alberta, Canada in 2007.
Little did I know that a small group of expats and a lone Canadian (who thinks he’s English), that all share the same passion that is Wolverhampton Wanderers, would soon be forming the now famous Edmonton Wolves Supporters Club.
This is a beautiful part of the world. This picture is taken on the banks of the North Saskatchewan River which flows right through the city:
My lad Joel is proudly holding the postcard. I took it earlier today when we reached the daytime temperature high, a balmy -25C! We have snow here from October to April, fortunately it’s followed by a hot and sunny summer.
When I first came over I went to one of the local football matches, Edmonton FC v some other team I’d never heard of, eager to continue my love of watching live games, and still reeling from having to give up my Wolves season ticket.
As I walked up to my seat, proudly displaying my Wolves shirt, I heard this broad Cannock accent shout ‘Bloody hell didn’t think I’d see another Wolves shirt over here!’. That accent belonged to little Jimbo and our friendship began.
A few months later I was taking my lad Joel to play in his U6 football game and he shouted ‘Dad there’s a bloke over there in a Wolves shirt’. Replying ‘Yeah okay’ and thinking it was something to do with his over active imagination, I looked up to see Pete who was striding towards me with a big daft smile on his dimpled face.
Pete then introduced us to our lone Canadian friend Burnie, who was keen to add Wolves to his numerous favourite teams (Canadians change teams more times than they change their under crackers!). The Edmonton Wolves Supporters club was formed!
The main purpose if our club is to sit in the pub and moan about how crap we are and when will they sack fat Jez.
Canada is a country that is hockey crazy, ice hockey not the ladies game that few of us played back at school. I keep trying to tell my Canadian friends that it’s a girls game but it’s difficult to convince them when most hockey players are 8’10” and built like the proverbial brick structures found in the back yards of terraced houses. They can’t compete with the song singing as all North American teams have one song ‘Lets go [insert any team name] Lets Go!’ and repeat. YAWN!
This picture was taken last night in the basement of Jimbo’s house, known as Jimbo’s Man Cave where he has kindly installed a bar, pool table and dart board for us to abuse:
From left to right – Pete, Jimbo (standing on a box), Burnie and me. Interesting that the Canadian is the only one wearing a Wolves shirt!
Thomas: You can follow the progress of the Wolves Blog Postcard on a new section of the site I’ve created specifically for it. And if you’re interested in adding your name to the list of people who’d like to receive the card, contact me.
Hockey…a lady’s game? Careful Jed, you’re talking to the former Shropshire U16 hockey team left back and Bridgnorth 3rd XI sweeper!
You tell ’em Bagsie! And you didn’t mention the size of your hockey box, which is made of fortified steel and stores 2KG of meat.
It was only girls that played it at our school 😉
If you used to be a left back in hockey Bagsy maybe we could convert you so you can replace the imposter we have in that position at Wolves.
Thanks again for this Jed.
Canada is somewhere I’ve always wanted to go (wink, wink, free holiday) for the scenery alone. I’ve already lived in Stoke, so perhaps one day I’ll continue to follow in your footsteps!
Loving these little Wolves supporter groups. Sounds like a splendid idea, getting together to throw some arrows and moan about the club.
Anyone interested in a Wolverhampton Wolves Supporters Group?
Cheers Thomas, no problem if you need a place to stay over here, we’ve plenty of room and would be pleased to accomodate you.
A WOLVERHAMPTON WOLVES SUPPORTERS CLUB ???? UTTER MADNESS !! IT WILL NEVER WORK !! I FOR ONE SAY NO !!!
Wonderful!
Well done Jed for converting that guy, Burnie 😉
Myself and my lady have recently taken up watching Ice Hockey here in Sheffield with the Sheffield Steelers (they play in gold and black too coincidentally!). They win a little more often than Wolves so it’s quite enjoyable. Less to moan about on blogs though 😉
Not quite the NHL I’m sure 😉
Great seeing our loyal supporters all over the world 😀
Good show guys – great to see fellow ex pat Wolves supporters!
Interesting story Jed, well done.
Long way from Wolverhampton though. Don’t suppose Edmonton FC are interested in signing a left back by any chance?
I desperately tried to tout Ward to Edmonton FC, who are probablye the equivalent to an English pub team and play in some phony league called the North American Soccer League. Tey stated that while they are always on the lookout for talented players, Stephen Ward is neither talented nor a player!
Oh well, worth a try.
Hey Lads,
Ian (Burnie) here,
Figured I would share with you guys how I became a Wolves supporter all the way from Canada (Jed had nothing to do with it)…
Here is what I wrote to Thomas when I was first interested in the Wolves Blog Postcard:
I had a mate from Wolvo (Pete) move to St. Albert, Alberta for a few years and we ended up playing footy together.
After I graduated Uni in 2009 I went to visit him in Wolvo and he took me to a Wolves vs Wigan match. (Incredibly exciting I know…We lost 2-0 that day!)
I have always loved the game of football but I instantly became a Wolves supporter when I stepped foot onto the Molineux grounds (I hate to admit it but before that I did take a liking to Liverpool…) To make things even greater I was able to meet Robert Plant at halftime of the Wolves/Wigan match.!
Two summers ago I came back to Wolvo to visit Pete again and I went to an away match vs. Crewe Alexandra. Even though it was a friendly (and we lost again…) it was a fantastic experience going to an away ground with 500 supporters getting pissed up in the pub!
Since that first match I have been bleeding Black and Gold.
Brilliant stuff Jed and Burnie.
On a day Wolves are linked with 33 year old Jason Scotland – but not until the last remaining seconds of the transfer window – this has cheered me up no end.
In this empty chasm of numbness (I shall call it a North Bank void) imposed by our scientology cult of Morgan and Moxey, I am reassured to read such a belting blog.
Love, affection and fanaticism for our great club, which outlives the imposters currently blackening the corridors of Molineux.
(The very ones who talk to us about Wolves DNA as if we’re the ones living in a parallel world!!!!)
This blog has reminded me that – with such strength of support from across the globe – we will one day be reunited with the club that we hopelessly fell in love with all those years ago.
That one day, the current imposters will be replaced with players and stewardship who will truly represent Wolverhampton Wanderers. (And not Wolverhampton Wanderers Properties Ltd)
It’s the least Jed, Burnie and the rest of us downtrodden sods deserve!
Cheers Ben! As I tell all my Canadian friends over here when I’ve sunken into yet another state of depression following yet another turgid display, the Wolves have been a consistent in my life since I was 6 and I’m only depressed because it hurts so much to see the lack of pride and passion in the players and the board. But can I turn my back on them? Hell no, never, ever!
Ive looked into it online, a mate of mine has a bar he would let us/ me use.do you have to be sanctioned by the club ? Surely there’s a few of us in NYC.I know ny wolf is up in Rochester …..
Setting up a fan club that is
No sanctions required just a dodgy facebook page like this one –
https://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/205509762846599/?bookmark_t=group
Great post by the way jed,well done mate. Hope that weather isn’t hittin ya too bad , only -7 here in NYC at the moment:)
I’ve reached the ripe old age of 75 and have supported our great team most of that time ( I saw my first game in 1946 ) apart from the 2 years Army service spent in Germany I haven’t missed many home games, and saw all the famous games Honved, Spartak, Moscow Dynamo, Real Madrid, and the list goes on and on. The reason for my blogs is that I have always boasted to my Son in Law ( sorry, but he’ s a Baggies fan, I’ve never quite forgiven my Daughter ) that where ever you go in the World you will come across somebody wearing a Wolves top. Thank’s for photo’s hope your group grows and grows, Good Luck.
Blimey… I thought I was on the edge of the pain barrier . Good on you boys !! Keep the faith
nice to read something away from the rubbish served up these last months on the pitch..”were everywhere and nowhere baby” and newcastle think theyre a big club! on a different note ben and thomas , ive emailed bahama port authority to plead with sir jack to help in any way possible-its a really long shot but what the heck!! anyway i looked up the top nobs of the company and guess what…………the vice president is a MRS BLOODY MOXEY!!!!!!! his family are every bleedin where!!
Great blog, great fans.
It does restore your faith in the world of Wolves when you know the passion for our great club is literally everywhere.
Wherever I go on holiday you always see fellow Wolves fans and they’re always proper football nuts.
Maybe we should just devote this blog exclusively to the postcard for a couple of years. It’ll be a lot more interesting and less predictable and depressing than following the progress of our team…
What makes you think things’ll be any better in a couple of years?
Lovely blog guys. It looks nice there but I fear it would be far too cold for me. It has helped to take my mind off comments by Deano yesterday:-
“The longer we can leave it the better . . . . . .
“What I don’t want to do is panic buy . . . . . . and the clincher –
“If they play like they can play we won’t have to sign any players.
Add this to the comments about having to sell before he can buy etc etc and you can almost see him sitting on Moxeys the puppeteer knee.
Wolves supporters everwhere deserve much better.
Graziano, I salute you – you have something that M&M will never have and it will endure long after they have gone.
depressing isnt it? was hoping after his big entrance as to how strong minded he is that he would not be a lap dog ! i seem to remember hearing that stalle was a disciplinarean….ha! we need a new owner ceo manager coach ….come to think of it sack the lot sell everything – even the ground…….sell it all so we can all be delivered of the MISERY weve endured for way too long ! goodnight everyone till we meet again!!!!!!!! in a paralell universe where we are not a bunch of clowns with a big top for a ground but actually winning something! robert plant please help!!
Keep it up boys, very good read.
Big Hi to all Wolves fans, the comments on here are so familiar . Apart from the obvious ones throughout my life i have been amazed at as you move through life there are Wolves fans all over. Frankly Morgan and Moxey do not even begin to understand what they have available to them to market and develop, thats the huge shame of it . They can not even properly promote the club in UK let alone develop a bond with fervent fans all over the world. OK we dont buy season tickets but we do promote, and most of us spend silly money in the internet store and get to games when we can. Everytime we are over my wife and i also spend a bloody mint in the shop.
I go to our local games wearing a Wolves shirt and often get a cheer or meet someone who shares at least some affection for the club.
Not to many In Rochester i fear, but I have a family of em in Buffalo.
Not sure about affiliation but right now Moxey and morgan would be the last people in the world i would ask to sanction my support.
Come on me babbies
By the way although I never played Field Hockey as it is called here, I do have the greatest of respect for it. I recall being around 15 at school when the football match was cancelled, somehow we ended up playing the girls school team at hockey. You can forget the softer sex I came of that field a great respecter of the game and also how rough and rugged rather attractive girls could be. In fact viscous, they knew all the tricks ankles (ouch) ribs and elbows.
Wonderful blog! Do you have any helpful hints for aspiring writers?
I’m hoping to start my own blog soon but I’m a little lost
on everything. Would you recommend starting with a free platform like WordPress
or go for a paid option? There are so many choices out there that I’m totally confused
.. Any recommendations? Thanks!