Old Molineux Photos

[the 15th Wanderer]

I think we could have sold 35000 for some games last season and even during first season back under SJH.

Those 70s matches when it was rammed was only really because of 25000 Leeds fans, 30,000 Liverpool fans, 15000 Man Utd fans.
Those 2 games I would say we had 38000 Wolves fans were Cov at home FA Cup QF 1972-73 when the gate was 50106, and Leeds at home in the FA Cup QF 1976-77 when the gate was given as 50,000. So both Cov and Leeds brought about 12000 IMO.

But other than that we have got nowhere near 40,000 Wolves fans for any home game between 1970-2021. Maybe 33000 at most. And you will never get 15-30,000 away fans again.

You make some some valid points. I still maintain that football crowds in general were in decline in that era and we have been held back by a small ground.

 

[Sussex Wolf]

You make some some valid points. I still maintain that football crowds in general were in decline in that era and we have been held back by a small ground.

That is correct on both points. SJH rebuilt Molineux at or just after the historic low of English football attendances. Since then, average attendance in the top league has doubled from around 19k to 38k. As the graph below shows, across all English leagues it’s not back to the post war peak but it’s certainly back to the levels when we were the champions and pulling in averages in the high 30’s.

England historical attendance and performance

EFS Attendances

The end of growth; have English football attendances peaked and what happens next?

Take a good look at this graph, based on data from the European Football Statistics website, of English football attendances in the period following the second world war. The story it tells is one …

rowzfootball.wordpress.com

 

[Very Proud (AKA Still Proud)]

This last year will have sent all those that have developed algorithms to calculate football ground capacity into a flat spin. One one hand the question is will the fans return in the numbers they did before, on the other hand we've seen how much football needs spectators, stating the obvious that without them the "product" just isn't as attractive, people lose interest and attendances go into decline and so does TV revenue.

Trying to be objective about this then we have to look at a number of factors:
1. What's our match day catchment area (near and far)
2. What's the average/max proportion of the main catchment area that attend and what's the latent demand
3. League position and plans/strategy for the team - we've built stands before whilst winging it on the pitch and look what's happened.
4. What's the demographics of attendees and where can we increase revenue - e.g. should be rebuild the Steve Bull with slightly more seats but a more up to date/state of the art corporate hospitality offering - what proportion of the supporter base will never use anything other than their seat & the toilets and how many prefer to stand on a bank behind the goal and don't care too much for luxuries
5. Should it be multi-functional - what else could it be used for outside of the 20+ days per year that it hosts a football game
6. Building costs, financing costs
7. The town's regeneration plans, transport links etc

I've seen us throw aspirational figures of 50k, someone mentioned building seats that will hardly be used but that's okay cuz they'll be out of sight of the camera, talk of tourists (Wolverhampton even on a sunny day won't attract tourists in the same way London, Manchester and Liverpool do).

We build another "Stadium of Light" that costs an arm and a leg to maintain and end up in League One at some stage then Molineux will be a weight around our neck. We need to be proportionate IMHO - I think 40k would be more than enough, all I want is it tight to the pitch, low roof with an atmosphere to envy and have a character that people talk about that bridges old school with a new wave, whilst remembering the personality of our support.

 

[Ercall Wolves]

Don’t know if posted before, but there is a fantastic album of old Molineux photos on Flickr by Stuart Davis.

Old Molineux

Trying to upload a few of the lesser seen images of Molineux, Wolverhampton from way back when.

www.flickr.com

Brilliant enjoyed going through them thank you

 

[whitnash wolf ex.dewsbury]

I think we could have sold 35000 for some games last season and even during first season back under SJH.

Those 70s matches when it was rammed was only really because of 25000 Leeds fans, 30,000 Liverpool fans, 15000 Man Utd fans.
Those 2 games I would say we had 38000 Wolves fans were Cov at home FA Cup QF 1972-73 when the gate was 50106, and Leeds at home in the FA Cup QF 1976-77 when the gate was given as 50,000. So both Cov and Leeds brought about 12000 IMO.

But other than that we have got nowhere near 40,000 Wolves fans for any home game between 1970-2021. Maybe 33000 at most. And you will never get 15-30,000 away fans again.

the crowd against cov.was all ticket and the fa rules at the time was 25% for the away team so we
had to give 2,000 seats and 10,000 standing to cov.no saying how many wolves fans could not
get tickets.that`s why people used to wait all night to get a ticket

 

[whitnash wolf ex.dewsbury]

That is correct on both points. SJH rebuilt Molineux at or just after the historic low of English football attendances. Since then, average attendance in the top league has doubled from around 19k to 38k. As the graph below shows, across all English leagues it’s not back to the post war peak but it’s certainly back to the levels when we were the champions and pulling in averages in the high 30’s.

England historical attendance and performance

EFS Attendances

The end of growth; have English football attendances peaked and what happens next?

Take a good look at this graph, based on data from the European Football Statistics website, of English football attendances in the period following the second world war. The story it tells is one …

rowzfootball.wordpress.com

View attachment 22168

prior to lockdown the last complete season for crowds showed 32,911,714(top division)
highest since 58/59. no saying what might have happened had we been in the prem since the start

 

[mcwolf]

 

[SingYourHeartsOut]

View attachment 22231

1. What are you doing posting old pictures of Molineux on this thread?
2. You've made me feel really old as that photo looks ancient, but unless I'm confused the reg of that car makes it no earlier than 1980.

 

[Yamalroite]

Southbank in the 1950's

 

[ricki herberts moustache]

Southbank in the 1950's


View attachment 23551

Such a huge terrace. Must have been crazy when it was full up

 

[Boss Hogg]

Southbank in the 1950's


View attachment 23551

There’s a guy in there with what looks like a handkerchief on his head! Bizarre

 

[WickedWolfie]

There’s a guy in there with what looks like a handkerchief on his head! Bizarre

Doesn't look like a matchday to me.

 

[GoldenHorseshoe]

Such a huge terrace. Must have been crazy when it was full up

It was

 

[Lupus ad Penn]

View attachment 22231

Certainly early 1980’s. Later in the 1980s the letter ”S” on the Wanderers sign fell off, never to be replaced. In the main doorway you can see the old Commissionaire in his uniform. He was quite a strict chap and wouldn’t let anyone in unless they had official business! What ever happened to Commissionaires? I remember them at Cinemas and Theatres as well.

 

[WickedWolfie]

Certainly early 1980’s. Later in the 1980s the letter ”S” on the Wanderers sign fell off, never to be replaced. In the main doorway you can see the old Commissionaire in his uniform. He was quite a strict chap and wouldn’t let anyone in unless they had official business! What ever happened to Commissionaires? I remember them at Cinemas and Theatres as well.

Normally ex-military and very proper.

 

[Big Saft Kid]

Southbank in the 1950's


View attachment 23551

Either that was taken a couple of hours before kick off or it was at a reserve team game. In the 50s the place was usually full or near full

 

[Bull Army]

1. What are you doing posting old pictures of Molineux on this thread?
2. You've made me feel really old as that photo looks ancient, but unless I'm confused the reg of that car makes it no earlier than 1980.

The source date it as 21st April 1984

English Div 1 (old) Wolverhampton Wanderers 0 v. Ipswich Town 3. Exterior view of the Molineux Ground at Wolverhampton. 21st April 1984 Stock Photo - Alamy

Download this stock image: English Div 1 (old) Wolverhampton Wanderers 0 v. Ipswich Town 3. Exterior view of the Molineux Ground at Wolverhampton. 21st April 1984 - EN537X from Alamy's library of millions of high resolution stock photos, illustrations and vectors.

www.alamy.com

 

[Newbridge Wolf]

Doesn't look like a matchday to me.

Either that was taken a couple of hours before kick off or it was at a reserve team game. In the 50s the place was usually full or near full

Have posted that picture before, it’s from 10th February 1951 vs Huddersfield. FA Cup, we won 2-0 in front of 52,708.

There’s a few more from that game here (and scroll down a few posts for about 3 posts worth of pictures)

Old Molineux Photos

 

[whitnash wolf ex.dewsbury]

Have posted that picture before, it’s from 10th February 1951 vs Huddersfield. FA Cup, we won 2-0 in front of 52,708.

There’s a few more from that game here (and scroll down a few posts for about 3 posts worth of pictures)

Old Molineux Photos

reached the semi-final that year

 

[ricki herberts moustache]

Doesn't look like a matchday to me.

it is it's just halftime and everyones out checking their social media

 

[Newbridge Wolf]

reached the semi-final that year

Indeed, Huddersfield coming back to haunt us when we lost the replay at Leeds Road to Newcastle.

 

[whitnash wolf ex.dewsbury]

Indeed, Huddersfield coming back to haunt us when we lost the replay at Leeds Road to Newcastle.

born just down the road and my uncle was a town fan but only been to leeds road a few times,the last to see us play leeds

 

[Parkfieldswolf]

1. What are you doing posting old pictures of Molineux on this thread?
2. You've made me feel really old as that photo looks ancient, but unless I'm confused the reg of that car makes it no earlier than 1980.

The good old Ford Granada 2.3GL. Absolute tank.

 

[GV Wolf]

Can we keep this thread going please, it helps me against the misery of losing our first 3 league games

 

[reanswolf]

We need to be proportionate IMHO - I think 40k would be more than enough, all I want is it tight to the pitch, low roof with an atmosphere to envy and have a character that people talk about that bridges old school with a new wave, whilst remembering the personality of our support.

Bang on here.

 

[mcwolf]

thought i'd put this here.

 

[mcwolf]

Alex Rae.

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=827643671453261

 

[Achilles Last Stand]

Jussi Jääskeläinen used to play for my local team VPS in Vaasa Finland, before being sold to Bolton ****erers. It still cheeses me off he played that long for those **********s!

 

[topcat99]

Normally ex-military and very proper.

Correct. I remember giving a talk at an Army Careers event in Wolverhampton. Back end of 1982.

After the event I walked down Waterloo Road and the Commissionaire spotted my uniform and came smartly to attention and said “Afternoon Sir” and saluted. Very smart chap.

 

[topcat99]

In the Flickr photos, that new looking fence at the front of the South Bank looks like something on the Inner German Border.

 

[northnorfolkwolf]

In the Flickr photos, that new looking fence at the front of the South Bank looks like something on the Inner German Border.

I found many of those photos very sad tbh. That fence keeping the crowds in was just eerie. On one photo the 'S' of Wanderers is missing on the large signage on the Waterloo Rd entrance to the ground? And some of the shots of Molineux in the 80s could easily induce tears. How well us old uns remember all this and how far have we come, even though the Steve Bull should be demolished!

 

[Newbridge Wolf]

Bell ends trying to claim this is Manure

 

[Lupus ad Penn]

The old North Bank. I worked in the club shop ( just a wooden hut!) from 1974 until the club went bust in 1982. In those days it was mainly scarves, badges, and programmes. I still see loads of old faces from the shop as I climb up the steps in the Billy Wright. I still dream of winning the League and the FA Cup!

 

[Lou Pine]

Oh for the gabled roof of the old Molineux Street Stand to be given a nod to in the design of any development of the John Ireland. Iconic. Instantly recognisable. Please Fosun, include this in any development. What a tribute it would be!

 

[Berlin Wolf]

The old North Bank. I worked in the club shop ( just a wooden hut!) from 1974 until the club went bust in 1982. In those days it was mainly scarves, badges, and programmes. I still see loads of old faces from the shop as I climb up the steps in the Billy Wright. I still dream of winning the League and the FA Cup!

Lupus, I often went into to the club shop during the 70s. Box of old programmes on the counter. Had current away match programmes too, great if you had missed one.
In October 1977, I went to Maine Road away, bought two programmes, had them pinched by a gang of City fans, so was able to buy two the next home match.
Harvey Andrews worked in there, if I recall correctly. Harvey was a 60s/70s singer song writer, he even supported the Kinks.
I since found out he came from Birmingham but must have been a Wolves fan to serve in the shop so often.

 

[Lupus ad Penn]

Lupus, I often went into to the club shop during the 70s. Box of old programmes on the counter. Had current away match programmes too, great if you had missed one.
In October 1977, I went to Maine Road away, bought two programmes, had them pinched by a gang of City fans, so was able to buy two the next home match.
Harvey Andrews worked in there, if I recall correctly. Harvey was a 60s/70s singer song writer, he even supported the Kinks.
I since found out he came from Birmingham but must have been a Wolves fan to serve in the shop so often.

Harvey was actually a big Blues fan, but kept it quiet when he worked there! John Hendley also worked in the shop during that period. I remember Harvey bringing the League Cup out to the pub ,after we had won it in 1980. Everyone had their photo taken, drinking Banks’s mild out of the cup, a fantastic evening.

 

[Lupus ad Penn]

Molineux alley looking down past the South Bank.

 

[Lupus ad Penn]

This photo shows Molineux St beyond the old North Bank car park, looking towards the junction with Waterloo Rd.. the houses stood where the present North Bank Car park and Jack Hayward Way currently stand. ( courtesy of Wolverhampton Archives).

 

[chignalwolf]

The old North Bank. I worked in the club shop ( just a wooden hut!) from 1974 until the club went bust in 1982. In those days it was mainly scarves, badges, and programmes. I still see loads of old faces from the shop as I climb up the steps in the Billy Wright. I still dream of winning the League and the FA Cup!

we must have met Lupus ad Penn many moons ago, cant remember seeing any scarves for sale in that shop tho, was good for catching up on some missing programmes when the cash was their,

 

[Lupus ad Penn]

This is another fantastic photo from Wolverhampton archives. The enclosure behind the sprinters was situated in the corner,roughly where the old NorthBank met the Molineux St stand. I think the players dressing rooms were housed in there, until the Waterloo Rd. stand was built in the1920’s.