Which Wolves "Legend"...

[johnybig32]

2 questions.

1. ... would you like to place into our team to improve it (with reason)?

2... Would be worth the most in the current transfer market?

I never saw him play but Billy Wright would be the player i would insert into the defence. Surely would help sort it out back there!

If Blake is worth 5million...I wonder how much Bull would be worth in his peak!

[OCD Wolf]

Peter Broadbent

[johnybig32]

Answer to which question?

[OCD Wolf]

Both

[Dewsburywolf]

Stan Cullis was even better than Billy Wright. Bully's value to Wolves would be off the scale.

[Deutsch Wolf]

1) Alex Rae

2) Robbie Keane

[johnybig32]

Alex Rae when in the CCC couldnt get into the starting line up. Was immense in the Premiership season.

Still scored one of the best goals i have ever seen... (Bolton away)

[Arthur Sixpence]

Kenny Hibbitt - He was a better all round player than Frank Lampard is and Lampard is worth £ 25,000,000 ??

[cooper_J]

Alex Rae when in the CCC couldnt get into the starting line up. Was immense in the Premiership season.

Still scored one of the best goals i have ever seen... (Bolton away)

YouTube - Alex Rae vs Bolton Wanderers

Enjoy.

[Atlas 1951]

Stan Cullis was even better than Billy Wright. Bully's value to Wolves would be off the scale.


Cullis always went up for headers with his elbows out, according to my Stoke-supporting grandfather (information passed down to me by my old man).

Question 1) We need central defence, holding central midfield and a captain. Billy Wright, Emlyn Hughes, Mike Bailey or Eddie Clamp. We also need some creativity and goals from midfield, so how about Hibbit, Carr, Peter Broadbent.

Question 2) I choose to believe the hype: Knocker Knowles, closely followed by a similar player (from what I can gather) Robbie Keane. But Wolves have had some great strikers, too, and given strikers' prices in the market, what couldn't you buy with the present-day value of Richards and Bull?

[cooper_J]

Question 2) I choose to believe the hype: Knocker Knowles,

I used to work with him at M&S in Wolverhampton.

Nice bloke.

[MK Panther]

Mike Bailey to get the midfield going and to strike fear in our own team, let alone the opposition.

[glasgowwolf]

2 questions.

1. ... would you like to place into our team to improve it (with reason)?

2... Would be worth the most in the current transfer market?

I never saw him play but Billy Wright would be the player i would insert into the defence. Surely would help sort it out back there!

If Blake is worth 5million...I wonder how much Bull would be worth in his peak!

Sooooo many.

Mike Baily, Kenny Hibbit, King John (was better than Bully), Waggy.

In terms of who would be worth the most....

Williams, If Sunderland would pay 9 Million, Williams would be worth 20 million
Wright, well in excess of 30 Million
Hibbit, better than Lampard and Gerrard, would be worth a fortune.
Finally King John, god he would go for bucket loads of cash, better than any English Centre forward now.

[A wanderer from Bristol]

From what I've read and heard from my dad, Broadbent would be the one.

Hancocks and Mullen would be good too in the current team, Kightly and Jarvis could be cover for them!

Andy Gray might fetch a few bob too

[Tettenhallian]

Knowlesey and Waggy would be a big improvement on anything we have at present - even though they're both over 60 now.
As for Broadbent? The word genius hardly does him justice.

[arthur williams]

Bobby Woodruff, oh for a long throw expert

[Uncle Festa]

Defence needs sorting out. Billy Wright for both questions. For players I saw in my lifetime I would say Frank Munroe - bit of class at the back. For most expensive player I'd go for Richards.

[kennyB]

Based only on the need for a more solid defence.....Saw both Cullis and Billy Wright play but would go for Wright, more versatile. On how much value in the current market I would go for Roy Swinbourne to bring in the most money although I would love to see a Peter Broadbent playing midfield, he would be a revelation.

[arthur williams]

Centre Half, wouldnt go far wrong with Dave Woodfield

[thaibri2]

Bill Slater, better than Billy Wright, probably the best CH ever at Wolves.

[JJ59]

Question 2) I choose to believe the hype: Knocker Knowles,

Unlike today there was very little hype in those days, Peter Knowles was tremendous with guile, craft and skill. He was also a showman. I can remember him scoring a header but being Knowles he was stood still and folded his arms before nodding the ball so so casually into the net. What a player!

[Atlas 1951]

Question 2) I choose to believe the hype: Knocker Knowles,

Unlike today there was very little hype in those days, Peter Knowles was tremendous with guile, craft and skill. He was also a showman. I can remember him scoring a header but being Knowles he was stood still and folded his arms before nodding the ball so so casually into the net. What a player!

Thanks JJ59: it's always nice to hear these little anecdotes from back in the days before full TV coverage, when you had to go to games to see what a player could do.

[UNCLE REMUS]

Edwin Clamp, Peter Broadbent a perfect midfield combination

[Tettenhallian]

Bill Slater, better than Billy Wright, probably the best CH ever at Wolves.
Quote from Ron Flowers on Slater in the book Old Gold Glory: "I reckon that in the season he was voted Footballer of the Year, 1959-60, he was a better player than Billy Wright, which is the highest praise I can give."
Say no more.

[Law's Bus]

It's our midfield that really needs sorting out, so I'd go for one from Ron Flowers, Mike Bailey or Peter Knowles, with perhaps a side order of Johnny Hancocks, Jimmy Mullen, Alan Hinton, Waggy or (wait for it) Steve Froggatt.

[EddieClamp-tops]

Peter Broadbent was the best midfield player I ever saw (i.e. since 1954!) AND he scored 20 goals a season AND he made 30/40 yard accurate passes when the ball weighed a ton!

He is the answer to both questions I guess.

[Jonzy54]

Damn difficult to chose from Frank Munro,Mike Bailey,Peter Knowles, Peter Broadbent,Ron Flowers,Kenny Hibbitt,JR,Bully or Waggy.
I would have any one of those and perhaps someone from left field(provided it was a perfect world and he stayed off the pop)Danny Hegan.

[singwolf_1]

I think Central Defence is the biggest problem - and since I have never seen Billy Wright play, I'll go for Frank Munro. Scored a few too.

Next big area Midefield - if I have to go for one player, it'd be Kenny Hibbitt. Box-2-Box, and double digit goals most seasons would do it for me.

[singwolf_1]

Worth most in the market - I guess would be Billy Wright. I remember Bobby Charlton saying some years ago..."In today's inflated market, could you put a price tag on someone like Billy Wright" - or words to that effect...

[oldgolded]

'The Doog'. Can you imagine Kightly and Jarvis on the wings with 'The Doog' and SEB in the middle?
Also Mike Bailey. We were never the same when he was out injured in the '70's.
Great skipper and midfield organiser.

[Wednesbury Wolf]

Peter Broadbent

[EasternWolf]

Im glad someone mentioned Ron Flowers ... imagine a squad that had Wright, Slater, Clamp and Flowers to fill three midfield positions ..and then Peter Broadbent as well. Plus Bert Williams in goal and Hancocks and Mullen on the wings . I know the younger people on here never saw them but from what us old geezers say you get an impression of the kind of players they were .... plus Dennis Wilshaw, Roy Swinbourne up front - Wilshaw got 4 against Scotland ... with Stuart and Shorthouse at the back .... there's 12 players in that list ..which one would you drop?

[itsonlyagame]

1. Mike Bailey. Just the sort of midfield dynamo and strong leader we are currently craving.

2. Steve Bull. 50 goals in 2 consecutive seasons would put his modern day value off the scale reagrdless of the division he's playing in. With the prices quoted for Lafferty and McLean god only knows what Bully would be worth right now. :eek:

[Sharples]

1. Ludo Pollet

2. Steve Claridge

Yes im hyper at the moment... ;)

[kennyB]

Quote from Ron Flowers on Slater in the book Old Gold Glory: "I reckon that in the season he was voted Footballer of the Year, 1959-60, he was a better player than Billy Wright, which is the highest praise I can give."
Say no more.

And that says it all, maybe for Slater had one season in which he was better than Billy Wright, no way near the same overall. Wright started out at wing half and also played inside forward. Slater was mostly a wing half. If you'd seen them both play Wright was a much better asset although I agree that Slater was very good.

[kennyB]

Peter Broadbent was the best midfield player I ever saw (i.e. since 1954!) AND he scored 20 goals a season AND he made 30/40 yard accurate passes when the ball weighed a ton!

He is the answer to both questions I guess.

And he could beat a man on a sixpence with that bodyswerve. I remember him turning Eddie Clayton, the Blackburn and England skipper, inside out during one game at the Mol. We won 5-1 IIRC. Remember his winner against Real Madrid too, what a player.

[EasternWolf]

My cousin came home on his hols from Loughborough University ... from where he used to go to watch Wolves... He would play for the local team and try to create that bit of magic by looking as if he were going right and swerving left past his opponent.

During the same era i was shaving the sides of my forehead back leaving a point in the middle .... guess which wing half i thought i was ... i was only about 10 - 12 at the time

[LG Wolf]

Remember his winner against Real Madrid too, what a player.

Boy do these kind of quotes make you realise what entertainment us twentysomething's missed out on!

[Dewsburywolf]

Boy do these kind of quotes make you realise what entertainment us twentysomething's missed out on!

And no wall to wall Sky coverage to replay endlessly either. Good job the "old fogies" (:rolleyes:) are still around to recount the tales isn't it?

[kennyB]

And no wall to wall Sky coverage to replay endlessly either. Good job the "old fogies" (:rolleyes:) are still around to recount the tales isn't it?

Someone has to remind the "newbies" how good we were Dewsbury, we have to keep the memory of our great club going. Here's a little story from when I was about 9 or 10 years old; I used to get sixpence pocket money on Saturday morning, this was supposedly for me to go the fleapit called the Olympia (4 pence) and tuppence for an ice cream. It used to be sevenpence for boys (and forces in uniform) to get into the match so I somehow used to scrounge the extra penny from a passerby and go to the match. On the odd occasion when I was unable to persuade someone to part with a penny I would be at the ground when the gates opened 20 minutes from time and in I would go. It was as they say, "cheap at half the price" to watch the stars of that time play, the Len Shackletons, Stanley Matthews, Tom Finney, Wilf Mannion etc.

[Dewsburywolf]

You had me enthralled there Kenny right up until you mentioned going to watch Len Shackleton, Stanley Matthews etc. You're a Wolves fan from when we were THE team, so WTF were you doing watching the other team? ;)

I am jealous as well Kenny cos I'm only 44 and only starting "following" Wolves in 77 and "supporting" them in 2000. Stupid to think I was the only Wolves fan in West Yorkshire throughout the 80's & 90's.

[UNCLE REMUS]

You had me enthralled there Kenny right up until you mentioned going to watch Len Shackleton, Stanley Matthews etc. You're a Wolves fan from when we were THE team, so WTF were you doing watching the other team? ;)

I am jealous as well Kenny cos I'm only 44 and only starting "following" Wolves in 77 and "supporting" them in 2000. Stupid to think I was the only Wolves fan in West Yorkshire throughout the 80's & 90's.


Not quiet as old as Kenny, but from when I started in 1956, the array of players that you saw was amazing. But you had the full knowledge that your players were better.

We were a great team, the best goalkeeper never to represent his country, followed the best keeper this country ever had, England captain,the two best wing halfs after Duncan Edwards, Bill Slater had the Brazilians in his pocket in the 1958 World Cup. A forward line that scored a 100 goals for god knows how many season, Peter Broadbent, Norman Deeley, Jimmy Mullen, unsung heroes like Bobby Mason and Jimmy Murray. Those were the days my friend.

[Edgmond Wolf]

Paul Ince for the midfield to add to the team


Steve Bull for value, he is solid gold through and through

[Polak]

1) Alex Rae (One of my all time favourite Wolves players)

2) Geoff Palmer (Because i used to go to school with his son...and he had a perm)

[Anglian Wolf]

Agree - in our current team both Bailey and Dougan would give the most

[Tettenhallian]

And he could beat a man on a sixpence with that bodyswerve. I remember him turning Eddie Clayton, the Blackburn and England skipper, inside out during one game at the Mol. We won 5-1 IIRC. Remember his winner against Real Madrid too, what a player.
It was Ronnie Clayton not Eddie, 5-0 not 5-1 and Wilshaw got the winner v Real Madrid!!!! And I thought my memory was dodgy - but never mind the facts, you're spot on about PB.

[harrywolf]

Train rode from Tipton Five Ways at around 1 p.m. to Wolverhampton Low Level (usually blagged a free ride). Ran through town and into the South Bank, if my memory serves me right it was about one shilling (5p in new money) to get in.

Now where in the world today could you get to see a genius at work ike Peter Broadbent for 5p. Believe me you newbies, he was a magician with the ball, could tackle pass with both feet, an outrageous body swerve, score goals from close range and distance and his head.

Believe me the passing of time does not exaggerate his brilliance. You would have loved him today. Ronaldo at £80 million? Broadbent absolutely off the scale.

Later graduated to the North Bank and worshipped Waggy, the Doog, JR, Knocker, Mike Bailey, Hibby and the rest.

I wish the players of today could realise the legacy they have been handed.

Those WERE the days my friends. They must return.

[Beastier]

If I'm restricting it to purely players I've seen play I would go for either Ince or Rae along with either Jolean or Curle.

Bully is undoubtedly the biggest legend of them all but we already have a 20+ goal a season striker & the biggest improvement to the team would come from addressing centre half or centre midfield positions.

[Uncle Festa]

Asked the old man this tonight and he came up with Billy Wright and Peter Broadbent. He also mentioned that Wright would have had 150 caps if at the time you got a cap for each Home International game - apparently you only got one cap for each tournament - not heard this before - was this really the case? Also said that Broadbent was the best player he had ever set eyes on and that he used to stand on the ball and beckon to his team mates with his arms to come and join him in attack as he was further up the field than most of his teammates as he was very quick and intelligent. Again not heard this before but do any of the other oldies remember this?

[Stewarton Wolf]

Asked the old man this tonight and he came up with Billy Wright and Peter Broadbent. He also mentioned that Wright would have had 150 caps if at the time you got a cap for each Home International game - apparently you only got one cap for each tournament - not heard this before - was this really the case? Also said that Broadbent was the best player he had ever set eyes on and that he used to stand on the ball and beckon to his team mates with his arms to come and join him in attack as he was further up the field than most of his teammates as he was very quick and intelligent. Again not heard this before but do any of the other oldies remember this?
I think they your dads right about the award of 1 cap per home championship, but I think he only made 105 appearances. It might be worth doing a count to check though. Deffo 105 appearances - 1 was disputed by FIFA 1 v Rest of the World - but as the National FA determines the award of Caps it still stands

[marrs-guitar]

he only played in 105 official england games, but did also appear in 4 wartime internationals which are not counted in his caps, which would've pushed him ahead of bobby moore and bobby charlton

[kennyB]

It was Ronnie Clayton not Eddie, 5-0 not 5-1 and Wilshaw got the winner v Real Madrid!!!! And I thought my memory was dodgy - but never mind the facts, you're spot on about PB.

So clever Dick I got Clayton's first name wrong and the score was 5-0 not 5-1 but hey I was recalling the game from memory 50 years ago so not bad. As for the winner against Real Madrid, are you 100% certain you're right on that? Again more than 50 years ago but in my aged mind I can still see Peter Broadbent kneeing in the winner over the keeper. I was right behind the goal and almost died in the crush that night. Perhaps my memory is worse than I thought!! Or maybe it was another game.

[kennyB]

Asked the old man this tonight and he came up with Billy Wright and Peter Broadbent. He also mentioned that Wright would have had 150 caps if at the time you got a cap for each Home International game - apparently you only got one cap for each tournament - not heard this before - was this really the case? Also said that Broadbent was the best player he had ever set eyes on and that he used to stand on the ball and beckon to his team mates with his arms to come and join him in attack as he was further up the field than most of his teammates as he was very quick and intelligent. Again not heard this before but do any of the other oldies remember this?

I certainly don't recall the rule about one cap for each tournament Uncle, don't think that is true. Wartime caps weren't counted and there were not so many internationals played in those days, no Euro championships for a start and the World cup, which I think England only deigned to enter around 1950 was not run on the same lines as today.
I cannot remember Peter Broadbent standing on the ball and waving his team mates forward although he did at times hold the ball up for several seconds before picking out his pass, defenders were scared to tackle him because they knew he would make a mug of them. He was absolutely adored by the "Molineux faithful" and should have won more England caps. I can remember him scoring both goals against Wales in a 2-2 draw at Villa Park.

[Uncle Festa]

Yeah, he did mention standing on the ball and toying with the defender to come and tackle him, but also said that he remembers him doing that and then chipping the keeper, and also doing it and waving his fellow players forward. Regarding Billy Wright, he said that they were in the pub recently and were trying to work out how many caps Billy Wright would have had if you were awarded 1 per game for Home Internationals. They reckoned it would be approaching 150 which tells you just how good he was - no modern footballer would come close. He said Slater was one hell of a player but Wright was better, and that Peter Knowles was the only player who came close to Broadbent but that we will never know if he could have been as good.

[Stewarton Wolf]

Yeah, he did mention standing on the ball and toying with the defender to come and tackle him, but also said that he remembers him doing that and then chipping the keeper, and also doing it and waving his fellow players forward. Regarding Billy Wright, he said that they were in the pub recently and were trying to work out how many caps Billy Wright would have had if you were awarded 1 per game for Home Internationals. They reckoned it would be approaching 150 which tells you just how good he was - no modern footballer would come close. He said Slater was one hell of a player but Wright was better, and that Peter Knowles was the only player who came close to Broadbent but that we will never know if he could have been as good.

see above - only 105 appearances in total

[Dewsburywolf]

Maybe I'm being a bit thick but just how many Home Internationals DID Billy Wright appear in? Were they played every year back then? Were they played in World Cup years? I don't go back as far as some on here so wouldn't know myself. That taken into account it would be 3 instead of 1 per year wouldn't it. England would play Scotland, Wales & N. Ireland once each wouldn't they? 2 extra caps per season?

[Stewarton Wolf]

Try this

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/BILLY-WRIGHT%2FONE-HUNDRED-CAPS-AND-ALL-THAT-1963_W0QQitemZ380040718007QQcmdZViewItem?IMSfp=TL0 806260912a6137#ebayphotohosting

[Dewsburywolf]

Try this

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/BILLY-WRIGHT%2FONE-HUNDRED-CAPS-AND-ALL-THAT-1963_W0QQitemZ380040718007QQcmdZViewItem?IMSfp=TL0 806260912a6137#ebayphotohosting

And that will tell you what exactly?

The statement was that Billy Wright COULD/SHOULD have had more than 105 caps if he had been awarded one cap per Home International appearance rather than just the one per Tournament. I'm not disputing that he got 105 but that it could/should have been more. Also those who played with him in the same Tournaments should have their cap tally adjusted also. David Beckham for example got to his 100th via playing in countless meaningless Friendlies. Although some might say the Home Internationals might have added to his tally were that they were still played.

[marrs-guitar]

re: billy wright:

he WAS awarded one cap for each home international match he played - he played in 31 home international matches
(ok maybe he did not receive an actual physical cap for each game, i couldnt say, but the games are all counted in his record of 105 "caps")

his other games were: 10 World Cup Finals games, 10 World Cup qualifiers and 54 friendlies
(and i stated earlier he also appeared in 4 unofficial wartime games that are not counted in his record)

-
of course, had he played today his record would be far greater; those 10 World Cup qualifiers he played were the full total England faced in 3 different World Cup campaigns!
In contrast, England played 24 qualifiers in making the last 3 World Cups; in addition you have the European Championship today to add significantly more too.

[Dewsburywolf]

Thanks marrs-guitar question answered. Not that it was ever my question in the first place. Easy to explain really wasn't it?

[Tarcisio Mifsud]

In my opinion - Mike Bailey and Ron Flowers were the best ever players to play for Wolves.

[Goldisocks]

Our defence is very much sound but a 'Peter Broadbent' would fit in quite nicely OR a 'Doog'. Difficult to choose btwn the two. The most costly Wolves player would undoubtedly be Billy Wright.

[Stewarton Wolf]

And that will tell you what exactly?

The statement was that Billy Wright COULD/SHOULD have had more than 105 caps if he had been awarded one cap per Home International appearance rather than just the one per Tournament. I'm not disputing that he got 105 but that it could/should have been more. Also those who played with him in the same Tournaments should have their cap tally adjusted also. David Beckham for example got to his 100th via playing in countless meaningless Friendlies. Although some might say the Home Internationals might have added to his tally were that they were still played.
As I pointed out earlier in the thread he made 105 appearances including all the home internationals.

As for the link I just thought as we were talking about Billy Wright his book was for sale on ebay.

[old wittonian]

(1) Eddie Clamp - a man of steel. Made Dave Mackay (and even Roy Keane) look like an angel.

(2) Roy Swinbourne 230 games - 114 goals

[astraltrader]

Waggy and Mike Bailey - no reasons needed!

[Uncle Festa]

Cheers Mars. Thats put 4 old geezers including my old man into place. Being old cantankerous sods they still will not have it though.

[kennyB]

Cheers Mars. Thats put 4 old geezers including my old man into place. Being old cantankerous sods they still will not have it though.

Hey! I'm an old geezer who is well aware that caps weren't awarded for every game. The point is that Billy Wright played for England 105 times + 4 wartime internationals. Never got booked (although he would have been if playing in modern times) and he was a gentleman. Always willing to give an autograph and a few words of encouragement.
Have some respect Uncle!

[Brisbane Wolf]

I can also remember Knowles picking up the ball after scoring against Portsmouth and booting it clear out of the ground. He also used to "trap" the ball with his backside from high goal kicks.!! Last but not least he was the first person i can ever remember doing the scissor kicks to pass a ball and also flicking the ball over a defenders head with his heels. This last manouevre i tried to emulate for many years without coming close

A showman is an understatement for Peter Knowles. I was dreadfully upset when the god squad took him away from us.

Mike Bailey was awesome as was Waggy. I dunno how many players would get away with having 2 ciggies in the dressing room at half time but Waggy seemed to manage it quite well!


Question 2) I choose to believe the hype: Knocker Knowles,

Unlike today there was very little hype in those days, Peter Knowles was tremendous with guile, craft and skill. He was also a showman. I can remember him scoring a header but being Knowles he was stood still and folded his arms before nodding the ball so so casually into the net. What a player!

[willie carr stunt double]

keith curle

[UNCLE REMUS]

Hey! I'm an old geezer who is well aware that caps weren't awarded for every game. The point is that Billy Wright played for England 105 times + 4 wartime internationals. Never got booked (although he would have been if playing in modern times) and he was a gentleman. Always willing to give an autograph and a few words of encouragement.
Have some respect Uncle!

According to a programme dated 18th April 1959, Wolves v Luton Town, Billy had at that time 100 caps, he would gain 5 more on a tour to the Americas.

He had a cap for every game he played, he was captain 85 times, 51 at right half,41 at centre half, 8 at left half. England won 51 times,drew 22 and lost 18, one match was abandoned.

In addition he played Victory internationals against Belgium,Switzerland and twice against Scotland. He also played for the United Kingdom against Wales and he played for the Football League.

Interestingly the programme's other statistics show that Wright was an ever presence that season, together with Peter Broadbent and a war horse that never gets a mention but was solid Gerry Harris. Leading goalscorer was at the time Peter Broadbent with eighteen goals, considering how many the Wolves scored that season, it shows the contribution from the rest of the team, the forward line had scored 75 goals between them to the 13th April.

Games of the day were

Aston Villa v Burnley
Blackburn v City
Blackpool v Arsenal
Chelsea v Everton
United v Blues
Newcastle v Leeds
Forest v Leicester
Portsmouth v Bolton
Spurs v Albion
West Ham v Preston.

Wolves held a two point advantage over United and United had two matches to play, Wolves had three.

Interestingly also there was an article in the programme about attendances and the writing on the wall for football. Total attendance was around quarter of a million with and average attendance over 11 games 23,000, Leeds had 15,000 v Blackburn.

Those were the days.:rolleyes:

[johnybig32]

This has turned into a very good thread...a trip down memory lane...

[EasternWolf]

its recent things i cant remember anymore, son.

[Tettenhallian]

Agree with Uncle Remus about Gerry Harris. He was close to an England cap as well - in Peter Broadbent biography he says he was told to keep himself fit at end of 1958 season as if left-back Tommy Banks got injured Harris would take his place in World Cup squad. He played for under-23s and was a much better player than Banks in my opinion.

[Wednesbury Wolf]

This is one of the best threads for ages.

[Edgmond Wolf]

Still playing...

Lescott and Keane would help finish of our squad.....

[EasternWolf]

I cant see Lescott getting in ahead of Wright or Slater to be frank. And there have been so many good strikers. Not that they Lescott and Keane are anything other than great players themselves.

One thing is for sure, I have never seen a goalkeeper (anywhere) anywhere as good as Bert Williams.

however, Wolves goalkeepers have been like Kent wicketkeepers .. a succession of great players

[EasternWolf]

(1) Eddie Clamp - a man of steel. Made Dave Mackay (and even Roy Keane) look like an angel.




I was trying to imagine a right hand side consisting of Eddie Clamp and Kevin Muscat ..playing against someone like Ronaldo on the left wing.

[Tettenhallian]

I cant see Lescott getting in ahead of Wright or Slater to be frank. And there have been so many good strikers. Not that they Lescott and Keane are anything other than great players themselves.

One thing is for sure, I have never seen a goalkeeper (anywhere) anywhere as good as Bert Williams.

however, Wolves goalkeepers have been like Kent wicketkeepers .. a succession of great players
I reckon Finlayson came very close to Williams - vastly underrated. Should have got Scottish cap. The two we have now are right up with the best in Molineux history. There have been exceptions though - remember Alan Boswell?

[EasternWolf]

Yes Finlayson was another great keeper ...

Having said what I did about Bert, I just thought that young Wayne is only 20 ...

[Tettenhallian]

I was trying to imagine a right hand side consisting of Eddie Clamp and Kevin Muscat ..playing against someone like Ronaldo on the left wing.
This has to be the first and last time that Muscat is mentioned in the same breath as the great Eddie Clamp

[Uncle Festa]

Just an aside - Eddie Clamp is mentioned in Howard Marks book. If my memory is correct he got caught smuggling drugs from Ireland and the IRA were prominent in the dealings. I havn't read this book for about ten years but I'm sure it was Eddie Clamp.

[UNCLE REMUS]

Just an aside - Eddie Clamp is mentioned in Howard Marks book. If my memory is correct he got caught smuggling drugs from Ireland and the IRA were prominent in the dealings. I havn't read this book for about ten years but I'm sure it was Eddie Clamp.

How relevant is that?

We're talking football, can't imagine it for one moment, played football against him years ago when he played for Tranco, really, really nice bloke.

[kennyB]

Agree with Uncle Remus about Gerry Harris. He was close to an England cap as well - in Peter Broadbent biography he says he was told to keep himself fit at end of 1958 season as if left-back Tommy Banks got injured Harris would take his place in World Cup squad. He played for under-23s and was a much better player than Banks in my opinion.

Let me tell you a little story about Gerry Harris who I will admit was one of the best full backs seen at the Mol. I went to watch Wolves play Blackpool at Bloomfield Road in early 1958, the season we only lost 5 or 6 league games I think. Harris was the current England under 23 full back and was marking Stanley Mathhews that day. Matthews, who was about 50 at the time, totally destroyed Harris and set up Blackpool for a 3-2 victory. Some of you older fans from those days may remember how efficiently Wolves used the offside trap at the time, used to really upset the opposing supporters.
I saw all the F.A. Cup games that season too including destroying Pompey 5-1 at home and Darlington 6-1. Unfortunately we were beaten 2-1 by Bolton at Burnden Park and even the Bolton fans after the match were admitting how lucky they were. Was very upset after that game, we were much the better side but as the saying goes "you need luck to win the cup" and Bolton certainly had their fair share that season, not just against Wolves but against United in the final too. No way Lofthouse's goal would stand today, nor should it have then in reality.

[Nathan Lloyd]

http://www.expressandstar.com/2007/11/02/wolves-blog-ultimate-wolves-xi/

The spine of the team...

Billy Wright, Peter Broadbent, Steve Bull.

I met Peter and Bully about 15 years ago when I worked at HMV as a student.

Both were absolute class, but Peter was a true gent and would be worth more than Lamps and Gerrard together in todays market.

[Tettenhallian]

KennyB, you're right about Matthews giving Harris a run around that day. I remember reading Phil Morgan's E&S report and he recalled Harris had played Matthews well at Molineux earlier in the season and some loudmouth had shouted "Go home, old man" to Matthews and it was as if he was determined to stuff those words down the bloke's throat in the return game. Stan was 42 then and had played for England earlier in the year, if I recall, and amazingly they did not take him to the World Cup in Sweden at end of season. Matthews and Broadbent on the wing in the finals would have been a far better bet than Bryan Douglas and Bobby Robson. Good memories, though

[Tettenhallian]

http://www.expressandstar.com/2007/11/02/wolves-blog-ultimate-wolves-xi/

The spine of the team...

Billy Wright, Peter Broadbent, Steve Bull.

I met Peter and Bully about 15 years ago when I worked at HMV as a student.

Both were absolute class, but Peter was a true gent and would be worth more than Lamps and Gerrard together in todays market.
Well said! When are you going to start blogging again so there is something worth reading in E&S?

[bolanwolf]

1) Geoff Thomas - looked pure class, pity his time at Wolves was so short.
2) John De-Wolfe -another class act, before injury ended it all.

[UNCLE REMUS]

http://www.expressandstar.com/2007/11/02/wolves-blog-ultimate-wolves-xi/

The spine of the team...

Billy Wright, Peter Broadbent, Steve Bull.

I met Peter and Bully about 15 years ago when I worked at HMV as a student.

Both were absolute class, but Peter was a true gent and would be worth more than Lamps and Gerrard together in todays market.


You've missed the head which asks the question, which goalkeeper to complete the "spine". On balance of the one's I have seen, Malcolm Finlayson.

Not sure about Bully, great player and I know he would have done it at the highest level, but still go down the Doog route for goal scoring ability and bringing other players into the game,

[arthur williams]

How relevant is that?

We're talking football, can't imagine it for one moment, played football against him years ago when he played for Tranco, really, really nice bloke.

I can see some relevance in it, and its about what these legends received for playing in the Old Gold and Black. So many of them were poachers as well as turning out for the Wolves on Saturdays, it became necessary to supplement their meagre wages, not like the millionaires of far lesser ability and talent of today.

[Tettenhallian]

Just an aside - Eddie Clamp is mentioned in Howard Marks book. If my memory is correct he got caught smuggling drugs from Ireland and the IRA were prominent in the dealings. I havn't read this book for about ten years but I'm sure it was Eddie Clamp.
Suggest you re-read Marks book promptly so we can see if your memory serves your correctly. I know Eddie was a bit of a lad but drug smuggling? We need to get the facts on this one

[Uncle Festa]

Thought that you oldies would know about Clamp, and I was beginning to think I had dreamt it. But Ive just checked the book and it mentions that Eddie Clamp, a former English International football star was busted by Customs & Excise at Liverpool smuggling in Marijuana from Ireland in a car. The marijuana had got to Ireland by James McCann, an IRA member who had imported it from Thailand. Doesn't mention what happened to Clamp, or even if he knew what the car had contained within. He was used as a driver by Marks, and this was the one and only time he did it as a favour for a friend called Phil Sparrowhawk who had promised Eddie Clamp some casual work. This happened in the 70's.

[Tettenhallian]

Thought that you oldies would know about Clamp, and I was beginning to think I had dreamt it. But Ive just checked the book and it mentions that Eddie Clamp, a former English International football star was busted by Customs & Excise at Liverpool smuggling in Marijuana from Ireland in a car. The marijuana had got to Ireland by James McCann, an IRA member who had imported it from Thailand. Doesn't mention what happened to Clamp, or even if he knew what the car had contained within. He was used as a driver by Marks, and this was the one and only time he did it as a favour for a friend called Phil Sparrowhawk who had promised Eddie Clamp some casual work. This happened in the 70's.
Spot on! You learn something new every day. Trust Clampy.

[johnybig32]

Seems like Keane is considered to be worth close to 20M now...

How unrealistic...

[Dewsburywolf]

Seems like Keane is considered to be worth close to 20M now...

How unrealistic...

If Darren Bent was worth £16.5m then Robbie is certainly worth £20m by that reckoning. The transfer market for British players in general has been unrealistic for years. Most of the reason why there's so many foreigners in England.

[johnybig32]

Bent isnt, and never was worth that though.

Keane is in a different league to him. Id rate him as in the top 6 strikers in the prem.

[Dewsburywolf]

Bent isnt, and never was worth that though.

Keane is in a different league to him. Id rate him as in the top 6 strikers in the prem.

So Keane's GOT to be worth £20 mil then hasn't he? Damned sight better player than Bent could ever be. Highest goal scorer for his country, at the peak of his career, outscored Berbatov who's supposedly worth £30 mil isn't he?

[johnybig32]

ill get my coat...

[leedswolf]

Stupid to think I was the only Wolves fan in West Yorkshire throughout the 80's & 90's.

Indeed.

[howlin wolf]

Re Eddie Clamp, somewhat Ironic that Billy Wright , who took over as Arsenal manager when Clamp was there, took exception to his somewhat "competitive" tackling and promptly transferred him to Stoke. Also Re Peter Knowles as good as he was ,on his day, he was also one of the most irritating and frustrating of players to watch, and just lazy at times.

[Tettenhallian]

And what did Clampy do at Stoke? Only helped them win promotion. Stanley Matthews, who knew a bit about football wrote of Eddie "He may have been a renowned hard man who made Tommy Smith's tackling look namby-pamby but he possessed superb close ball control, was a fine passer of the ball and his penchant for getting forward added an extra dimension to our attacks."
Seems Billy Wright's loss was Tony Waddington's gain.

[Dragonwolf]

The way we started this season with two widemen firing at this moment Peter Knowles would be a no brainer for me.

[Black Suit]

John Richards, better than Steve Bull? You have to joking my friend (Glasgow). Far too gentlemanly! Very, very stylish, but nowhere near as tough, or as quick off the mark.

[Tettenhallian]

Bull and Richards different types both good in their own way, Can't separate them.