Sliding Doors moments

[Werewolf of Wombourne]

Probably been done before but with all the nonsense that's going to be going on today with deadline day I thought it would be a bit of a distraction from constantly refreshing the Sky Transfer Centre page. I always think we are the unluckiest club in the league when I think back to all the moments we were on the verge of something special happening, only for it to come crashing down due to circumstances beyond our control, the 'sliding doors moment'

What do you think are the biggest? for my two pennies worth (in chronological order)

1st September 1939 - Wolves have just finished runner up twice in succession and are the most exciting young team in the country under Major Buckley and are on the verge of a golden age of success. Then Hitler invades Poland. 2 Days later Britain declares war and the football league is suspended. It takes another 15 years for Wolves to win their first title. Without the war there's a good chance that 1953-4 is Wolves 4th or 5th title

1958 - Wolves are 'Champions of the World' and are looking to redevelop Molineux to a 70,000 capacity to be finished in the early 1960's. It would be one of the biggest and best stadiums in the country and be able to hold international games, FA-Cup semi finals and big European games. It's affordable, doesn't need large borrowings and is completed before the economic turmoil of the mid to late 60's begin. Wolverhampton Council refuse planning permission and nothing is done to the ground for another 20 years. If Molineux is rebuilt the Molineux Street stand does not fail the safety inspection and there is no need for the John Ireland stand to be built and the problems that come with it are avoided. Maybe the slump of the 80's never happens and Wolves are in a good place going into the formation of the Premier League

1994/5 - Wolves kick off the season with some big name signings and huge optimism with Graham Taylor in charge. After 16 weeks of the season we are top of the league and flying. Then we suffer a string of horrendous injuries to our best players and Taylor makes the decision not to buy Mark Walters, who had been excellent on loan. Everything that can go wrong does and the team that finishes the season bears no resemblance to the one that started it and there is no need to say what happened next. We even get unlucky with this being the season that the Premiership goes down to 20 teams so there is only 1 automatic promotion place up for grabs. Any other season we would have played Tranmere in the play-offs instead. With only a modicum of luck we are promoted and Sir Jack's money makes a real difference in the fledgling Premiership and we are able to establish ourselves in the top flight just as the money starts rolling in. As it is its another 8 years before we finally get there and by then Sir Jack is no longer one of the richest owners and we have been well and truly left behind.

2019-20 - Wolves are back in the big time, Under new owners and a fantastic new Coach and team we have defied convention and finished 7th and qualified for Europe in our first season. Season 2 is even better and we are entrenched in the top 6 and in the last 16 of the Europa League. We are the darlings of the media and look to be riding a wave of momentum to the Champions League, either by a top 4 finish or winning the Europa League. Then a worldwide pandemic hits and all bets are off. By the time football restarts all the momentum has gone and a combination of exhausted players, poor referees and bad luck means we finish 7th and miss out on Europe. The following season is behind closed doors and a damp squib. Without COVID there's a very good chance we win a European trophy and get Champions League football and establish ourselves in the top 6.

Any others?

 

[Direwolf]

For me it would be John Richards hits the inside of the post at Maine Rd in the FA cup semi-final in 1973 (52,505) and miraculously for Leeds the ball bounces out and Leeds go on to win the game 1-0 with Billy fricking Bremner scoring the winner.

 

[A wanderer from Bristol]

Raul's injury. I think we were well placed that season and were playing quite well. I don't think we have recovered as a club since that moment

 

[WolfInSheep'sClothing]

Raul's missed penalty against Sevilla.

 

[WolfInSheep'sClothing]

Also I think we did this a few weeks ago?

 

[Alex Rae The Substitute]

1.
Delefeo slightly overcooks his shot at 2-0 in the FA Cup semi, and it brushes the top of the bar and goes out. Wolves go on to survive a late scare when Deeney scores an injury time penalty to make it 2–1. In the FA Cup final Wolves put on a counterattacking masterclass and win the game 2-0 thanks to two quick fire Adama Traore goals in the second half on the break (sound familiar) - and we win a major cup final in my lifetime!

2.
Mike Dean doesn’t award the 50:50 penalty against Doherty vs Burnley and Wolves see out the game and qualify for Europe two years on the bounce. Jota decides to stay.

3.
David Luiz challenges for the ball from the corner at the Emirates with just a bit of control, Raul shaken but otherwise ok, plays on and goes on to score 14 goals per season for Wolves for another 3 years.

4.
Nuno and Jeff, whatever happened there, didn’t happen, and we still have Nuno here now, or at least another 3 seasons of him

5.
Slightly outside of football, but Covid never happened, seemed to really knock the stuffing out of us as a club. I’m convinced (somewhat naively) we’d do Seville over two legs with a full Molineux in the Europa League… and who knows what could have happened then.


Many more before the recent era, but these are the ones that really stick out for me.

 

[Bradstonian]

Watford's come-back in the FA Cup semi-final.

 

[WolfInSheep'sClothing]

I sometimes find myself pondering these scenarios in the shower, so I thought I'd share them. Does anyone else have moments which the beauty of hindsight proves would have changed the direction of the club, for better or for worse?

- Steve Bull makes a decision with his head, instead of his heart, and joins Coventry.
He goes on to have an impressive Premier League career, firing in 111 goals. Coventry are now established as firmly mid table side, and avoid all of the problems that their ownership brought on over the ensuing 30 years. Bull is regarded favourably inside Wolverhampton, but he doesn't have the legend status. He never gets his name on a stand.

- Joleon Lescott avoids injury after Play Off win.
A poor Wolves team struggles to 17th place, aided primarily by the defensive steel provided by their young, talismanic homegrown centre half. A newly enthused Jack Hayward christens himself as the golden bosom, and pumps in 200 million to the club.

- Michael Beale becomes manager.
He wins his first three game then takes the Tottenham job. A tattoo of "Wolves forever" on his left lower leg is the only remnant of his reign.

- Wolves sell Raul Jimenez to Juventus for 75 million
Jimenez - playing in a league with no David Luiz - wins player of the year for Juve, dovetailing perfectly with Ronaldo. A move to Real Madrid follows, where he wins the Champions League.
A newly minted Wolves spend the 75 million windfall on two more Fabio Silva type players.

For previous inspiration

 

[Bostin]

Selling Nunes, allowing us to buy Che Adams who scores the winning goal in the cup final

 

[JadeWolf]

For me definitely Covid. I think if we’d have finished the season as per the schedule, with crowds, we’d have finished top 6 and probably got a bit further into the Europa League.

 

[Flaneur]

Raul's injury. I think we were well placed that season and were playing quite well. I don't think we have recovered as a club since that moment

Agree that the Raul injury derailed us massively, but I don't think we were doing as well as everyone thinks we were that season before his injury.

We were 9th place going into the Arsenal game that day, & bar the 2-0 vs Palace & the win vs Sheff Utd on the opening day, we weren't particularly convincing in any of our games imo.

Lost 4-0 to West Ham, bottled the lead vs Newcastle last minute, a scrappy draw vs Soton & just about scraped wins past Fulham & Leeds (two newly promoted sides)

We also had by far the easiest start in the league that season playing Sheff Utd, West Ham, Fulham, Leeds, Newcastle, Palace & Soton in the first 9. I really think losing Jota killed us that summer

 

[WeAreTheWolvesII]

That last line is very generous for 19/20.

Without Covid there's a very real chance we lose to Olympiacos in a red-hot atmosphere and don't even reach the QFs.

In my opinion, absolutely no way we then beat Sevilla over two legs, Man United over two legs and Inter in a final.

 

[Bondi Wolf]

Peter Knowles didn't bump into those Jehovah's Witnesses in America.

Wolves were much better during the 1970s, and won the UEFA Cup in 1972.

The relegations in 76 and 82 didn't happen because of Knowles' contribution and getting better players because of better finishes and trophies.

Wolves remained a force in the 1980s and were one of the big clubs to benefit from Sky money.

 

[CodsallWolf]

I immediately think of when we sold Robbie Keane and bought Ade Akinbiyi, whereas what would have happened if only we'd kept Keane and bought Akinbiyi.

 

[Ian]

Peter Knowles didn't bump into those Jehovah's Witnesses in America.

Wolves were much better during the 1970s, and won the UEFA Cup in 1972.

The relegations in 76 and 82 didn't happen because of Knowles' contribution and getting better players because of better finishes and trophies.

Wolves remained a force in the 1980s and were one of the big clubs to benefit from Sky money.

We also buy Gordon Banks and Colin Todd...

 

[WolfInSheep'sClothing]

That last line is very generous for 19/20.

Without Covid there's a very real chance we lose to Olympiacos in a red-hot atmosphere and don't even reach the QFs.

In my opinion, absolutely no way we then beat Sevilla over two legs, Man United over two legs and Inter in a final.

I don't think Sheffield United would have beat us without a million subs.

 

[Brizzlewolf]

John Mc****ingGinley

 

[AndyWolves]

Buying Bully was ****ing huge

 

[Jamwolf]

1979/80. We build the John Ireland Stand, are involved in the two biggest transfers of the year, and win the League Cup.
Then fail to invest in the team, get relegated in 1982/3, almost go broke and end up in the 4th division.

 

[woop woop barmy army]

Steve bull and Andy Thompson turn us down.

Wolverhampton Willenhall Wanderers just got promoted to conference league south 35 years after going out of business

 

[surreywolf]

Probably been done before but with all the nonsense that's going to be going on today with deadline day I thought it would be a bit of a distraction from constantly refreshing the Sky Transfer Centre page. I always think we are the unluckiest club in the league when I think back to all the moments we were on the verge of something special happening, only for it to come crashing down due to circumstances beyond our control, the 'sliding doors moment'

What do you think are the biggest? for my two pennies worth (in chronological order)

1st September 1939 - Wolves have just finished runner up twice in succession and are the most exciting young team in the country under Major Buckley and are on the verge of a golden age of success. Then Hitler invades Poland. 2 Days later Britain declares war and the football league is suspended. It takes another 15 years for Wolves to win their first title. Without the war there's a good chance that 1953-4 is Wolves 4th or 5th title

1958 - Wolves are 'Champions of the World' and are looking to redevelop Molineux to a 70,000 capacity to be finished in the early 1960's. It would be one of the biggest and best stadiums in the country and be able to hold international games, FA-Cup semi finals and big European games. It's affordable, doesn't need large borrowings and is completed before the economic turmoil of the mid to late 60's begin. Wolverhampton Council refuse planning permission and nothing is done to the ground for another 20 years. If Molineux is rebuilt the Molineux Street stand does not fail the safety inspection and there is no need for the John Ireland stand to be built and the problems that come with it are avoided. Maybe the slump of the 80's never happens and Wolves are in a good place going into the formation of the Premier League

1994/5 - Wolves kick off the season with some big name signings and huge optimism with Graham Taylor in charge. After 16 weeks of the season we are top of the league and flying. Then we suffer a string of horrendous injuries to our best players and Taylor makes the decision not to buy Mark Walters, who had been excellent on loan. Everything that can go wrong does and the team that finishes the season bears no resemblance to the one that started it and there is no need to say what happened next. We even get unlucky with this being the season that the Premiership goes down to 20 teams so there is only 1 automatic promotion place up for grabs. Any other season we would have played Tranmere in the play-offs instead. With only a modicum of luck we are promoted and Sir Jack's money makes a real difference in the fledgling Premiership and we are able to establish ourselves in the top flight just as the money starts rolling in. As it is its another 8 years before we finally get there and by then Sir Jack is no longer one of the richest owners and we have been well and truly left behind.

2019-20 - Wolves are back in the big time, Under new owners and a fantastic new Coach and team we have defied convention and finished 7th and qualified for Europe in our first season. Season 2 is even better and we are entrenched in the top 6 and in the last 16 of the Europa League. We are the darlings of the media and look to be riding a wave of momentum to the Champions League, either by a top 4 finish or winning the Europa League. Then a worldwide pandemic hits and all bets are off. By the time football restarts all the momentum has gone and a combination of exhausted players, poor referees and bad luck means we finish 7th and miss out on Europe. The following season is behind closed doors and a damp squib. Without COVID there's a very good chance we win a European trophy and get Champions League football and establish ourselves in the top 6.

Any others?

Mike dean

Penalty

Burnley

We were that close to CL

 

[SingleMalt]

Steve bull and Andy Thompson turn us down.

Wolverhampton Willenhall Wanderers just got promoted to conference league south 35 years after going out of business

Interesting idea, but with our following there’s no way we’d be smaller than Wimbledon AFC are today.

 

[TheRetroChief]

We didn't give Sami Al-Jaber a chance. Had he been a mainstay of the team and with his reputation and connections, we could have been the first to enjoy the Saudi money, decades before it was a thing. We could have been the Man City of today.

 

[Kebab Warrior]

1.
Delefeo slightly overcooks his shot at 2-0 in the FA Cup semi, and it brushes the top of the bar and goes out. Wolves go on to survive a late scare when Deeney scores an injury time penalty to make it 2–1. In the FA Cup final Wolves put on a counterattacking masterclass and win the game 2-0 thanks to two quick fire Adama Traore goals in the second half on the break (sound familiar) - and we win a major cup final in my lifetime!

2.
Mike Dean doesn’t award the 50:50 penalty against Doherty vs Burnley and Wolves see out the game and qualify for Europe two years on the bounce. Jota decides to stay.

3.
David Luiz challenges for the ball from the corner at the Emirates with just a bit of control, Raul shaken but otherwise ok, plays on and goes on to score 14 goals per season for Wolves for another 3 years.

4.
Nuno and Jeff, whatever happened there, didn’t happen, and we still have Nuno here now, or at least another 3 seasons of him

5.
Slightly outside of football, but Covid never happened, seemed to really knock the stuffing out of us as a club. I’m convinced (somewhat naively) we’d do Seville over two legs with a full Molineux in the Europa League… and who knows what could have happened then.


Many more before the recent era, but these are the ones that really stick out for me.

Dennis Bergkamp doesn’t get lost in the frozen section of ASDA

 

[Kebab Warrior]

Alex Ferguson was offered the manager's job at Wolverhampton Wanderers but turned it down as he felt that Wolves were in trouble and his "ambitions at Aberdeen were not even half fulfilled".

 

[SA Wolf]

Only Wolves' fans could judge the Second World War as being something so detrimentally unfair that it cost us a league title.

 

[groundhogwolf]

Watford's come-back in the FA Cup semi-final.

Or Nuno substituting nightmare

 

[Alex Rae The Substitute]

Dennis Bergkamp doesn’t get lost in the frozen section of ASDA

Not what I heard

 

[Padraig]

Only Wolves' fans could judge the Second World War as being something so detrimentally unfair that it cost us a league title.

The more I learn about Hitler, the more I dislike him

 

[Henry Hill]

Paul Lambert not being good enough, without which Nuno's appointment unlikely to happen. My company were the match sponsors for the Rotherham game in the April, which meant Lambert was due to come and have a chat with us before the match. He arrived late as he'd taken the team up to the Mount for a team bonding session to try and improve results. Poor bloke was obviously stressed out, so we took pity and cut the chat short and told him to get back to the team. A decisive 0-0 result followed, so the team bonding hadn't worked, so paved the way for the best few years we've had recently under Nuno.

 

[Quicksilver]

For me recently, the game at Arsenal a couple of seasons ago, leading 1-0 Hwang, looked good , Semedo went off injured , lost momentum, Arsenal scored twice late on, lost 2-1, never recovered managed to snatch 10th place from the claws of 8th, Arsenal went on to challenge City last season

 

[O.W.E.I]

Not losing the first leg of the the UEFA Cup final to Spuds, going on to win it and becoming the biggest club in the world.

That dodgy French bloke not turning us down, Plati or something?

John McGinlay's unmarried parents using effective contraception.

 

[stoke wanderer]

we sell steve daley to man city for £1.5 million in sept 79 but dont buy andy gray bank the money and pay a huge chunk off what was borrowed to build the new stand maybe we dont win the league cup but the bankruptcy of 82 is avoided and likewise the plunge through the divisions 83-86

 

[Contrarian]

We are cursed, aren't we? I'd read that we lost 2, perhaps 3 titles on the last day and to tiny goal average amounts. Hadn't realised how WW2 intervened just when we were about to dominate, too. Somebody up there really doesn't like us.

 

[AndyWolves]

Not selling max Kilman for 35m

 

[SydneyWolf]

John Barnwell narrowly avoids a car crash and successfully signs promising young European players Platini and Boniek

 

[oldgoldheart]

We keep lopetegui and go on to finish top 8. Heralding a new era of success

 

[Werewolf of Wombourne]

John Barnwell narrowly avoids a car crash and successfully signs promising young European players Platini and Boniek

You can also add Peter Reid and Gary Lineker to the list of almost signed. Could have had Alex Ferguson managing them as well.

The more you look back at the early 80's the more you wonder what might have been. A midfield of Platini, Hibbitt and Reid with a front two of Lineker and Boniek, with Fergie on the touchlines.

The question is whether you would have preferred that scenario, fighting at the top of the league, when it means we never sign a certain Stephen George Bull.

 

[O.W.E.I]

You can also add Peter Reid and Gary Lineker to the list of almost signed. Could have had Alex Ferguson managing them as well.

The more you look back at the early 80's the more you wonder what might have been. A midfield of Platini, Hibbitt and Reid with a front two of Lineker and Boniek, with Fergie on the touchlines.

The question is whether you would have preferred that scenario, fighting at the top of the league, when it means we never sign a certain Stephen George Bull.

Why couldn't we have both?

 

[Werewolf of Wombourne]

Why couldn't we have both?

In hindsight it would be great but I can hardly see a top 1st division side signing a 23 yr old reserve team striker from a Div 2 side