A View From The South Bank

Later this month, it will be 34 years since my Dad gave me 50p to gain entrance to Molineux and I pressed against a South Bank turnstile for the very first time.

I’ll never forget that first game, a 5-1 trouncing of a Fulham side containing Bobby Moore, Rodney Marsh and George Best.

And I’ll never forget the most recent game I saw at Molineux either. Saturday night will live with me forever, the night Wolves stopped Man Utd creating their own moment in history, the night I saw one of the finest centre forward performances in my Wolves supporting lifetime.

I missed out on the Dougan and Richards era, but I lived through the entire Bull and Mutch double act, a period of relative success for a team that had to live in the past to find its glory.

But for all Bully’s remarkable Molineux feats, I’m hard pressed to remember a performance that would top what Doyle produced under the Molineux lights against United on Saturday.

The strength, the intelligence, the running, the power – it was a truly magnificent performance from Doyle. One that we will always be grateful for.

So how good was Saturday’s win? For me it was the best I’ve witnessed by a Wolves team.

United’s first defeat of the season, with Rooney, Berbatov, Nani and the still excellent Giggs running at a defence that has consistently forgotten to concentrate for 90 minutes.

We beat the big teams, and lose to the other relegation candidates. It’s crazy, but there’s no doubt that Molineux really rocks when the top clubs come calling.

The support from the South Bank was ferociously fantastic on Saturday. When Molineux is a cauldron, Wolves respond. Molineux is not always a cauldron when the likes of Wigan are the visitors.

I’ll always remember Saturday. The loudest Barmy Army chant, the nail-biting tension as Fergie was granted five minutes overtime, the joy on goalscorer George Elokobi’s face, and the realisation that Wolves had not scraped a victory – we had come from behind to beat the best team in England bar none, and one of the best teams in Europe.

Here’s my top 20 victories since starting to watch Wolves on February 19, 1977 (and I’ve not included the 1980 League Cup win because I didn’t see it).

1. Wolves 2, Man Utd 1 (Feb 2011). George Elokobi’s goal celebrations, and Kevin Doyle’s performance. A magical night.

2. Wolves 3, Sheffield United 0 (May 2003). Nineteen years of hurt at an end. Sir Jack’s big screen thumbs up. No wonder a tear rolled down my cheek at The Millennium Stadium.

3. Wolves 1, Man Utd 0 (January 2004). Wes Brown slips, Kenny Miller capitalises. Molineux shook.

4 Liverpool 0, Wolves 1 (January 1984). I watched Danny Crainie get past Phil Neal on the left. Steve Mardenborough’s shoulder did the rest.

5. Wolves 1, QPR 0 (April 2009). I joined the promotion pitch invasion. It had to be done.

6 Wolves 1, Chelsea 0 (January 2011). A goal line swinger from Boswinga.

7. Liverpool 0, Wolves 1 (December 2010). Revenge for Wardy, 12 months after his harsh red card.

8. Wolves 4, Leicester 3 (October 2003). More than seven years before Newcastle’s 4-4 draw with Arsenal, a stunning comeback thanks to Colin Cameron, Alex Rae and Henri Camara.

9. Derby 2, Wolves 3 (April 2009) We sat on the Wolves Travel Club coach after an Andy Keogh inspired win listening to Sports Report. We knew promotion was almost ours.

10. Newcastle 1, Wolves 4 (January 1990). Flew to Newcastle with hundreds of Wolves fans, and Bully did the rest.

11. Spurs 0, Wolves 1 (December 2009). Doyle’s winner, but a memorable performance from Sylvan at White Hart Lane. We should have won at Old Trafford three days later too!

12. Wolves 1, Doncaster 0 (May 2009). The memory of 20,000 flags waving prior to kick off to celebrate our Championship. Simply brilliant.

13. Wolves 2, Burnley 0 (1988). It was 7.30pm before our coach left Wembley. We’d have been better off in a Sherpa van.

14. Wolves 3, Swindon 1 (February 1980). My wooden stool collapsed under the weight of humanity on the South Bank. Thanks to Mel Eves, we were Wembley bound.

15. West Brom 1, Wolves 2 (October 1989). Bully’s first return to The Hawthorns, and an 89th minute winner. Watch it on youtube – I’m in there somewhere!

16. Wolves 1, West Brom 0 (March 2007). They took our South Bank in the Cup, and they beat us in the play-offs. But Jay Bothroyd gave us a crumb of comfort.

17. Wolves 2, Man City 1 (October 2010). Where this season’s big club results madness began.

18. West Ham 1, Wolves 3 (March 2010). His back passes are occasionally dodgy, but Ronald’s rocket set us up for Premier League survival.

19. Wolves 4, Liverpool 1 (November 1980). Spent the next day being chased around Bridgnorth Endowed School by angry, and older, Liverpool fans.

20. Wolves 5, Fulham 1 (February 1977). Where my love affair with Wolves began. It will never end.

As long as it’s interspersed with a reasonably regular supply of victories, there’s something really quite wonderful about heroic failure.

It’s that great sense of satisfaction and pride that comes with days like this. The day when Manchester City beat Wolves, but never broke Wolves. They day when City’s fans were relieved that the final whistle had been blown.

A stunning period in the second half inspired by the fantastic Carlos Tevez threatened to destroy Wolves, but this Wolves team is very rarely destroyed.

I was disappointed to see some Wolves fans leaving Eastlands as Roberto Mancini’s team secured a 4-1 lead as Tevez, just like he did at Molineux last season, threatened to embarrass Mick McCarthy’s fighters.

But more fool them. They missed two goals from a Wolves team that rightly received an ovation fit for gallant heroes at full time.

Of course, the reality is that Wolves slipped back into the bottom three with this defeat. But this was a bonus game, with no great expectations. If Wolves go down this season, it will more likely be because they failed to beat the likes of Wigan and West Ham – not because they lost out on a memorable afternoon in rain-lashed Manchester.

This was simply a great game to watch. Wolves in wonderland thanks to Nenad Milijas, and still ahead with 40 minutes on the clock. But the marking for City’s equaliser epitomised much of the collective defensive frailties that have held Wolves back this season.

But all square at the break was still a terrific return for an outstanding first half performance, which combined defensive heart with attacking bravery and gusto.

Then Tevez took control. What a mesmorising goal to take City ahead, and Wolves looked as though they really could be on the verge of a pasting as the home side powered into a three-goal lead.

But what Wolves lack in financial power, they almost make up for with a wonderful determination to give everything, all the time.

Shipping four goals against a team with such a spectacular array of attacking talent is not calamitous, but that’s exactly what some of Wolves’ defending has been this season.

However, against City, the individual performances of Ronald Zubar, Christophe Berra (apart from one slip) and Richard Stearman all warranted praise, as did Wayne Hennessey’s in goal.

Wolves’ back four has deservedly been under a critical spotlight for much of the season, but not many Wolves players have been better than Berra so far this campaign.

Milijas didn’t look out of place in a midfield battle zone patrolled by millionaires, and Matt Jarvis offered an exciting outlet, unfortunately without a final delivery to match.

Wolves have done really well against the biggest teams in England this season. Only Arsenal at Molineux provided us with a harsh lesson. But it’s the clubs all around us in the congested relegation zone that we really need to start beating.

It doesn’t look as though Wolves are going to climb to mid-table safety any time soon. They’re going to have living on our nerves for a while yet.

But I’m going to keep the faith for three reasons – the win at Liverpool, the victory over Chelsea and a performance that will live long in the memory at Eastlands.

He’s clearly got the backing of Steve Morgan, but the relationship with Wolves fans probably stands on the brink.

January is a massive month for Mick McCarthy – and as Wolves scramble for Premier League points, he needs to prove that he can deliver transfer window signings that can propel us to safety.

Sunday’s display against Wigan was horrible. But there’s no audible clamour for change filling the Molineux air. I heard isolated shouts on the South Bank – but most of us are willing McCarthy to get us out of this mess.

Critics of McCarthy and his supporters will say we’re sleepwalking into disaster, closing our eyes to the inevitability of relegation. And we need Big Sam now.

But if  Wolves fans are anything, we are loyal. We owe a mountain of debt to McCarthy for the fantastic journey since July 2006.

The only reality in football management is the sack – unless you are Sir Alex Ferguson or Arsene Wenger.

But for all the Wolves fans who want regime change at Molineux, I venture to suggest many more want McCarthy to sort this out himself.

What is probably universal though among Wolves fans is a desire to see Steven Fletcher given a chance. He’s got four goals, but only started five games.

Fletcher’s career at Wolves has stuttered, goals aside. Another example of a signing that looked great, but has yet to fire.

And maybe that is McCarthy’s biggest issue to overcome – he needs to prove that when it comes to the transfer market, he can find the deals that will transform Wolves in the Premier League.

McCarthy has brought 56 players to Molineux, either signed or on loan. And here’s my verdict on those 56 – as I acknowledge the reality that signings 57 and 58, and maybe even 59, really need to come off.

GREAT SIGNINGS (7):
Kevin Doyle, Sylvan Ebanks-Blake, Kevin Foley, Karl Henry, Chris Iwelumo, Matt Jarvis, Michael Kightly.

GOOD SIGNINGS (17):
Christophe Berra, Jay Bothroyd, Gary Breen, Neill Collins, David Edwards, Steven Fletcher, Michael Gray, Adlene Guedioura, Marcus Hahnemann, David Jones, Andy Keogh, Michael McIndoe, Michael Mancienne, Nenad Milijas, Sam Vokes, Stephen Ward, Ronald Zubar.

AVERAGE SIGNINGS (17):
Jan Budtz, Jamie Clapham, Craig Davies, Carlos Edwards, George Elokobi, Craig Fleming, Darron Gibson, Matt Hill, Stephen Hunt, Jemal Johnson, Kevin Kyle, Steven Mouyokolo, Darren Potter, Kyel Reid, Graham Stack, Richard Stearman, David Wheater.

POOR SIGNINGS (15):
Marcus Bent, Segundo Castillo, Freddy Eastwood, Stephen Elliott, George Friend, Greg Halford, Marlon Harewood, Stefan Meirhofer, Geoffrey Mujangi Bia, Charlie Mulgrew, Nigel Quashie, Jason Shackell, Andrew Surman, Jelle Van Damme, Darren Ward.

There have been some wonderful moments during Mick McCarthy’s 214-game reign at Molineux.

And Saturday’s thrilling fightback against an in-form Sunderland will surely be one of his proudest.

Only goal difference is keeping Wolves off the bottom of the table, but there’s no obvious threat to McCarthy’s position as manager. And Saturday proved why.

Wolves have an international goalkeeper who deserved a recall, a gifted midfielder who’s finally providing the effort to match his talent, a winger playing with wonderful confidence, a centre forward who is a hero, and a goalscoring substitute.

But most of all they have unwavering heart. These players would metaphorically die for McCarthy – and Steve Morgan and Jez Moxey absolutely understand what McCarthy means to his players.

That’s why Stephen Ward and George Elokobi played so well on Saturday in a hugely inexperienced Premier League defence. When the boss needed them, they delivered.

So did captain-for-the-day Kevin Foley, and so did the excellent Ronald Zubar. It was a throwback to the relative calm of last season’s climb to safety.

Wolves don’t have many stars, but on Saturday they had an abundance of heroes.

One win doesn’t transform Wolves’ season. Results-wise, it’s been dreadfully poor. But Wolves fans are sticking with the team, because they deserve our support.

There’s been no discernible clamour for the removal of McCarthy despite the league position.

Most Wolves fans aren’t blind. We can see a team that gives everything, and has been largely unlucky. Not always, but largely.

Wolves are still prone to errors, highlighted by Richard Stearman’s slip for Darren Bent’s leveller on Saturday, but the refusal to give in against Sunderland was as praiseworthy as it was thrilling.

Elokobi, whose distribution from left back has been highlighted as a problem this season, was terrific at centre half, with one memorable header to block a goal-bound shot.

And one sumptuous pass from Nenad Milijas to release Matt Jarvis lit up another progressive performance from the Serb. His passing is frequently sublime, and now he’s covering the ground with an appetite for a tackle.

Sylvan Ebanks-Blake’s winner was greeted with wild acclaim, but it’s hard to see Wolves progressing in the immediate future with both Kevin Doyle and SEB starting.

“Ebanks-Blake is Wanderers’ No 9” but I’m not sure how he fits into a 4-5-1. That’s harsh on the four-goal front man, who despite last season’s travails, still has a fantastic goal return for Wolves – 43 goals in 96 league appearances.

By common consent, Wolves are in the middle of a run of seven pivotal games, and the sequence had started badly. But the despairing run of results has been halted.

And I think seven points, at least, from the next four games is achievable if the Wolves we saw on Saturday turns up at Ewood Park then goes toe to toe with Blues, West Brom and Wigan.

And now the real work begins.

Three points from four fiendishly difficult games is possibly more than many people expected.

And the credit that Wolves have accrued from enterprising and valiant performances against Chelsea, Man City, Man Utd and Arsenal is fully deserved.

Can a Premier League team that’s won only two games out of 12 ever have reached the mid point in November with such positive feedback – and no small amount of optimism for what lies ahead?

But what is on the horizon between now and Anfield on December 29 are seven games that probably will define our season.

Are we a mid-table Premier League team that’s just come through a nightmare run of four fixtures with four admirable performances – and three predictable results?

Or are we destined for a prolonged spell hovering in and around the drop zone?

Heroic failure at Old Trafford, followed by less heroic but still praiseworthy defeat against the Gunners, suggests Wolves have enough to rise up the table.

But it’s patently obvious we need goals. Yes, there were four near misses last night – two for Kevin Doyle and one each for Richard Stearman and Christophe Berra – but overall goalscoring is an issue.

Doyle produces Herculian effort, but has yet to score in the Premier League this season. In 44 Premier League games for Wolves he has nine goals.

Between now and the trip to Liverpool, we’ve home games against Bolton, Sunderland, Birmingham and Wigan. And we’ll be off to Blackpool, Blackburn and the Hawthorns.

After the unbelievably tough last three weeks, some Wolves fans may look to Saturday and say: “Thankfully, it’s only Bolton.”

But that’s foolish. Bolton are sixth, they remain tough to contend with, and are winning deserved acclaim for their style under Owen Coyle.

Wolves never ever expected to win nine points in three games this week, but Blackburn, for example, might.

As well as Wolves are currently playing, other teams around us are beating us in the race for points. And a little gap can quickly widen.

We need better support for Doyle, we need Nenad Milijas, who was really excellent last night, to continue waving his left-foot wand, and we need Stephen Hunt to become properly match fit.

But most of all, we need to get the ball past Jussi Jaaskelainen, Mat Gilks, Simon Mignolet, Ben Foster, Scott Carson, Paul Robinson and Ali Al Habsi.

Wolves’ greatest-ever goalkeeper Bert Williams received his MBE from the Queen on Tuesday at Buckingham Palace.

BBC Midlands Today followed Bert to the Palace, and if you missed Ian Winter’s report you can see it again here: on.fb.me/b37DSY