Old Molineux Photos

[Torbay Wolf]

Wow, that footage of the old North Bank brings back some memories.

First match I saw was in that stand sometime during the 1975-76 season. Not a clue who we were playing, but I do recall that Willie Carr was strangely off form that day! I was also there the night Chelsea tried to take the stand. (1979?) I ended up being lifted over the moat and found myself standing on the pitch.

All very surreal, and a great story to tell at school the next day.

 

[Big Saft Kid]

Wow, that footage of the old North Bank brings back some memories.

First match I saw was in that stand sometime during the 1975-76 season. Not a clue who we were playing, but I do recall that Willie Carr was strangely off form that day! I was also there the night Chelsea tried to take the stand. (1979?) I ended up being lifted over the moat and found myself standing on the pitch.

All very surreal, and a great story to tell at school the next day.

I was there but don't recall it being a night match. It was the last home game of 1976-7, 3pm Saturday kick off. Game finished 1-1, Richards scored our goal. We finished as Champs, Chelsea 2nd Forest 3rd (3rd place was automatic promotion at that time), but only because we beat Notlob 4-0 in the last game of the season, robbing them of 3rd spot. If Carlsberg made football seasons.....

 

[Torbay Wolf]

Chelsea must have tried this more than once then. I remember watching a group of Chelsea fans running under the street lights down the Waterloo Road towards the North Bank and clearly recall standing on the pitch with the floodlights beaming down.

Looking at the fixture list, could it have been Tuesday 22nd August 1977? Anybody remember this happening?

 

[Longford Wolf]

It was a night game when Chelsea tried to take the North Bank. I was in there with my dad standing in the bottom left corner.

 

[Big Saft Kid]

It sounds like the 1977/78 night attempt to take the N Bank was a re-run of what happened a few months before in April 1977, which I watched from the South Bank. On that occasion, the game was in effect the Championship decider, and there was a very large Chelsea contingent in both the N Bank and the S Bank (the official crowd was over 34,000, pretty good for the old Second Division). First, there was a major punch-up in the S Bank before and during the game. IIRC, some of the Chelsea fans in the S Bank ran across the pitch before the game had even started towards the N Bank and joined the Chelsea fans who were already in there and fighting, which resulted in a major fracas. From what I saw, the Chelsea fans in the N Bank got their arses kicked. In the S Bank there were running battles for more or less the whole match. It was pretty frightening. I took a couple of Dutch mates along who said they had never seen anything like it. The bad old days of the late 70s/ early 80s

From a Chelsea Memories site:

"Crowd trouble at earlier games such as Luton and Charlton meant Chelsea supporters were supposed to be banned from attending away fixtures, but hundreds of fans travelled up to Molineux, polished up their Black Country accents, and bought tickets for thousands more. Bowing to the inevitable, British Rail actually laid on a ‘football special’ from the capital.

The extent of the southern element in the crowd was soon evident when Tommy Langley finished a fluent five-man, and the throng continued even after John Richards’ late equaliser. At the final whistle a promotion party covered the pitch as the draw suited both clubs: Wolves were confirmed champions and the Blues were back in the big league."

That is polite way of putting it-- There was a major punch up!

 

[WolfPaul]

Just spotted this one on a website, the cation said Anti-racist demonstrators, Molineux Street, March 1978.

 

[GV Wolf]

Just spotted this one on a website, the cation said Anti-racist demonstrators, Molineux Street, March 1978.

View attachment 38590

Yep, first shown on page 2 of this thread.

 

[Ercall Wolves]

It was a night game when Chelsea tried to take the North Bank. I was in there with my dad standing in the bottom left corner.

Quite right it was a night game I was in there too, was it 1978 or79 I thought?

 

[ricki herberts moustache]

Love the old hooped socks

Comment of the year

Give this man the keys to the City

 

[ricki herberts moustache]

I was still at school and we didn’t have much money so my mum, god bless her, decided to knit me that shirt for Xmas….Now, I love my mum to the heavens and back but fiery hell on earth, that was an abomination. The wolf’s head looked like it had been stoved in on the ears, and took up half the RIGHT side. I never wore it and when my dad brought me to Molineux, I was allowed to stuff it behind our bin til we got home. Thankfully, I soon grew out of it but my dad had to talk my mum out of knitting me another one. Which upset her at the time as I ‘obviously loved the first one’. When she was alive, we used to joke about that jumper but my mum never really cottoned on.
Now that she’s been gone a few years, I wish I’d kept that jumper…but then on reflection, probably not.

How on earth does someone knit a football shirt? I need pictures to understand this

I remember when I was a kid I really wanted a wolves shirt but you just couldn't buy them (I don't think wolves started selling replica shirts until 1983? I Could be wrong).

I thought the white away shirt was cool so went out and bought a plain white football jersey and then cut a wolf head out of black felt and stuck it on where the badge goes. but not only that I also cut out the lettering for the Tatung advert out of black felt and stuck that on the front of the shirt as well.

I was well chuffed

Used to wear it for kick arounds

 

[Kebab Warrior]

View attachment 38389

Here's Ricki Hebert with no moustache.

Best strip ever btw

My first ever kit

 

[Lupus ad Penn]

Quite right it was a night game I was in there too, was it 1978 or79 I thought?

Definitely a night game at the start of the 78-79 season. The Chelsea fans got into the North Bank from Molineux St after the gates had opened. Panic ensued as people tried to get out from the Waterloo Rd side of the NorthBank. There were only exits at each end of the North Bank so it was really chaotic and we were lucky there weren’t serious injuries.

 

[WickedWolfie]

How on earth does someone knit a football shirt? I need pictures to understand this

I remember when I was a kid I really wanted a wolves shirt but you just couldn't buy them (I don't think wolves started selling replica shirts until 1983? I Could be wrong).

I thought the white away shirt was cool so went out and bought a plain white football jersey and then cut a wolf head out of black felt and stuck it on where the badge goes. but not only that I also cut out the lettering for the Tatung advert out of black felt and stuck that on the front of the shirt as well.

I was well chuffed

Used to wear it for kick arounds

Umbro replica shirts were on sale in the 70s l believe. Pretty sure that l wore one to the League Cup final.

 

[Berlin Wolf]

It was a night game when Chelsea tried to take the North Bank. I was in there with my dad standing in the bottom left corner.

It was a night game Longford, 22nd August 1978 we lost 1-0. Like you, I was stood on the left side of the North Bank, but half way up.

I saw the main mass of Chelsea fans leave the South Bank 10 minutes before full-time, thinking they had left to get a train back to London.

But they ran down Molineux Street, and came in agressively singing at the back of the North Bank behind me. And at the bottom left where you stood perhaps? It was chaotic and scary five minutes.

The hard core of Wolves singing support had defected to the South Bank the season before. So, when the Chelsea fans came in, they had little trouble in scattering fans in a panic towards and on to the pitch. I ended up in the Molineux Street Stand seats, and watched the rest of the match from there.

 

[Longford Wolf]

As you say, the Chelsea fans entered through the double wooden gates at the bottom left of the North bank. My dad was a big bloke so he lifted me onto the pitch from the moat and then got onto the pitch as well.
I’m not sure if we left the ground through the Molineux street stand or back through the gates when it was clear.

 

[Lupus ad Penn]

Umbro replica shirts were on sale in the 70s l believe. Pretty sure that l wore one to the League Cup final.

The first Umbro replica shirt was the one worn when we got back into the 1st Division under Sammy Chung in 1977-78. I was working in the North Bank shop at the time, and they were the first shirts we had ever sold, along with the white away shirt and the the all black Umbro track suit. We wore the same shirt until the badge was changed to the Wolf head design in November 1979.

 

[WickedWolfie]

The first Umbro replica shirt was the one worn when we got back into the 1st Division under Sammy Chung in 1977-78. I was working in the North Bank shop at the time, and they were the first shirts we had ever sold, along with the white away shirt and the the all black Umbro track suit. We wore the same shirt until the badge was changed to the Wolf head design in November 1979.

TY. Reassuring to know that my memory is still working lol....

 

[Hot Fuss]

 

[mcwolf]

molineux cats aka Felis Salamandra

 

[Frank Lincoln]

The first Umbro replica shirt was the one worn when we got back into the 1st Division under Sammy Chung in 1977-78. I was working in the North Bank shop at the time, and they were the first shirts we had ever sold, along with the white away shirt and the the all black Umbro track suit. We wore the same shirt until the badge was changed to the Wolf head design in November 1979.

Still one of my favourite shirts. I liked the three leaping wolves.

 

[mcwolf]

 

[FJRWolf]

Don't think replica shirts were a thing in the early 70s (maybe mom and dad just told me that cos of the price) I got a generic old gold shirt from somewhere, either a sports shop or more likely from Brierley Hill market. My mom stitched a number 11 on the back. I also had gold shorts and socks. Unfortunately it turns out I wasn't gunna be the next Waggy... apparently just being left footed wasn't enough.

 

[Hot Fuss]

 

[Norman Bell]

Don't think replica shirts were a thing in the early 70s (maybe mom and dad just told me that cos of the price) I got a generic old gold shirt from somewhere, either a sports shop or more likely from Brierley Hill market. My mom stitched a number 11 on the back. I also had gold shorts and socks. Unfortunately it turns out I wasn't gunna be the next Waggy... apparently just being left footed wasn't enough.

I don't think replica shirts really became a thing until the eighties and more so the late eighties. I did not buy one until the 87/88 season Staw distribution top. I still have it but the material it was made out of has clearly shrunk over those 36 years as I have no chance of fitting in it these days !!!!!!!!!!!

As you point out there were stores that sold generic football shirts. I remember a shop where you could get these as I bought an old gold one from it. Back in the seventies a lot of teams did not actually have a team badge on them as the excellent photograph of George Best that @mcwolf posted on #1,101 shows. I can recall Arsenal, Liverpool, Everton and Newcastle for starters wearing kits without an emblem on.

 

[Very Proud (AKA Still Proud)]

Wow, that footage of the old North Bank brings back some memories.

First match I saw was in that stand sometime during the 1975-76 season. Not a clue who we were playing, but I do recall that Willie Carr was strangely off form that day! I was also there the night Chelsea tried to take the stand. (1979?) I ended up being lifted over the moat and found myself standing on the pitch.

All very surreal, and a great story to tell at school the next day.

My first match was in the North Bank in 1974 and I stood and looked in awe at the South Bank and soon migrated there. My Dad told me, against my wishes, I could only go to the Chelsea night game you mention if I went in the North Bank as it wouldn't be safe in the South Bank. He said he'd pick me up after the game by the NB Souvenir Shop.




As it worked out 13 year old me ended up on the pitch and remember "telling off" Peter Bonnetti about his fans whilst my old man was stood on the car park with Chelsea one side via the Waterloo Road and Wolves (South Bank) coming down Molineux Street. When we finally met up I spent the entire walk home telling him I was right, I'd have been safer in the South Bank.

 

[Super Ted]

My first match was in the North Bank in 1974 and I stood and looked in awe at the South Bank and soon migrated there. My Dad told me, against my wishes, I could only go to the Chelsea night game you mention if I went in the North Bank as it wouldn't be safe in the South Bank. He said he'd pick me up after the game by the NB Souvenir Shop.


View attachment 38730

As it worked out 13 year old me ended up on the pitch and remember "telling off" Peter Bonnetti about his fans whilst my old man was stood on the car park with Chelsea one side via the Waterloo Road and Wolves (South Bank) coming down Molineux Street. When we finally met up I spent the entire walk home telling him I was right, I'd have been safer in the South Bank.

I remember that shop well. One of my main recollections was that the counter was very high, or I was still very short!

 

[Torbay Wolf]

Ha ha. Great story VP.

I could be found in that 'Club Shop' on the NB car park before the game on most Saturdays, usually buying programs for matches I had missed. I hadn't realised how small it was!!

 

[Beeches wolf]

My first match was in the North Bank in 1974 and I stood and looked in awe at the South Bank and soon migrated there. My Dad told me, against my wishes, I could only go to the Chelsea night game you mention if I went in the North Bank as it wouldn't be safe in the South Bank. He said he'd pick me up after the game by the NB Souvenir Shop.


View attachment 38730

As it worked out 13 year old me ended up on the pitch and remember "telling off" Peter Bonnetti about his fans whilst my old man was stood on the car park with Chelsea one side via the Waterloo Road and Wolves (South Bank) coming down Molineux Street. When we finally met up I spent the entire walk home telling him I was right, I'd have been safer in the South Bank.

Wow brings back so many memories. And i remember well going in there on one occasion and buying a T- shirt out of a big cardboard bargain bin.

 

[chignalwolf]

Ha ha. Great story VP.

I could be found in that 'Club Shop' on the NB car park before the game on most Saturdays, usually buying programs for matches I had missed. I hadn't realised how small it was!!

that picture does bring back some great memories, Like you I could catch up on programmes I couldn't afford on match days,
Not sure if the shop is pictured anywhere else in this thread but its the first time I've seen it since it went,

that fella in the doorway looks familiar from back in the day.

wasn't there a Wolves shop in the Town back then, or has the memory gone LOL

 

[northnorfolkwolf]

that picture does bring back some great memories, Like you I could catch up on programmes I couldn't afford on match days,
Not sure if the shop is pictured anywhere else in this thread but its the first time I've seen it since it went,

that fella in the doorway looks familiar from back in the day.

wasn't there a Wolves shop in the Town back then, or has the memory gone LOL

It's BSK's great grandson!

 

[chignalwolf]

It's BSK's great grandson!

? sorry you've lost me there my friend,

 

[Werewolf of Wombourne]

Plans for the 70,000 stadium in 1958. Would have cost £500,000.

 

[Beeches wolf]

? sorry you've lost me there my friend,

BSK ( big saft kid)

 

[northnorfolkwolf]

? sorry you've lost me there my friend,

It's a very, very old joke on here. Big Saft Kid, fount of all Wolves knowledge and wisdom, has had a ST at Molineux since before the war and went to school with Billy Wright's father. He was also a ball boy at the 1949 Cup Final and has seen every Wolves game since then, and moreover he has instant recollection of every goal we've ever scored. He also takes it all with good humour!

 

[Spitfire]

I don't think replica shirts really became a thing until the eighties and more so the late eighties. I did not buy one until the 87/88 season Staw distribution top. I still have it but the material it was made out of has clearly shrunk over those 36 years as I have no chance of fitting in it these days !!!!!!!!!!!

As you point out there were stores that sold generic football shirts. I remember a shop where you could get these as I bought an old gold one from it. Back in the seventies a lot of teams did not actually have a team badge on them as the excellent photograph of George Best that @mcwolf posted on #1,101 shows. I can recall Arsenal, Liverpool, Everton and Newcastle for starters wearing kits without an emblem on.

Yes, I had an Umbro replica with 3 Wolves on and the Umbro diamonds down the sleeves, probably about 1977, but they didn’t really become a major thing till the 80’s.

 

[chignalwolf]

It's a very, very old joke on here. Big Saft Kid, fount of all Wolves knowledge and wisdom, has had a ST at Molineux since before the war and went to school with Billy Wright's father. He was also a ball boy at the 1949 Cup Final and has seen every Wolves game since then, and moreover he has instant recollection of every goal we've ever scored. He also takes it all with good humour!

Cheers mate, we learn something new everyday.
that fella in the pic looks like an old mate who emigrated to OZ back in the early 70s, Dennis Murphy. (Spud)
So has this BSK guy received100th birthday cards from both Queen Victoria and Liz,

 

[chignalwolf]

View attachment 38732

Plans for the 70,000 stadium in 1958. Would have cost £500,000.

Remember those plans coming out, proper space age stuff back then although I thought it was more mid 60s tho, how times fly.

 

[topcat99]

Out of interest, when did the main “core/singers/nutters”. Move from North to South?

My brother was 12 years older than me and was a North banker.

I naturally met all my teenage mates on the South bank (very late 1970s)

 

[Spitfire]

Out of interest, when did the main “core/singers/nutters”. Move from North to South?

My brother was 12 years older than me and was a North banker.

I naturally met all my teenage mates on the South bank (very late 1970s)

I’d say the promotion season 76-77, although a few older ones on here might have a better idea.

 

[Ercall Wolves]

I’d say the promotion season 76-77, although a few older ones on here might have a better idea.

From memory I would say 79/80
Definitely not 76/77