He’s got no hair, we don’t care…
Without doubt, the best central midfielder I’ve ever seen play for Wolves is Alex Rae.
Sure, it was great to see Paul Ince wearing old gold (albeit passed his best), Colin Cameron was fantastic going forward and even Karl Henry has proved to be a great asset since arriving for peanuts from Stoke. But none of these players, in my opinion, measure up to the plucky Scot.
In three years and 107 appearances for the club, Rae secured legendary status for his all-action performances; crunching into tackles, threading passes and scoring some quite unbelievable goals.
Of course we should have signed him a good five years before we actually did, when he was plying his trade for Millwall, but McGhee passed up on him, in favour of his old pal Steve Corica at Leicester. Great decision there Mark.
When we did eventually get hold of him, he formed part of a fantastically balanced midfield four alongside Kennedy, Cameron and Newton. I really thought we were going up in that first season, but as we all know, it didn’t quite work out. I forget exactly how that campaign ended, must be repressing it for some reason.
The following year saw him struggling for a starting place (unbelievably), as Cameron and Ince were the preferred pairing. However, it was Rae’s crucial goal away at Reading that secured us a playoff final spot. What a night.
Of course, the nightmare return to the Premiership followed, but Rae enjoyed the finest season of his career, scoring 8 goals and single-handedly keeping us afloat in those early games. As well as netting the equaliser in that famous 4-3 win at home to Leicester, he got an absolute scorcher away at Bolton. How he wasn’t named Player of the Season that year is beyond me. Whoever voted for Camara, you know who you are, hang your head in shame.
I was gutted to learn he’d signed for Rangers when his contract expired and ever since, I’ve longed to see another player in his mould.
I had the privilege of briefly meeting him, when I rudely introduced myself at a local restaurant (McDonalds). It was to my complete and utter joy, that he turned out to be a top bloke and even posed for a picture. My hero.
I look at the Wolves team now and daydream about how good it would be if Alex Rae were in it (sigh).
If only.
What a legend! I remember the season he arrived back in the days of itv digital and we seemed to be beating everyone in that dark gold shirt (and yet still didn’t get promoted). Along with Kennedy, Ince, Newton and Cameron, that was one great midfield.
That goal at Bolton was something special, probably the best goal of my time. A great player who always gave his all.
I remember going to Dominos Pizza on Tettenhall Road and he was coming out, the night after we beat Reading 2-1 in the first leg of the play offs. I said hello and asked if he could possibly bag us the winner in the second leg, which he only went and did!
The best bit was a) My wife put a bet on us winning the second leg 1-0 and Rae scoring – she won £100
and b) I retold this entire story live on Sky Sports’ ‘You’re on Sky Sports’ show, while slightly tipsy.
They had me waiting until 5mins from the end, put me on to speak to Peter Beagrie and that scouse bloke Paul Boardman, who promptly cut me off as soon as he heard me, as I was rambling and slurring on about eating Dominos Pizza with Alex Rae.
My mate has a copy of it on VHS if you want to have a cringe sometime.
I loved him. Thomas: I didn’t know we could have got him years before under McGhee? I heard that story but it involved Ole Solskjaer?
Was at Bolton that day. Still possibly the best goal i’ve ever seen us score!!
Thomas – can’t believe you’ve used a picture of him in a hun shirt mate!!
Ben, hilarious story mate. I’d love to see that tape. Apparently we went in for him just before he joined Sunderland but decided against it. Another one of those stories you hear floating around. I remember being linked with Solskjaer too. My personal favourite rumour was that we were offered £2 million and Paul Scholes for Dean Richards and turned it down. Haha. That can’t be true.
Edward, if you can find a picture of him in a Wolves shirt, I’d love to change it. I had a look and couldn’t find one.
Rich, that midfield of Kennedy, Newton, Cameron and Rae is still the best I’ve seen at Wolves. Four players, in the prime of their careers, working perfectly together.
Ah yes that video brings back memories! Only one problem with that team – the shirt sponsor “Doritos” which lead to the “Division One Rubbish In Tatty Orange Shirts” – highly imaginatve but still embarrassing on all counts. I have the 2 away shirts (black one and white one) from that era – god knows why I bought them, they’re shocking!
Alex Rae was different class, how we need a player of his ilk in this current team!
In our last Premier season I remember someone phoning up 606 and saying “If we had eleven Alex Raes we’d be third from top, not third from bottom.”
I always remember that goal away against Reading as going in in slow motion, but it didn’t happen like that in reality. He scored a cracker away to Derby in the season we choked and threw it away. He was a scorer of great goals.
I wish he’d have got to play some part in the play off final – he deserved to more than most.
A guy I used to work with used to deliver the free papers to his house and confirmed that he was a top bloke, with loads of time for people.
Anyone know what he’s up to now? Am I right in thinking he’s at MK Dons with Paul Ince?
Neil – Yeah he’s first team coach at the Dons. So many ex-wolves at that club now.
Rae is one of the first players I can remember at the Wolves. How he wasn’t a regular player I’ll never know…
Rae is the closest we have ever come to replacing Mike Bailey, and is exactly the type of player we need now to sort things out
As a side note, does anyone follow former referee Jeff Witer’s lague of injustice? According to him if we hadn’t been victim of some poor referring decisions we would be sitting 14th place – here’s the ‘revised’ league according to Jeff
http://www.sportingpreview.com/loi/0910000i.php
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I38g5UCT-zc
the rae’inator’ vs. bolton
Sam. Cheers for that. Eat my goal! I think his goal of the month award, for that strike, is still in the trophy cabinet in the Billy Wright main reception.
I remember being one of suprisingly few voices on the internet at the time who were amazed that Colin Cameron was picked ahead of Stingrae. That bald midget couldn’t lace his boots. It took us to be promoted before some wolves fans realised how good Rae was.
Now now kwolf, cameron was a good player too who didn’t fizzle out like kennedy and newton (it’s sad really that some fans hated kennedy by the end) Remember when cameron was sent out on loan to millwall by hoddle and after the fans demanded his return he immediately scored against coventry.
Perhaps not as affective as Rae, but a damn good player
Neil – I don’t ever remember being third from bottom! That would have been an achievement that year with the tripe we had. Agree with K Wolf, Colin Cameron was terrible.
I don’t think Cameron was terrible, he was one of our better players in that season, and he scored our first winner. Rae should have had the first winner but Naylor was too nice.
Rae was a great player though and a joy to watch.