Kenny Jackett has wasted no time in utilising the loan market to strengthen his squad, after signing one of the UK’s most talented youngsters in a breath-taking swoop.
Okay, so I apologise immediately if I have raised any hopes with that intro, but I needed something suitably sensational to do justice to one of the most joyous days I’ve ever had as a Wolves fan.
As some of you might know, I am blessed to be a father to a beautiful boy called Arthur who, unlike his Dad, has a happy knack of winning things to supplement his big beaming smile.
Before a ball was kicked this season, Arthur was at it again, when he unknowingly won a chance to sit with his heroes as part of the official team photo-call at Molineux.
When Young Wolves membership manager Kerri Davies left me an urgent voicemail to call her back in August, I immediately feared the worst…
…Maybe my season ticket had been cancelled due to Wolves Blogging mischief? Maybe my credit card had bounced? Or maybe, just maybe, there might be something to get excited about.
Thankfully, it was the latter, as she told me that skipper Sam Ricketts had picked Arthur’s name from a hat of 2,500 little cubs to win an experience of a lifetime with the Wolves – the jammy little bugger.
So Arthur and I got suitably dressed for the occasion and headed off to Molineux to have our picture taken with the lads.
Words fail to do justice to the experience, which not only made a young boy’s dream come true, but validated my own 25 year love affair with the club, which I wouldn’t swap for all the Premier League big boys put together.
Kenny Jackett was charming, Danny Batth and Sam Ricketts were caring and the whole squad were accommodating for me and my boy, as we made a nerve-wracking walk from the side of the pitch to a pair of big empty seats next to Kenny and Joe Gallen.
I’m not sure who was more nervous, although I’m damned sure who looked more photogenic!
Aside from the glorious photos and the wonderful memories they create whenever I look at them, I left Molineux with an added sense of contentment, which I guess you’ll have to take my word on…
…The club officials, from Kenny down to Kerri, and the culture that enveloped that sun-drenched afternoon.
Amid this boundlessly upbeat occasion, positivity comes as standard. But with the players, backroom staff and community team so clearly proud to be wearing the club colours, I only wish I’d have brought a bottle.
A bottle to capture the atmosphere with, to take home for when me and Arthur need it most.
For when I throw his little bedroom curtains wide…
…One day like this a year has seen us right!
Thank you Wolves
Wow, had no idea that was you in that picture! This is brilliantly written though, you’ve one lucky lucky kid Ben! 🙂 Those pics are ace as well!
Thank you Hamster. I just hope the blog does justice to the day we had, and that I’ve captured the special atmosphere in a small way.
It’s difficult to quantify just how detached I personally felt from the club during our dark recent times and equally tough to explain why I feel so much closer.
Being a jammy git helps doesn’t it?! Winning also helps. But I do think it goes deeper and that there has been a lot of hard work done in engendering a more harmonious atmosphere.
It starts at the top and I think that, as a community club, we should all feel rather proud – irrespective of results.
Bravo to the club for doing that. You really can’t fault them for the work they do with the community and kids.
Couldn’t happen to nicer people either 🙂
Arthur will have that treasured memory locked away for the rest of his life and not a bad anecdote for his old man either I would suggest.
One comment on the team pic: Second row have their shirts untucked. That’s controversial isn’t it? I half wondered whether they’d gone casual in your version but it’s the same in the other pics. I wonder if they’re just being scruffy or if there were commercial/artistic reasons?
Thanks Thomas. I didn’t notice the shirt thing until you said. I actually thought that van La Parra looked oh so slightly ‘chunky’ when I looked at the pic again, but I was never worried…I was told that his results in the pre-season bleep tests were quite phenomenal!!! Incidentally, Rajiv was such a lovely guy too.
Blimey , it just brought a tear to my eyes . Ditto above , you lucky so and so !! [ mind , for your efforts on the blog I reckon you deserve it and more } .
Thank you Robertsbridgewolf. I thought they might throw me out if they knew who I was!!! But seriously, we were treated like kings. Quite apt that, wot with Arthur being an Arthur!
Fantastic stuff Ben, I can’t imagine how fantastic that was for Arthur and for yourself!
The work the club has done over the past year or so to get the fans back onside has been very impressive. Hearing stories like this, and others (after the Orient game away last year KJ was great with the fans outside the car park for instance, as were the players). There’s such a good feeling around the club and I hope that they strive to continue that and not get comfortable with it as I think that was the case under Mick.
Thanks Louie, very kind. It was such a lovely day I can’t describe. That ‘This is our club and it knows no division’ banner kept catching my eye during the day.
Probably me getting all deep and meaningful, but that’s how it felt / feels. It is our club, equally applicable to a 6 year-old, a receding 35 year-old, or my dear Grandma who is 92.
It felt like the club is appreciative of this too…As per jogging through the very streets that me, Arthur and my grandma have all trodden down in days / months / years gone by.
I read today that Jacket also consider La parra as an alternative as a central striker (http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/wolves-rajiv-van-la-parra-7739523), which is very interesting.
Van La Parra behind Dicko could definetly work. Two lightning fast players up front in central positions would make havoc, and I also believe he has enough workrate to function well in such a role. His technical skills and physical strength would also allow him to hold up the ball when necessary. Henry is an excellent alternative on the right wing, so if things begin to halt Jackett has alternatives to turn things around.
I do believe I made this very point in my last blog Karlir.
Maybe the Birmingham Mail read it, felt suitably enlightened and posed my very hypothetical to Kenny?! (I doubt it but you never know!)
Ben.
We may have had to put up with a lot in the past but your experience with Arthur shows how far we have genuinely travelled as a club, team, manager and supporters. I take my grandchildren when ever possible as you know from our bloggers ball last season, they share all our “Golden Moments”. Last week they came to the U21s at Telford and King Kenny was excellent, genuine and pleasant, he couldn’t do enough for my Grandchildren. Like Arthur, they won’t forget this, pictures for play school and big school will cover the events in detail as passionately as your work on the blog and inspire classmates to become Wolves fans. The club has got their act together and we as fans are starting to feel part of it. COYW
You lucky Devil.
🙂
Having just got back from a four day debauch at Festival No6 I was feeling pretty ‘tired and emotional’ but this blog has just tipped me over the edge and turned me into a blubbering jelly.
What a completely brilliant day you must have had!
What an experience for you and your lad.
How smart he looks in the old gold kit.
And how wonderfully uncomfortable you look in your suit.
Oh! Man!
Words fail me.
I would have given a fortune to be in your shoes (but not your suit) that day.
Nurse, bring me another handkerchief!
Great blog again Ben, glad to see you and Arthur experiencing a fantastic time with the club. I got to say this only re enforces my belief that something different and hopefully great is going on at Wolves throughout the club!!!! This is not the same club I have supported for the last 30 years it feels different it feels special and I just hope it does not stop!!!!
You really capture the atmosphere Ben.
Am in Manhattan at the moment and you bring to life something very touching about the club we all support…
You never know, one day we might see Arthur dressed in gold and black, scoring goals for the Wolves….
The grinning excitement of that lad in the front row says it all Ben.
And your son seems to be having a pretty good time too.
I can only try to imagine the happiness that gave you both.
I know it’s not all down to King Kenny, but the change at the club in the past 12 months is staggering and this is just one more wonderful example.
I can only agree…. YOU JAMMY BUGGERS!
Loving Robert Plant on BBC Breakfast this morning…
Meant to be talking about his music but instead he’s plugging Wolves at every opportunity and making a case for Steve Bull to be knighted.
The international legend talking up Steve Bull the legend… also a mention of another true great in Baroness Rachael Heyhoe Flint….
Makes you even more proud…
I see the sticky fingers of greasel all over this!!
One of the most vociferous, eloquent and loudest critics of the regime over the last few years has his son “miraculously” picked from an entry of millions!
Nah, this stinks to high heaven of nefarious deals done behind closed doors, to get you to stop telling the truth and exposing lies and deceit everywhere!!
From the above, you cannot fail to see the jealousy seeping through clenched teeth, all the way from deep in the heart of Texas!
Arthur obviously gets his good looks from his mother, and I assume you wore a blue suit coz your gold and black one was at the cleaners!!
Days like that are very few and far between, brightening up what can sometimes be a ho – hum life. Extremely pleased for Arthur that he is old enough to appreciate a wonderful time, one that will be in his memory forever.
Yes, happy for you both, but still friggin’ jealous!!
Hi Ben. Great blog, the footballing gods were shining on you and your lad again. I`d like Arthur to pick my six numbers for the lottery for the next couple of weeks, if you can text these over asap please.
Wonderful day for you both, and just as good was the picture you paint of a united club with everybody so proud to wear the shirt of our famous football team. With this kind of team spirit and unity anything can be achieved, particularly now the supporters are right behind KJ and his team.
Smile, smile again and then smile some more. Truly magnificent my friend. Arthur is at an age where he will have absolutley cherished and fully understood the event. He will never ever forget that day and I am so pleased for both him and yourself.
You must have been so proud of him.