Best EVER Wolves Team

[Highlandwolf2]

What would be your best ever Wolves team, if you had all players, current and historical, at your disposal?

Of course, virtually impossible to answer, mainly because the vast majority of current supporters at best will go back to the 50s or 60s, and many much more recent.

You could take a lifetime to consider this but in about 60 seconds I came up with the following (and certainly taking no notice of formation or tactics):-

Williams

Thompson (Bobby)
Cullis
Wright
Parkin

Broadbent
Bailey
Flowers

Bull
Jimenez
Mullen

Cullis as captain - how can you ignore that in 1938 he alone refused to give Hitler’s West German side the Nazi salute in a friendly between England and Germany, and which saw him dropped from national team.

How could I have left out most of my personal heroes (Dougan, Richards, Wagstaffe etc) not to mention several from the current squad?

Interested to know anyone else's opinion.

 

[Hsvwolf]

Though most pop them Ive only read about , the way we dismantled Villa today......would have put a few more of todays team in there .

 

[Autistic Kangaroo]

I would definitely have Moutinho in. But then again I was born in 1980.

 

[merseawolf]

Just my favourite players in a 352

Murray
Lescott. Coady. Boly
Doc. Moutinho Neves. Kennedy
Cook
Bull. Jota

 

[whitnash wolf ex.dewsbury]

williams;parkin;thomson;clamp;cullis;wright;hancocks;broadbent;swinbourne;knowles;mullen subs.murray;stuart;flowers;bailey;bull;richards;wagstaffe .squad;finlayson;showell;slater;hughes;hibbit dougan;hinton

 

[Highlandwolf2]

williams;parkin;thomson;clamp;cullis;wright;hancocks;broadbent;swinbourne;knowles;mullen subs.murray;stuart;flowers;bailey;bull;richards;wagstaffe .squad;finlayson;showell;slater;hughes;hibbit dougan;hinton

Did you see many of these?

 

[Pagey]

Personal best, since I started in, '88

Murray
Richards Lescott Boly
Doherty Thommo
Neves Mouthino
Keane Bull Raul


Miller Irwin Ince Patricio Froggatt jota would be close

 

[whitnash wolf ex.dewsbury]

watched first match live 62/63 but talked to many fans from the forties who also told me the real reason why major buckley left wolves

 

[oldgolded]

Depends on the fomation. Whether it is 4-4-2 or as we play now 3-5-2 or 3-4-3
I give you two teams based on the players from my era. I did not see the great team of the 1950s, but I'm sure if I had, it would be packed with players from that era:

4-4-2
Murray

Thomson (Bobby)
Munro
Lescott
Parkin

Bailey
Moutinho
Knowles
Wagstaffe

Dougan
Richards

3-4-3
Murray

Munro
Richards (Dean)
Boly

Doherty
Bailey
Moutinho
Jonny

Dougan
Richards
Wagstaffe

 

[Deleted member 4152]

11 Gary Breens innit

 

[Tring Wolf]

From those I’ve watched:

Patricio
Richards, Coady, Boly
Doherty, Thomas, Neves, Moutinho, Jonny
Bull, Jimenez

All-time

Williams
Wright, Munro, Slater
Hibbitt, Flowers, Broadbent
Hancocks, Knowles, Mullen
Richards

 

[Highlandwolf2]

watched first match live 62/63 but talked to many fans from the forties who also told me the real reason why major buckley left wolves

Which was....?

 

[Deleted member 4152]

I’m sorry. But those omitting a certain Moutino from their team. Seriously?

 

[Boss Hogg]

Perhaps we should use a 1-1-8 formation from the early 19th century?

 

[astraltrader]

It seems a bit crazy to try and build a team containing the best players from the 50's and 60's along with the best of our current fine team as well as some from the 70's and Bully as well.
How could one judge between Bully or Jiminez or Waggy or Adama?? Murray or Patricio???
Sorry guys but that is how I see it....

 

[WickedWolfie]

williams;parkin;thomson;clamp;cullis;wright;hancocks;broadbent;swinbourne;knowles;mullen subs.murray;stuart;flowers;bailey;bull;richards;wagstaffe .squad;finlayson;showell;slater;hughes;hibbit dougan;hinton

How you can not include one current player is beyond me.

 

[ShropshireLad]

From those I’ve seen as only that makes sense!

Patricio

Boly.
Coady
Parkin

Traore
Hibbitt
Moutinho
Wagstaffe

Dougan
Richards
Knowles

Bench
Tim Flowers
Irwin
Bailey
Lescott
Jota
Jimenez
McCalliog

 

[ShropshireLad]

watched first match live 62/63 but talked to many fans from the forties who also told me the real reason why major buckley left wolves

Money.

 

[WickedWolfie]

From those I’ve seen as only that makes sense!

Patricio

Boly.
Coady
Parkin

Traore
Hibbett
Knowles
Wagstaffe

Dougan
Richards

Bench
Tim Flowers
Irwin
Bailey
Moutinho
Jota
Jimenez
McCalliog

Any reason that you only picked 10 plus subs?

 

[ShropshireLad]

Any reason that you only picked 10 plus subs?

Hang on a minute, I’ve got messages flying in from all directions but thanks for the heads up.

 

[Tezthewolvesfan]

Bull, bull, bull, bull, bull, bull, bull, bull, bull, bull and bull. Subs Bull, bull, bull. Manger Bull.....
.

 

[I'm the Wanderer]

Bull, bull, bull, bull, bull, bull, bull, bull, bull, bull and bull. Subs Bull, bull, bull. Manger Bull.....
.

I would agree with this had you included bull. Why you left him off is beyond me.

 

[Vicious Sid]

1st game 1954
I can give you certain players that cannot be left out. Someone else can pick the formation.
M Murray
D Parkin
W Boly
R Flowers
R Neves
M Bailey
P Knowles
P Broadbent - still my greatest ever
D Wagstaff
D Dougan
S Bull

 

[merseawolf]

From those I’ve seen as only that makes sense!

Patricio

Boly.
Coady
Parkin

Traore
Hibbitt
Moutinho
Wagstaffe

Dougan
Richards
Knowles

Bench
Tim Flowers
Irwin
Bailey
Lescott
Jota
Jimenez
McCalliog

Bully doesn’t make the bench after 306 goals? Interesting

 

[Highlandwolf2]

1st game 1954
I can give you certain players that cannot be left out. Someone else can pick the formation.
M Murray
D Parkin
W Boly
R Flowers
R Neves
M Bailey
P Knowles
P Broadbent - still my greatest ever
D Wagstaff
D Dougan
S Bull

You seem to be bit older than me (not by much though) and very interested in your views. Can't argue with any of the players suggested and note your comments re Broadbent. Certainly I would have seen him play but have no memory of him. My Dad thought the best players he ever saw was him and Tom Galley (can't help with the latter) as in best players from any team. We disagreed about lots of things but he knew his football.

 

[WickedWolfie]

Bull, bull, bull, bull, bull, bull, bull, bull, bull, bull and bull. Subs Bull, bull, bull. Manger Bull.....
.

Bully as keeper???

 

[WickedWolfie]

You seem to be bit older than me (not by much though) and very interested in your views. Can't argue with any of the players suggested and note your comments re Broadbent. Certainly I would have seen him play but have no memory of him. My Dad thought the best players he ever saw was him and Tom Galley (can't help with the latter) as in best players from any team. We disagreed about lots of things but he knew his football.

Suspect, with half the team from the 60/70s, that reflects your prime. All great players but a very unbalanced team and at least one more current player (Moutinho) has to be in there for me. I agree that Bully and Murray are the only realistic candidates from the 1981-2017 period. Can't help thinking though that Murray ahead of proven internationals Williams and Patricio might be a stretch.

 

[Tezthewolvesfan]

Bully as keeper???

Why not lol

 

[WickedWolfie]

Why not lol

There'd be lots of goals in any game with that team... At both ends!

 

[reanswolf]

I can only look back to 1970 so the obvious criticism is that my team wouldn't include players from that wonderful era.......................here are a few positions I have put 2 names as can't split them..........

Anyway: -

Goalkeeper - Matt Murray / Rui Patricio.
Right wing-back - Matty Doherty
Left wing-back - Derek Parkin / Johnny
Sweeper - Connor Coady
Centre back - Willy Boly
Centre back - Joleon Lescott / Frank Munro
Centre-Mid - Ruben Neves / Kenny Hibbitt
Centre-Mid - Joao Moutinho / Mike Bailey
Left attack - Dave Wagstaffe / Diogo Jota / Steve Daley
Right attack - Adama Traore
Centre attack - Steve Bull / John Richards / Raul Jimenez

 

[WickedWolfie]

I can only look back to 1970 so the obvious criticism is that my team wouldn't include players from that wonderful era.......................here are a few positions I have put 2 names as can't split them..........

Anyway: -

Goalkeeper - Matt Murray / Rui Patricio.
Right wing-back - Matty Doherty
Left wing-back - Derek Parkin / Johnny
Sweeper - Connor Coady
Centre back - Willy Boly
Centre back - Joleon Lescott / Frank Munro
Centre-Mid - Ruben Neves / Kenny Hibbitt
Centre-Mid - Joao Moutinho / Mike Bailey
Left attack - Dave Wagstaffe / Diogo Jota / Steve Daley
Right attack - Adama Traore
Centre attack - Steve Bull / John Richards / Raul Jimenez

With the exception of probably wanting to add Dean Richards and Robbie Keane l would go with that.

 

[Big Nosed Wolf]

The futile but hugely enjoyable exercise in naming the greatest ever. As the OP mentions 'historically' I suggest that those players we have seen should be added to by those players we didn't but their records suggest that due to the club's achievements players from those sides must have been worthy of a place. That might take us back to the very first amateur league games but considering football then was still an infant it wouldn't be sensible to include those players.

How about looking at players from 1888/9 when we were an original in the football league to about 1930ish. Look at the club's record and the 'evidence' of those players in the earliest days of the first forty years and then take it from the 'modern' era from Buckley's rebuilding of the club from about that time?

In the first period I discount the time from 1906ish to 1930ish as the club was marooned in Div 2 for the most part but did win the FA Cup during that time in 1908 and were losing finalists in 1921. As I haven't the rest of my life to sit here posting for ever I still discount those years.

That takes us to the period 1888-1906. We were not only an original during that time but it would seem pretty decent. In the very first FL season we finished 3rd in the league and were losing finalists in the FA Cup at the Oval to Preston. We beat Blackburn in the SF that year no mean feat at the time. Preston during that time were head and shoulders above the rest it would seem. The following year we got to the SF again but this time lost 0-1 to Blackburn. We won it in 1893 at Fallowfield (when so many Wolves fans turned up it caught the organisers off guard the game had to be delayed while the pitch was cleared) against Everton. In 1896 we again made the final and lost to Sheffield Wednesday at Crystal Palace. Why those finals were in London when the game was now a Midland's and Northern game is a mystery.

In the league from the beginning to 1906 and relegation there were 6 'Top six' finishes in the league but didn't manage to win it. Apart from the latter part of that period we were comfortably a 'Top ten' side as the number of clubs in Div 1 increased from 12 to 20. Looking at the records and reports from some of those games it must have been an exciting time (apart from the misery many would be living in).

From records of that time here's some of the players who would have been worthy of a 'greatest ever' Wolves side. (without positions because that would be both difficult to pin down or or particularly relevant today)

First a nod to the embryonic club and those who set it all up in the first place.

Harry Barcroft. At 21 he was head of St Luke's School and keen footballer. He is one the most important figures in the history of the club,
He tutored two of the first important players in the club's history, namely,
John Baynton
John Brodie Both pupils at St Luke's school and instrumental in the Dudley Road days of Wolves and footballing progress.

So on to the 'professional' game. 1888-1906 and playing at Molineux now.

W. C. Rose (Goalkeeper and in goal for the first ever FA Cup win in 1893 the same year he proposed a player's union now the PFA)
R Baugh
W Malpass
H Allen (died tragically at 29)
R Topham( some records state he scored the only goal in the final of 1893 but as was the time there was confusion. It might have been Malpass or Wykes no one was sure)
Harry Wood (one of the first consistent goalscorers at the club he reached double figures in 9 out of 10 of the first ten years of the league)
D Wykes
T Baddeley
W Beats
Wooldridge (along with Beats became the leading goalscorers for several season after Harry Wood was transferred to Southampton after ten years at the club)

I have worked from memory mainly so might be a few discrepancies. The 'modern' game to follow.

 

[Highlandwolf2]

Suspect, with half the team from the 60/70s, that reflects your prime. All great players but a very unbalanced team and at least one more current player (Moutinho) has to be in there for me. I agree that Bully and Murray are the only realistic candidates from the 1981-2017 period. Can't help thinking though that Murray ahead of proven internationals Williams and Patricio might be a stretch.

Had Murray been injury free he would have been one of the very, very best. Will always remember him coming for and catching a corner at the far edge of the penalty area.

 

[Highlandwolf2]

The futile but hugely enjoyable exercise in naming the greatest ever. As the OP mentions 'historically' I suggest that those players we have seen should be added to by those players we didn't but their records suggest that due to the club's achievements players from those sides must have been worthy of a place. That might take us back to the very first amateur league games but considering football then was still an infant it wouldn't be sensible to include those players.

How about looking at players from 1888/9 when we were an original in the football league to about 1930ish. Look at the club's record and the 'evidence' of those players in the earliest days of the first forty years and then take it from the 'modern' era from Buckley's rebuilding of the club from about that time?

In the first period I discount the time from 1906ish to 1930ish as the club was marooned in Div 2 for the most part but did win the FA Cup during that time in 1908 and were losing finalists in 1921. As I haven't the rest of my life to sit here posting for ever I still discount those years.

That takes us to the period 1888-1906. We were not only an original during that time but it would seem pretty decent. In the very first FL season we finished 3rd in the league and were losing finalists in the FA Cup at the Oval to Preston. We beat Blackburn in the SF that year no mean feat at the time. Preston during that time were head and shoulders above the rest it would seem. The following year we got to the SF again but this time lost 0-1 to Blackburn. We won it in 1893 at Fallowfield (when so many Wolves fans turned up it caught the organisers off guard the game had to be delayed while the pitch was cleared) against Everton. In 1896 we again made the final and lost to Sheffield Wednesday at Crystal Palace. Why those finals were in London when the game was now a Midland's and Northern game is a mystery.

In the league from the beginning to 1906 and relegation there were 6 'Top six' finishes in the league but didn't manage to win it. Apart from the latter part of that period we were comfortably a 'Top ten' side as the number of clubs in Div 1 increased from 12 to 20. Looking at the records and reports from some of those games it must have been an exciting time (apart from the misery many would be living in).

From records of that time here's some of the players who would have been worthy of a 'greatest ever' Wolves side. (without positions because that would be both difficult to pin down or or particularly relevant today)

First a nod to the embryonic club and those who set it all up in the first place.

Harry Barcroft. At 21 he was head of St Luke's School and keen footballer. He is one the most important figures in the history of the club,
He tutored two of the first important players in the club's history, namely,
John Baynton
John Brodie Both pupils at St Luke's school and instrumental in the Dudley Road days of Wolves and footballing progress.

So on to the 'professional' game. 1888-1906 and playing at Molineux now.

W. C. Rose (Goalkeeper and in goal for the first ever FA Cup win in 1893 the same year he proposed a player's union now the PFA)
R Baugh
W Malpass
H Allen (died tragically at 29)
R Topham( some records state he scored the only goal in the final of 1893 but as was the time there was confusion. It might have been Malpass or Wykes no one was sure)
Harry Wood (one of the first consistent goalscorers at the club he reached double figures in 9 out of 10 of the first ten years of the league)
D Wykes
T Baddeley
W Beats
Wooldridge (along with Beats became the leading goalscorers for several season after Harry Wood was transferred to Southampton after ten years at the club)

I have worked from memory mainly so might be a few discrepancies. The 'modern' game to follow.

Brilliant post. My Dad went to St Luke's (1919 onwards) and an ex Wolves star who went to St Lukes (may well be one of those you mentioned, but my memory fails me) was one of his teachers.

 

[Big Nosed Wolf]

Brilliant post. My Dad went to St Luke's (1919 onwards) and an ex Wolves star who went to St Lukes (may well be one of those you mentioned, but my memory fails me) was one of his teachers.

Thanks. An interesting stat. The head Barcroft died in 1917 but there were others who might have been there when your dad went. My family probably go back to that time my grandfather was born in 1894 in Church Lane. His father might have been there but I have never been able to confirm that. There was a T Worrall who played for the club in those earliest days and that was the maiden name of my paternal great Grandmother so was he a relative I ask? Never been able to confirm that for certain.

 

[WickedWolfie]

Had Murray been injury free he would have been one of the very, very best. Will always remember him coming for and catching a corner at the far edge of the penalty area.

I suspect that you are right. Sadly we will never know for sure.

 

[Ian]

3-4-1-2
...................Williams..........................
Cullis........... Munro...............Wright
Doherty....Neves...Moutinho.....kennedy
.....................Broadbent........................
...............Knowles......Jota.....................

 

[merseawolf]

3-4-1-2
...................Williams..........................
Cullis........... Munro...............Wright
Doherty....Neves...Moutinho.....kennedy
.....................Broadbent........................
...............Knowles......Jota.....................

Not sure Jota will have a Stand named after him.

 

[whitnash wolf ex.dewsbury]

it was put to me that he left because of an "Affair of the Heart".looking forward to more from B.N.W.From 1888/89 to 2018/19 Wolves home league games have been watched by 51 million fans for an average of 21,000

 

[Hot Fuss]

Tony Lange

Oleg Luzhny
Simon Coleman
Darren Peacock
Paul Edwards

Tim Steele
Steve Sedgley
Paul Jones
Geoffrey Mujangi Bia

Thomas Frankowski
Robert Taylor

Subs
Roger Hansbury
Lee Evans
Jake Cassidy
Kevin Ashley
Leon Clarke
Neill Collins