There’s usually one or two ways to completely embarrass me as a Wolves fan:
1. Ask the old man to recall some old songs I used to sing about the club when I was a kid, which were as gay as Louie Spence.
“We’ve got Geoff Thomas and Mark Venus. Stevie Bull now you’d better believe us.”
2. Look at a picture of me and my sister in Wolves shirts when little nippers, to which my best mate once exclaimed: “Ben, I honestly didn’t know you had two sisters.”
3. More recently, have a look at a blog I wrote on here this time last season, when I gave my marks out of 10 for our dealings in the last summer transfer window.
We had just signed Halford and Surman in the space of a couple of days, to add to the Milijas and Doyle swoops, and like a giddy school child singing songs about Steve Bull, I gave our activities a 9/10.
This, despite not buying the proven Premier League players we so desperately needed, missing out on some targets like Dann, and Halford and Surman being shite and anonymous respectively.
God knows what came over me. I think I caught the sun.
So what now, after buying van Damme, Hunt, Mouyokolo and Fletcher, not to mention Guedioura on a full time contract? Oh, and Mujangi Bia, lest we forget?!
With another signing or two in the wings, it’s difficult to grumble isn’t it?
In fact, the perennial, perverse comfort of supporting a mid-table, mediocre, underperforming club has never felt so distant has it? We can leave such feelings for the national team these days.
The ‘closed’ sign that we’d joke is up outside the Molineux at this time of year is in the dustbin too, along with the well worn clichés that we used to peddle about the club.
The times they are a changing, that’s for sure. And in 20 + years of supporting Wolves, I can honestly say I have never felt more excited to be a fan, or more happy with our pre-season work.
Maybe the sun’s getting to me again!
If you’d kept those “nipper” shirts, they’d be worth a fortune now.
What about starting a new thread with everyone posting the oldest pic they have of themselves wearing the lad’s colours?
Your Dad would have his ” We Just Won The Cup shirt…………from 1949.
Great news that Surman is no more, closely followed we hope by Ward, Hoff, Berra and Halford.
Then we will have a lean mean fightin’ machine!!!
We must keep fingers and toes crossed that the newbees are better than them from last summer.
Think positive me lads, we gonna get into Europe this season.
FOWB
what’s wrong with berra. he ain’t done much wrong this season. i do agree with getting rid of the hoff and halford though
I have mixed feelings about Berra.
On one hand, he put in some heavyweight performances in a number of games and looked very much up to scratch in the Premiership.
Unquestionably, he played a big part in keeping us up and formed a great partnership with Craddock.
He did drop the odd clanger though, not dealing with long balls down field on a few occasions, most notably at home to Chelsea when Drogba cashed in with their second goal.
He also looked poor in a number of away games I went to, getting bullied at Hull by Altidore, who isn’t exactly a world beater.
I think he has the potential to become a key figure for us though and will hopefully cut out the sloppy errors on the ball and beef up a bit to combat the bigger strikers.
This will be a big season for him.
yeah i know what you’re saying. tbf he can only get better and with more premier league experience he’s going to turn out really good. i think this will be the season of reckoning for the majority of our players.
As Clive would say ‘The jury still out on Berra’ for me.
Looks ok at times, but sometimes short at this level. My observation between him and other premier league centre halves is that Berra wins his fair share of headers but rarely directs the clearance in the direction of a wolves plyer. The ball tends to come back at us quickly due to this flaw. Oh and his distribution is pretty poor too!
But hey, he was part of the team that kept us up – so how bad can he be? I hope the new bloke signed from Hull has a bit of pace about him, think that was missing when playing Berra and Craddock together.
Wotcha Clive-us. I have still got the Staw Distribution shirt, from 1987. Most of my old stuff got binned, but my old Wolves shirts still remain!
I am thinking of marking my faves out of 10 for a future blog, perhaps comparing and contrasting with the Burrda one. Mind you, the flak Thomas got on here for caning the new kit might make me want to steer clear of the topic!
Has your Dad got one of those rare items “before sponsorship”?
It would be fun to watch footie now, with just numbers on the shirts, no names, to see if anyone could recognise who’s playing for us….and the opposition, although in the case of the shit, they’ve all got the same name!!!!!!!
I don’t think there is any comparison, like me, the oldies are the best!!!
FOWB
Yeah, I’m very pleased with our business so far. All solid players with some form of experience in the Premier League.
Like you say Ben, hopefully one or two more to come in of equal quality and I’ll be feeling very confident about our chances, even more so than I am now.
Good to see Surman find a solid Championship club. I think he might do well for Norwich and we needed him off the books to clear space for our arrivals. Suits all parties.
When you sign five or six players over the summer though, one usually ends up disappointing, so I wonder who we’ll be sitting here talking about this time next year as the one that didn’t quite work out.
To be uber critical, the signings are from relegated clubs, and still need to be proven as a multi million pound buy.Yes, I am pleased with what has gone before, but I still think we lack the cliched “box to boxer”, “snotter”… and with Kightly and Hunt still having medical problems… who is playing on the right? I think it’s a sign of how far we have come that I am doubting the splasshing of 15mill or so, but I do thanlk the 3 M’s for concluding business swiftly. I think we have to finish between the 12th and 15th mark for the season to be considered a success. Bear in mind, other teams will strengthen too, and we could still be light on in a few areas. Interesting season to come,…and Clive…the only we will get into Europe is if we write a good song!
Would you not consider Guedioura a box to boxer or a snotter? I would, been impressed so far
Even though it is arguably stronger than last season, there are still a lot of not-so-great teams in the Premier League and so I reckon we should be aiming for the top half next year. Put it this way: Imagine if the bottom half end up as listed below – would you be surprised?
11. Blackburn
12. Fulham
13. B’ham
14. Newcastle
15. Sunderland
16. Wigan
17. Bolton
—————–
18. Stoke
19. West Brom
20. Blackpool
I wouldn’t be shocked. We should be aiming to finish higher than all of those 11 clubs listed, IMO.
11 clubs listed? Doh … I meant 10 of course – though you might throw West Ham in there too …
I reckon you’re a bit harsh on Sunderland and Fulham especially, otherwise I reckon you make a good point. Should and will are very different things though.
Looking at that has actually perked me up even more! No reason why we can’t aim high this season. And the E & S reckon we might be back in for Dindane?!
I’d take Dindane in a heartbeat if there’s still a deal to be done.
Might be a bit of a money-grabber, but has pace to burn and has proven he can score goals in the Premiership.
I’d feel very confident with Doyle, Fletcher, Dindane and SEB as four strikers to pick from, with possibly Vokes floating around in the background too.
I’m just wondering if there’s something in this. Say what you like about the E & S, but they do have a good relationship with Willie McKay, as seen in the many stories since Camara was being an idiot (check out the recent Dorrans quotes from him only last month).
I just wonder if they’ve been tipped off that he is coming.
Put it like this, if they spoke to McKay – which they have – and he’s said ‘off the record he’s off to Blackburn’ would the paper have run a story saying he might be coming here? I doubt it.
So my theory is they’ve stolen a march on the other papers, written this as a juicy tit-bit, will later announce that Dindane is signing, and then say ‘as exclusively reported on June22.’
So that’s it, he has to be signing. Ooh I’ve gone and convicned myself!
Love the optimism – buts lets not get carried away boys.
I think it will be a long, tough season again. I like the signings we have made so far but lets wait and see what some of the teams around us sign first. I’d still be happy with finishing 17th come the end of the season as long as we retain our Premier league status – anything else is a bonus!
Lets finish above Blues and the sh*t just to shut them up for once. Blues will be without Hart (who won them at least 9 points last season) and with all their elder statesmen another year older I hope they have second season syndrome! Albion look to be shopping in the bargain basement (again) so lets hope that backfires horribly for them. First time in years I think we have a better squad then West Brom – a double would be fan-f*cking-tastic!
Hi Rich…hmmm…. not sure on that one, I think he lacks the “engine” to be that sort of niche player.
BTW… Ben…Thomas… any chance of setting up some sort of Prediction League on here? Thought it might be a bit of fun to compliment the stress!!
I’d be up for a bit of that Dazza. But bearing in mind Thomas is the technical whiz, I’d better throw it to him! I thought the Wolvea Blog Fantasy Premier League worked well last year, with 70 odd entries, so we should do that again.
Yeah, sounds like a plan Dazza.
I did consider it last season, but the blog was in it’s infancy so didn’t want to overload.
I’ll have a look at a system for setting it up that makes it easy for everyone.
Just Wolves predictions I’m assuming? Or do we want all scores in the Prem? I’m thinking just Wolves is better (and simpler).
Ben, I reckon we’d get even more entries if we setup the league again next season. Does the blog get any benefit from it though? I’m not sure. Don’t remember too many people discussing it. I kept quiet because of shit performance.
Morning Thomas! Well, my thoughts on the fantasy league are that it was great in getting a little sub-plot going alongside the blog, as a lot of people must have come on here to get the details and go on there. (we must have had a league of 70 odd?)
We didn’t really max it out with updates, but I wonder if we could do something on here as the season goes on and present monthly prizes etc.
Maybe there’s a web-expert somewhere, with excellent digital skills, who might be able to create a seperate area of this blog for people to go on and have a bit of banter around the league etc 😉
As for predictions…This web expert might be a busy boy! I’d quite like it for, say, 6 selected Premier fixtures each week? That has worked well in the past – ask Nick Dalton! It saves you from predicting tripe like Bolton v Stoke etc.
I think ( and obviously open to debate) we would be happy with just predicting the Wolves games….
Say…result….correct score…and a scorer? and maybe one other PL game of your choice?
Up to you guys, just a bit of fun for all of us geographically displaced nutters 🙂
Daz – here here, I don’t watch many matches in the EPL other than Wolves games. The beauty of Setanta and ESPN (ugh) means that I can watch French, Spanish, Italian football as well as the mighty mighty Perth Glory. I’d be all up for the Wolves match each week.
Ben doing it for 6 selscted premierleague games sounds a lot like Sky’s super 6 thingy, which if anyone doesn’t do it, it’s quite good.
6 correct scores = 100k.
Free entry, a lot like a free go on the lottery.
The best thing would be just to have predictions for Wolves games.
3 points correct score, 1 point correct result, add them all up.
That sound good – where you gonna get the £100k from each week Thomas? dont let us down!
That chant is brilliant. Especially the mystery of the second line… are you imploring him to believe in the ability of the aforementioned stars, or adding him to the list of talent like a knockout blow?
Dboy, that song was actually released and played on the Molineux PA system once upon a time. I think it was called ‘Super Wolves.’
Can’t remember the other lyrics but those are etched in my mind.
Happy days!
Its the W-O-L-V-E-S, its the Super Wolves, its the Super Wolves.
Terrible song. Still in my head 15 years later.
Still think we won’t sign Gerrard?
Look at the first names of 3 out of the 4 we’ve signed so far this summer.
And, the name of our owner, and the name of one of our stands.
Conspiracy theory number 423 says it’s a plot to rename the team Stevehampton Wanderers.
Life is slow today!!!!!!!!!
FOWB
Does anyone else on here play the official Premier League fantasy football game?
Its free to enter and you can set up a league – so we could have a ‘Wolves Blog’ league to see who really knows their stuff and who is full of … hot air!
All you Kightly lovers can make him your captain!
I did it with the sun last year and thought i was onto a winner with Torres and Owen up front (Owen was a snip). Sadly both spent most of the season injured and it went tits up
Could have been worse Rich, you could have chosen Blake 🙂
I actually put Kightly in, cuz i had to have a Wolves player. Shame on me, i’d have been better off with Blake…
Could be worse Rich – you could have thought “anyone 7ft tall must be able to score a few headed goals, I’ll put the Hof in!” or “With Halfords long throw he’s bound to score lots of points from assists!”
Or select Tony Daley as a fitness coach – oh sh*t that reality! Only Wolves (given that A load of Bull used call it ‘the Tony daley treatment table’)
That’s the one we did on here SW. I ended up being just about bottom, and cursed every player I bought. I too went for Torres and Owen, not to mention Keane and Defoe. I dropped Keane on the day he scored 5 past Burnley. I also dropped Defoe the day before he scored 5 past Wigan. I’m useless at FF!
Ahh Ben – thanks for the info, it was before my time on Wolves blog.
Hope you do the same again this year as it sounds like good fun!
I seem to have a nack of turning great players into underachieving has beens with my selections. I went balls out to get Rooney and Drogba in my team just as they both got injured and Lampard scored 4 goals (and was most people captain so double points!) I’d been top/second all season and finished pretty much last!
Like to see Clive on there – so we can judge his own performance against MM!
I would pick Ward, coz you know CL will play him every week!
Also the shit’s keeper, coz he’s gonna be super bizzy all season, bending over and picking up the ball from the back of the net.
Some of us actually have a life, and aint’ got time for silly games!!!!
Talking of silly games, I’m off to watch baseball.
FOWB
Pull the other one – the amount of time/efforts that go into your MM, Ward and Keogh rants must mean you have enough time to pick a FF team?
I dont spend a lot of time thinking about my rants, I just open my mouth and out they come.
My wife says I aint got no filters, and she’s right.
Come to that, I dont spend much time thinking at all, gives me a headache, and I get those watching that crap that passes for football in South Africa these days.
Come on Ghana!!!!
FOWB
I’m sure its all ‘white noise’ to your wife by now!
Those bloody horns give me a headache when I watch every world cup match! Come on England – oh actually come on the start of the Prem! More important to me now!
It was nice to see, actually hear, that the England fans drowned out those fuckin’ annoyin’ horns the other night against whoever it was.
Now let’s see ’em do it again against the Jairmans, their grandads bombed our grandads chip shops, dont you know?
It is 7.07 on Sunday morning in Texas, I’ve been up since 4, can’t sleep with nerves.
As you say SW, roll on the start of the Prem, then I get to do this every week!!
FOWB
I’ll reply to my own post.
Never in the field of football conflict have so many been made to feel so ashamed by so few.
There were extra police on hand at the match, and the only ones who should have been arrested were those pricks in red, for impersonating footballers.
Disgusting.
That showed all that is wrong with the game, those vastly overpaid fuckin wankers who committed schoolgirl errors all over the pitch.
They should be made to walk home.
I hope fans around the country boo them off the pitches next season, total fuckin losers and a disgrace to the memory of good players, like Moore and Charlton etc etc etc.
I really am ashamed to call myself n English football fan today, and I was rooting for Germany to score 7 or 8.
I hope they go on to win the cup now, but I’m sure they will have much better opposition, coz they had none today.
FOE
If ever you needed proof that Gary Neville is a w@nker…
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/manchester/10409372.stm
Great blog chaps. I would take £3m for Hennessey if he is really on the new managers list – doubt it somehow. Dracula and scared of crosses comes into mind.
Been on Chelsea`s website today, (its shite and gave me a rash) and I know MMacienne was on loan with us nearly all last year, but he is not shown as a player in either their first team or reserves. I mean the premiership champions would be the ones to keep their website up to date wouldn`t they. or is someting going on……..
TL;DR; but you have great pictures.
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