Two Wrongs Make a Three Match Ban - not a right.

Wolves Manager Mick McCarthy invited media to give their views on the tackle which saw midfielder Nenad Milijas shown a straight red card during his side's Boxing Day draw with Arsenal.

Milijas was dismissed after 74 minutes for a sliding tackle on Gunner Mikel Arteta - replays have since confirmed that the Serbian international won the ball, did not leave the ground, and tackled with one foot.

Despite the benefit of hindsight, Referee Stuart Attwell stood by his decision leading the FA to lend him their backing and reject McCarthy's appeal to have the 3 match ban rescinded.

In his press conference McCarthy commented that for a referee, or indeed anybody, to make a mistake is not a crime - but to compound that error by standing by a decision that is clearly defunct is plain wrong.

He also referred to the FA's zeal in pursuing UEFA to reduce the three match ban for violent conduct handed out to Wayne Rooney which would see him miss the majority of Euro 2012 - a point raised this season by Liverpool Manager Kenny Dalglish.

Although McCarthy took care to not provoke a feud with the FA over their seemingly hypocritical stance - he made no bones about his disrespect for referees whom he feels abscond a responsibility to honesty and integrity in the game by not addressing these issues.

After all, Wolves have already been struck by injuries to Jamie O'Hara and Dave Edwards - they can ill afford the instrumental Milijas to be suspended for three games and have every right to feel aggrieved at this lazy FA reckoning.

Refusing to lower himself to the level of Mr Wenger who frankly I hope was watching the press conference today - McCarthy made no mention of Alex Song's reckless challenge on Steven Hunt for which he was booked.

Instead he focussed on a challenge made by his own Ronald Zubar in the first half which was late at best. McCarthy emphasised that Zubar's challenge was no fairer than Milijas' but was made when Arsenal were winning and the home crowd was not baying for a decision.

It's sickening to think that we are accepting that Attwell cracked under the pressure of a frustrated Emirates rather than just calling the game in earnest. But seeing as that is probable - in the cold light of day he should have been man enough to bring the incident to the attention of the FA so they could reach an informed conclusion.

McCarthy played down Arteta's theatrical reaction to the tackle and his team mates badgering Attwell to make a rash decision. However, he suggested that in the heat of the moment, Attwell who had a far from perfect view of the incident may have let the atmosphere affect his decision.

Everybody makes mistakes - Attwell is a top referee and has passed all kinds of assessments to reach the level he has today. However, he got this absolutely wrong, and nobody will think less of him for holding his hands up. What I think of him for failing to do so is unmentionable.

No racism? What is the Blatter with him?

FIFA President Sepp Blatter gave two interviews today in which he implied that racism is an exaggerated issue within football and that racial abuse in the heat of a game should be met with understanding by those who suffer it.

This is a stand alone issue and deserves not to be watered down by the numerous grievances one can legitimately charge against the Mafioso-like steward of world football.

Blatter's comments were yes a journalist's dream and a PR's nightmare but they really did expose the horrifying reality of just how out of touch FIFA is with the challenges facing sport and society - particularly football.

Sport reflects society in many ways and racism is still an issue in both to some extent - yes we've moved on and equal opportunities are a sign of the times - but there is still work to do.

We live in a world where 40-50% of Premiership footballers are now of ethnic origin but the number of notable black managers / coaches can be counted on one hand.

Black English players have been the victims of racial abuse in Bulgaria, Spain and Italy during the last decade - we ourselves are far from squeaky clean - England captain John Terry is currently the subject of a police investigation for discriminatory remarks after all.

Refusing to acknowledge the scale of the issues is one thing - to suggest that black athletes should accept abuse as a result of adrenaline fuelled emotion is on a whole new level of outrage.

How twisted is FIFA logic? Footballer's nowadays aren't expected to dust themselves off after a hard tackle but are allowed to roll around theatrically - but if they're racially, religiously or just homophobically abused they just shake their opponent’s hand!

Football and its governing bodies need a reality check on a number of levels. Maybe technology can improve the game, salary caps might work and the World Cup shouldn’t be won with bribes – but condoning racism?

There are no if, buts or maybes on this – it’s embarrassing.

The football league story of the decade - Wimbledon

In 2002, AFC Wimbledon became the proverbial phoenix to rise from the ashes of Wimbledon FC. After years of ground-sharing turmoil, the 'Crazy Gang' was sent on an ambitious relocation adventure to Milton Keynes which inevitably ended in catastrophe.

The much loved Wombles, who had grown out its home sweet home Plough Lane in the heart of Wimbledon Common, dissolved in 2004. A hardcore element of over 2000 fans was determined to become the Dons of their beloved local side once more. 

Having secured the sponsorship of Sports Interactive, the Wombles went into Championship Manager mode - on their own mission to re-establish Wimbledon as a South-West London local - not a far away franchise club of which MK Dons are referred to as today.

But this Phoenix took the form of a mere sparrow setting out on its first flight - a thrown together side set about competing in the Combined Counties League - a million miles away from the famous FA Cup victory of 1988. 

Wimbledon had always been the ultimate minnows - unfortunately they lost their way in a sea of sharks on their unprecedented rise to the Premier League. With their relegation in 2000 after 14 years with their heads in the clouds, the road to Wembley became the highway to hell.

AFC Wimbledon have stayed true to form in the business of defying the odds and nine years after its formation the club has soared through the non-league into the fourth tier of English football. 

The question is where do the Wombles go from here? I took a trip down to Kingsmeadow, the new capital home of Wimbledon to find out a bit more and taste the atmosphere of the ultimate underdog embarking on a potential cup upset.

The visit of League 1 Scunthorpe United was a passionate affair and the atmosphere was breathtaking throughout a cagey but entertaining 0-0 draw. It was the post-match experience which blew me away. 

A few drinks in the clubhouse to see the players interviewed and watch the England v Spain game with some fellow football lovers. As a Wolves fan it made me question my motive for being.

I ignorantly commented to one fan that the ultimate aim must be to restore Wimbledon to former glory and he replied 'No, I disagree'. Whilst the flag-wavers of the 1988 FA Cup Final still yearn for the Dons to march on Milton Keynes to put their successors to the sword - there is another, equally honest theme of this club.

Having been stripped of their club once before, these loyalists would sooner die before they see it fall into entrepreneurial hands ever again. If that means confining themselves to a life of lower league football, so be it.

Somewhere along the way, the stars which once lined the eyes of Wimbledon FC as a Premier League regular and cup-run specialists, as they do all of us football fans, blinded the sight of what is good and true about supporting a club.

What the fans did in their hour of desperation defies logic, it’s beyond belief.

No performance on the pitch can really provide more pride than the elation these men and women feel every Saturday when they go to watch their team - because it really is theirs – and as the song rang out – they just can’t get enough.

The FA confirmed today that during their stay in Krakow the England Euro 2012 squad will make a visit to Auschwitz Concentration Camp after being criticised in the past for not sampling local heritage sites.

The World Cup 2010 campaign in South Africa was marred by so many things – on and off the pitch – one of these being the failure of English players to appreciate local culture.

This sudden thirst for history does wreak a little of a PR stunt, but as a History graduate who specialised in Nazi Germany; it feels uncomfortable to hear Auschwitz associated with a piece of image management.

Over 1 million people lost their lives between 1940 and 1945 during the camp’s operational years – murder on an industrial scale was carried out in the second camp at Birkenau.

The birds genuinely do not sing over Birkenau even today – to stare straight into the abyss of humanity is not a way of keeping in touch with the people.

Sampling the local attractions should always be encouraged considering the gulf between footballers and fans – this is not the answer – it has potential to be what it is intended not to be (a PR nightmare) and have a detrimental effect on the team’s preparation.

The Holocaust is a sensitive, sensitive issue and rightly so – one image of an England player supposedly not showing interest, breaking a smile, using their phone will burn them with the press – whether in context or not.

Moreover, if the players are left alone to concentrate on what they see and hear – it will disturb them forever. However, it could unite them as a group.

If this is done properly, a lot of young minds will have their perspectives on life torn asunder in a matter of hours – they will learn something about the world and hopefully about themselves.

But the organisers of this pilgrimage are dicing with death – literally.  It takes mental preparation to enter Birkenau. As if the mountains of human hair and horror stories of Auschwitz are not enough – the second camp is the outermost end of the world.

It’s something everybody should do. With that said, it’s not to be taken lightly. This is not white-water rafting with your mates or shopping with your girlfriend.

One thing is for sure – it might serve to quell the tension we have seen on the pitch from our players in past tournaments.

A trip to Hell on Earth will show them that there is a lot more to life than winning a football match.

A Stroke of Genius

AC Milan forward Antonio Cassano, 29, has undergone heart surgery after suffering a  mini-stroke just hours after his side’s 3-2 victory in the Stadio Olimpico.

The ex-Roma striker appeared as a substitute on his return to the capital and the ischaemic stroke which followed was caused by a hole in his heart which took just under an hour to operate successfully on last night.

It was with great regret that I learned the news of Cassano’s illness, a player who has entertained those among us who appreciate a mercurial execution of vivacious skill.

It is no coincidence that the immortal Maradona was the first to express his sorrow for Casanno’s plight – the most naturally skilful player to grace the earth whose own career was hampered, diverted and almost destroyed by health problems due to his excessive lifestyle.

Cassano, like Maradona practically lost his way in Spain during his time at Real Madrid – competing for a place behind the great Ronaldo and the Spanish demagogue Raul.

His move to Sampdoria was a turning point in his complicated career – and like the legendary Argentine did during his spell at Napoli after a Catalan collision course in Barcelona, Cassano guided his new club to dizzy heights of success.

He’s a dying breed – and a scare such as this deserves recognition. The Cassano’s of this world should be extinct by now given the emphasis of pace, athleticism and brutal efficiency in the modern game.

But Darwin’s ‘Survival of the Fittest’ does not exclude magicians. Cassano and his kin may not be able to keep up with the chaotic haste football is played in nowadays – but he doesn’t need to – he makes the game keep up with him.

Players like this imaginative Italian make football games a show as well as an examination – we should cherish them.

Wish Antonio a speedy return to good health – unless you’re a Serie A defender that is.

Poppies, Flanders and Remembrance

I bought my poppy at a local supermarket today and my two year old cousin Lilia asked me what it was. I told her it was a special flower and that she will learn what it means when she is older - a real bottle-job answer.

Why do we were poppies? The stock answer is that we do it to remember the brave soldiers who fought in the devastating world wars. It conjures images of the Remembrance Service, Big Ben, and dear veteran servicemen wearing their medals with pride.

It's about so much more than that - but debate still arises at to whether red poppies are an appropriate manifestation of national remembrance.
As early as 1926, the White Poppy appeal began to take off, now a campaign carried on by the Peace Pledge Union. The emphasis is to disassociate remembrance with war - the symbol of the red poppy.

But that's a depiction of war Lilia could easily imagine - guns, explosions, bombs and blood. Like it or not, war carves the path of the world. When you're pinning your poppy to your lapel this week or next - take a moment and consider what you're remembering.

It's very difficult to even imagine the horrors of the Somme, the nightmares of the blitz and the despair of the 'War on Terror'. War is deep - it's about kids leaving home, letters to loved ones,  bonds of fellowship which remain to the death - in its most literal sense.

The relationship between poppies and war is simple - Lieutenant Colonel John McRae penned 'In Flanders Fields' having been moved by the contrast of the beautiful field he and his kin had once destroyed, fought, laughed, cried and died together in.

'In Flanders Fields the poppies blow

Between the crosses row on row.'

Life and death has a complicated relationship. In the field of corpses, flowers still grow - by November the 11th 1918, the First World War had claimed approximately 8.5 million lives. Yet here we still are. And long may they be with us - in our thoughts, prayers, words and of course, in our lives.

Blue Citizens send Red Devils to hell and back.

City were breathtaking at times and United looked limp. For forty-five minutes the Theatre of Dreams became a shop-floor for the Sheikh's wares - the noisy neighbours trampled on their city rivals having stormed their Salford fortress. 

For twenty minutes it looked as if Mancini had once again marched across Manchester only to have the great gates slammed in his face by Sir Alex Ferguson's Imperial Guard. 

Young, direct, stung first in his lightning war with Richards, only for the City born and bred full back to be named Man of the Match for his unnerved efforts.

United drew little blood - but their enemy stared aghast at the mighty battlements, Ferdinand, Smalling. With their first offensive, they breached the castle wall.

'Why always me?' he asked - Balotelli coolly finished Milner's pull-back leaving De Gea with no chance. Jonny Evans saw red for preventing a second. Milner supplied it, Balotelli tap in - 'Why always me?'

2-0 against ten men, champions don't lose from here - Evans and Hernandez introduced to steady the ship. 3-0. Aguero finishes with aplomb - another astonishing move.

Fletcher scores a goal worthy to be a winner - Dzeko knocks one in with his knee. That's right, Balotelli and Aguero off, Nasri and Dzeko on! 4-1 City and a picture paints a thousand words.

United are whimpering, their fans are leaving, their manager is chewing relentlessly. Mancini, the young pretender senses the formality of conquest. He became an Emperor on this day - he gave no conditions for surrender.

Silva, his most masterful asset claimed the 5th - a nutmeg finish after Dzeko turned provider. Exquisite pass - Dzeko turns finisher - but finisher of what? Certainly not just Silva's slide-rule pass.

One battle does not win a war - but win a few big ones and you're on the right track. City's only barriers are psychological. They've won a trophy, they've won in Europe, they've won at Old Trafford.

6-1 is bragging rights - it's also false economy. The sending off changed it all and City finished everything they touched. However, this much is true - Manchester United can no longer beat Manchester City unless they play well. Furthermore, they might even need to play very well.

In a rich man's world

The majority of football fans find it hard to swallow that the stars of their game earn the outrageous amounts they do. However, has anybody ever thought in depth as to why?

If anything, we as fans are responsible for the players we pay money to watch earning such a share of the plunder.

Football as a commercial entity is as far reaching as they come. Most European, South American and African nations consider it their number one national game whilst it is growing rapidly in North America, Asia and Australasia.

Any ‘business’ which operates at a national level in almost every country on the planet would turn over billions per annum. Is it really such a shock that the priority employees of the biggest branches take home such mega bucks?

Take the example of the much maligned Fernando Torres after his incredible £50 million transfer deal from Liverpool to Chelsea last January. Torres was bought to score goals and lots of them.

In reality, El Nino has netted twice meaning that Chairman Roman Abramovich has effectively paid £25 million for two goals. The problem with the business of football is that the outcomes are very difficult to forecast – meaning such huge investments cause controversy.

Let’s turn the tables a little. If one giant company purchases a service from another for £50 million there is an accurate, detailed plan as to how and when the benefits will be wreaked.

You can’t do that in football. But exchanges of this scale are still bound to take place because football is a global brand, perhaps the biggest of them all. The difference is the products are human and results are impossible to forecast.

Footballers are indeed human but they often make a rod for their own back. Given the profitability of the service they provide the amounts they are paid and traded for are defensible. However, when they fail to provide satisfactory returns they are open to attack.

Furthermore, value is a very subjective concept and one man’s astute business deal is another man’s distorted reality. Should we expect more than goals from £50 million strikers? With football attendances dwindling, perhaps the problems are really off the pitch.

We love or hate footballers for the job they do, and as pointed out recently by honest Spurs full back Benoit Assou-Ekotto, it is a job. In that case, I feel that the job description of footballers and their clubs should extend beyond their performance on the pitch.

This isn’t a rant about how footballers should make good role models. They are after all human. But you can’t be human when you make mistakes and a commodity when you get paid.

Footballers should give more back to the people who make them rich. If every Premiership footballer put 1% of his wages into a grass-roots hedge fund it would be easier for young people to keep fit, develop their skills and wreak the social benefits of sporting competition.

Maybe that way, when Fernando misses a sitter at Old Trafford the fans would see a man who pays for their kids to play football; not just a product who has cost their revered club £50 million.

Don't finish Frank.

Question marks over Frank Lampard's international future have been raised as we bask in the glory of a routine 3-0 victory over Bulgaria in Sofia.

England brushed historically tricky opponents aside with a flurry of first half goals and with the new 4-2-3-1 formation in motion it is difficult to see who Lampard would displace.

The late, great Bill Shankly remarked that an ideal midfield is comprised of a 'spreader', a 'cruncher' and a 'buzzer'; and in Barry, Parker and Young one can see this ideology being adhered to.

However, does this really have to spell the end of Lampard's England career? The Chelsea playmaker is a fine passer and a committed professional leaving his numerous accolades aside. There is no way he can not be considered as an option.

The so called 'Golden Generation' which Lampard is a torch bearer of is now in twilight. The fresh blood of Smalling, Wilshere, Young and Hart have already marked the dawn of a new era and again Lampard is a part of a futile co-existence argument.

Could Lampard play with Gerrard? Of course he could. Can Lampard play a more disciplined midfield role? Of course he can. The overlap in generations gives Fabio Capello an opportunity to allow his youthful talent to be nurtured by his senior squad memebers, and Lampard has to be one.

In England's victorious Rugby World Cup campaign in 2003, a 36 year old Mike Catt supported the young star fly-half Johnny Wilkinson in massive games against France and Australia.

The utility back was preferred to Tindall due to his superior kicking skills and tactical acumen which proved vital in the semi-final against France. He also appeared as a substitute in the famous final becoming the oldest player ever to compete in a RWC Final.

England are often criticised for not keeping possession, losing their discipline and ultimately being outsmarted by quality opposition. Lampard has amassed 87 international caps, competed in 3 World Cups and suffered adversity at the hands of refereeing controversy, missed penalties and most memorably a lack of goal-line technology.

You learn more from your mistakes than your successes and Lampard is an invaluable role model for inexperienced midfielders such as Wilshere and even Scott Parker with his own limited international exposure.

Most importantly, Lampard is still a good player. At 33 he still absolutely commands a free role at Stamford Bridge and Chelsea look a shadow of the side they are with a fit Frank than they are without him.

World Cups are often a stage for older players to take their final bow. Take Zidane's Golden Ball winning performance in 2006; Cannavaro's Jules Rimet winning leadership in the same year; and staying in 2006, David Beckham's underappreciated contribution assisting or scoring all but one of England's goals at 31 years young.

To consider Lampard as a squad player as opposed to an untouchable name on the team sheet is a sign of England's progress and the quality of our young players. It is not a reflection on Lampard's ability, fitness or desire to play for his country.

Doyle to Arsenal - would it work?

This morning an array of paper talk has emerged linking Wolves star Kevin Doyle with a shock move to the Emirates Stadium for a fee of around £12million.

Arsene Wenger has apparently admired the Irishman since watching him during the France v Republic of Ireland World Cup Qualifier when Doyle occupied Mexes and Gallas throughout the game.

The former Reading man went on to torment Gallas the following season with the Frenchman being cautioned for a wild tackle on Doyle in the first half of Arsenal's 4-0 victory over Wolves at Molineux.

The question is, would Doyle add value to Arsenal's starting XI? He would certainly add more than a good work ethic which appears to be all the Emirates faithful are giving him credit for.

Doyle's sublime touch has allowed him to trouble the best defences as a lone striker in his last two seasons at Wolves. He is superb in his air and freakishly strong given his slight appearance - and he's an awful lot better than Nicklas Bendtner in every way.

However, if Wenger sees Doyle as an 'impact sub' to replace Robin van Persie in a one man attack this bold move will fall flat on it's face. Doyle's goal scoring record is below average at best and he is very much in the mould of an old fashioned inside forward - one position in which Arsenal are probably not in short supply.

Doyle is also considered talismanic to Mick McCarthy and the Molineux crowd. £12million may suffice as an initial fee, but Moxey and Morgan has proven themselves to be fairly shrewd businessman since Wolves promotion in 2009. I imagine that fee may rise depending on appearances, or even that the Wolverhampton financiers would demand a fee closer to £14-16million.

The crucial flaw for me, is not in Doyle's ability but in what he actually adds to Arsenal's squad. They remain weak in defence, and undersupplied in terms of out and out wingers. The loss of Fabregas and / or Nasri would damage their creative flair, and since 2004 Wenger has been reluctant to play a flat 4-4-2 meaning Doyle would probably be considered back-up for van Persie, and that he is not.

Wenger's increased summer funds are still by no means limitless, although Arsenal could be in for a windfall should they sell on their midfield assets. Even so, address the serious issues before improving on the minor ones. Doyle has a lot to bring to the table - but he is by no means the answer to Arsenal's plight.

Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club: Est. 1877

The Origins of Wolves: 1887

In 1877 a group of schoolboys fronted by headmaster Harry Barcroft formed a football team having gotten hold of the most key asset required to start a club – a football! After 2 years of non-competitive football and training the Blakenhall schoolboy outfit merged with a local football and cricket club who competed under the name of ‘The Wanderers’. To mark the merging of the two local teams the coalition club was renamed ‘Wolverhampton Wanderers’.

In 1888 the club became founder members of the English Football League and reached the final of the FA Cup in 1889 where they were beaten by the legendary Preston North End side. The same year the club moved from the basic fields of Blakenhall to play their games at Molineux on the Waterloo Road. Little did the youngsters at the time who played for the club and their original fan base of the 19^th century days know, but Molineux would go on to be the clubs home for 120 years to come and counting, as well as host some of the greatest games of club football the nation has ever seen.

In the pre-war period league form varied greatly for the Wolverhampton side but the strong cup tradition which bore out of the defeat to PNE in 1889 gathered strength and in 1893 the Wolves won their first of four FA Cups with a 1-0 victory over Everton. Despite sliding down to the second tier of the Football League six years after the turn of the century; Wolves registered their second FA Cup triumph in 1908 as a Second Division side, beating Division 1 Newcastle 3-1. The interwar period began typically for the early Wolverhampton side with a cup final in 1921 followed by relegation to the third tier of English football in 1922, before bouncing back immediately to Division 2. Wolves would be frustrated in the second tier of football for a few years to come – before a WW1 veteran and ex Aston Villa footballer was to move the club into a transitional period which would have glorious consequences for the Wolverhampton club.

The Buckley Era: 1927-1944

Major Frank Buckley retained his military title along with his disciplinary aura and tactical mind. His managerial ideas were influential to the wider game of football as well as Wolverhampton Wanderers. Being one of the first managers to use a scouting network across England and Wales, the Major nurtured some of the great international stars of his era such as John Charles of Leeds and Wales, but more relevantly a local boy from Ironbridge, Shropshire named Billy Wright.

Stan Cullis: 1916-2001

The greatest player of Buckley’s various Wolves sides in the interwar period was of course Stan Cullis whose name is still used at Molineux to signify the ‘Stan Cullis Stand’, affectionately known as ‘The North Bank’. Cullis wrote that the Major ‘did not suffer fools gladly’ which was not only praiseworthy of his authoritarian leadership style but also best describes his shrewd business acumen and rational mind. Besides leading Wolves back to Division 1 in 1931 and turning them back into a nationally competitive club, Buckley was instrumental in making Wolves one of the richest clubs in Britain before the outbreak of World War Two due to his style of selling established stars and bringing through youth. After a four year interlude in the aftermath of WW2 and Buckley’s departure from Molineux, Wolverhampton Wanderers were ready to imprint their name in the books of football history forever by the late 1940s, under the guidance of one of the clubs most famous sons even to this day, Stan Cullis.

Cullis, Wright, and the Golden Years: 1948-1964

The successes of Wolves in this era under the stewardship of Stan Cullis and the captaincy of the great Billy Wright, who also has a stand and a statue in his honour at Molineux today, went hand in hand with the pride of the nation and football culture across the world. Before moving to the wider successes of Wolves during the 1950s and the career of Billy Wright, let us begin with the official honours achieved in this era.

In 1949 Stan Cullis became the youngest manager to win the FA Cup at Wembley with a 3-1 victory over Leicester City, and so began the Golden Years of football in Wolverhampton. Cullis guided Wolves to three successful league campaigns in 1953/54, 1957/58 and 1958/59. The decade was rounded off beautifully with the fourth FA Cup victory in 1960 over Blackburn Rovers at Wembley and even with all this in mind these official honours were not really what the fans of Wolverhampton believe makes our team unique to any other.

‘Wolves champions of the world now!’

The famous floodlit friendlies of the fifties made the world sit up and take notice of the incredible side which Stan Cullis had assembled. Between September 1953 and December 1954 Molineux hosted challenges from South Africa’s National Team, Celtic, Racing Club de Buenos Airies, Vienna, Maccabi Tel-a-Viv, Spartak Moscow and of course, Honved. The only side to gain as much as a draw in this series of internationally recognised challenges was Vienna – but the real story of these floodlit fixtures was written in December 1954 when the Hungarian side Honved made the journey from eastern-Europe back to England.

Little over a year ago Hungary had become the first side to beat England at Wembley. Not only were Billy Wright’s England side beaten, they went down 6-3 to a Hungary side which was driven by the deadly left foot of the great Ferenc Puskas, who would haunt Wright again in 1954 as England’s trip of vengeance to Budapest resulted in them being brutalised by a 9-1 defeat. The first England captain to ever reach the 100 cap mark got his chance of righting the wrongs of the national humiliations in December of the same year, as Puskas would be his challenge yet again although this time in the red and white hooped jerseys of Honved rather than the red and green of Hungary. Although Wright himself would play in the gold and black of his beloved Wolves the nation was behind him and Wolves to restore some pride to the English game. Wolves did just that by scoring a 3-2 victory over Honved and in the eyes of national newspapers becoming the unofficial Champions of the World. The team which triumphed that night including goal scorers Roy Swinbourne and Jonny Hancocks who according to my own late Grandfather who attended all of the fixtures of this era. ‘used to hit the ball so hard if the keeper saved it he’d end up in the net as well!’ The victorious team of that famous night is listed below:

Billy Wright: 1924-1994

1. Bert Williams

2. Eddie Stuart

3. Bill Shorthouse

4. Bill Slater

5. Billy Wright (c)

6. Ron Flowers

7. Johnny Hancocks

8. Peter Broadbent

9. Ron Swinbourne

10. Dennis Wilshaw

11. Les Smith

1.     

1968-1978: The Last of the Great Successes

At no point in the future to this day would Wolves retake their place on the pedestal of international club football. Despite the dizzy heights of the 1950s proving to be too difficult to reach again Wolves tasted success again under Bill McGarry in the 1970s in which they reached the 1972 UEFA Cup Final and won the 1974 League Cup.

The pioneers of European football whose great successes encouraged the establishment of the European Cup in 1955, once again showed their taste for continental football in 1972 in the first ever UEFA Cup Competition. En route to the final Wolves had beaten sides such as ADO Den Haag, Juventus and Ferencavos in two legged ties before losing out to Tottenham Hotspur in the return leg at White Hart Lane.

The heartbreak of failing to achieve an official European success was cured two years later with the euphoria of victory in a Wembley final in 1974 after a 2-1 league cup final victory over Manchester City. The goals on that day were scored by Kenny Hibbit and John Richards and earned the first piece of silverware in fourteen years. Wolves would have to wait a further six before repeating this triumph with a 1-0 win over Nottingham Forest in 1980 thanks to a goal from Andy Gray at Wembley. This was to be the last success of the club for almost a decade, as the club plunged into some of the most miserable years of its existence in the next decade.

 The Early 80s and Potential Extinction

After flitting between the First and Second Division between 1981-83 Wolves faced impeding collapse at the hands of the Bhati Brothers who took over in 1982 without the best interests of the club at heart. The new owners tested the loyalty of the most staunch Wolves supporters and almost destroyed the reputation of Derek Dougan who until this dark period was hailed as a Wolves hero for his role in the campaigns of the early 1970s. By 1986, after three successive relegations Wolves were reduced to the Fourth Division of English football and with the ownership of the club in tremendous jeopardy the Molineux club looked set to fold. In early 1986 it is fair to say that fans such as my own Grandad, Vernon Evans who had watched their side in the Golden Years were resigned to their greatest joy being stripped of them forever. Only a miracle would save Wolves now and thankfully, we got three!

Saved and Restored: The Bully Years and Sir Jack Hayward: 1986-1994

A consortium made up of the local council, Gallaghers Builders and ASDA bought the flailing club in 1986 and the cries from the terraces of Molineux which could still be heart from the John Ireland Stand despite its distance from the pitch itself were answered. “Sack the Bhatis” they sang and despite the emergency consortium still being unable to put forward any real financial clout, the books were balanced and that was enough for Wolves. In terms of success on the pitch itself, whatever the amound of money involved in putting the Wolves back in business, the price of the footballing recovery came at around £50,000.

In November 1986, then manager Graham Turner spent £70,000 on two reserves from the clubs local rivals West Bromwich Albion who were at this point in the Second Division. One of these was a great servant to the club, a steady left back and a reliable left back who became affectionaly know as ‘Tommo’ as his real name was Andy Thompson. However the other, a striker, went on to score 306 goals for the club and was capped for England 13 times.

In 1987, ‘the goal machine’ gathered steam and the 1987/88 campaign gave Wolves fans something to smile about once more. Bull’s 34 league goals assisted the side to the Fourth Division title which was the first step back on the road to success. In all competitions the Wolves number 9 scored 52 goals, 12 of which came in the Sherpa Van Trophy, which in 1988 became the first piece of silverware since the 1980 League Cup. The 2-1 victory over Burnley was attended by 81,000 at Wembley and while I may be biased, there is no dispute from those in attendance which included my Grandfather, father and uncle, that the vast majority of these spectators were the Gold & Black Army.

The following season saw successive promotion back to the Second Division, inspired by another half century of goals from Steve Bull who earned an international callup for his endeavours, a rarity for a Third Division footballer in any era of football. In 1990 with Wolves established at the second tier of English football Sir Jack Hayward a boyhood fan and multi-millionaire bought the club from Gallagher Estates  before pouring £20 million into the redevelopment of Molineux. Although the much sought after return to the top flight of English football was still just a dream – with Hayward at the helm and Bully on the pitch, the sleeping giant had awoke.

Agony and Ecstasy: 1990-2003

Throughout the 1990s the word “play-off” was taboo in Wolverhampton as despite the new 28,500 capacity stadium, the influx of money to buy new players and the much heralded ‘tatter’ Steve Bull firing on all cylinders, Wolves were denied by playoff defeats twice. In 1994/95 the dream of Premiership football eluded Graham Taylor’s side after a controversial semi-final defeat to Bolton Wanderers and in 1996/97 Mark McGhee’s side were denied by Crystal Palace. In 2001 Sir Jack Hayward placed his final faith in manager Dave Jones who enjoyed a final flurry of millions to build a team which would excel in the post-Bully era. Wolves hearts were broken again in 2001/02 as having stood in an automatic promotion position all season until the final ten game run-in, Jones’ side lost their nerve and were pipped to the post by rivals West Brom. The disappointment hampered Wolves in the play-off semi-final as they lost out to Norwich City and the Molineux faithful began to wonder if they would ever see Premiership football. In the 2002/03 season Jones made two pivotal signings in Denis Irwin and Paul Ince. Although their experience was only enough to guide the side to a play off position once more, this time Wolves at the fourth time of asking kept their nerve and having beaten Reading in the semi-final 3-1 on aggregate, almost 40,000 Wolves fans made the trip to the Millenium Stadium in Cardiff, and I am proud to say that I was one of them. A 3-0 triumph over Sheffield United including goals from Mark Kennedy, Nathan Blake and Kenny Miller, plus an outstanding penalty save from man of the match Matt Murray saw Sir Jack Hayward’s dream become a reality and after 19 years of hurt, Wolves were back in the big time if not for one season.

The 2003/04 campaign was not a disaster despite relegation back the second tier. One game that sticks in the memory was the 1-0 victory at home scored over Manchester United and although the team was not ready to stick it out in the Premier League, the hunger and desire had been rekindled.

The Impossible Dream: 2004-2009

A bad start to the return season in the Championship cost Dave Jones his job and his replacement Glen Hoddle re-instilled a negative attitude to Molineux. His inevitable departure in 2006 led to Mick McCarthy taking on the job as Wolves boss and with the season underway and McCarthy’s new look side of fresh faced youth exceeding expectation on the league the club was bought by Steve Morgan with the promise of a £30 million investment.

More activity in the January transfer window saw McCarthy add to the young squad signing affordable players such as Michael Kightly and Andy Keogh. After a series of impressive unbeaten runs the hungry youngsters achieved a play-off place come the end of the year and were beaten by West Brom despite two defiant performances against the heavily invested-in Baggies side. McCarthy failed to build on this relative success the following season by way of promotion but his young team continued to gel and by 2008 the final pieces had been added to the jigsaw of Wolverhampton Wanderers. Strikers Sylvan Ebanks-Blake and Chris Iwelumo spear headed an attack which saw Kightly added to by David Jones and Matt Jarvis. The player of the season Kevin Foley led the defensive line alongside a rejuventated Jody Craddock and McCarthy’s side led the Championship from the third game of the season which saw Nottingham Forest dispatched at Molineux 5-1 until the end. Wanderers fans poured onto the pitch after Ebanks-Blake’s 25^th goal of the season ensured promotion against QPR and again a week later at Oakwell as Wolves cheered on by over 6000 in fancy dress secured the point that won them the Championship.

The Story of Survival

McCarthy’s side was not fortified too heavily in the close season on 2009 although Wolves broke their club record fee to bring Kevin Doyle to the club for £6.5 million. Other notable signings include Marcus Hahnemann, Ronald Zubar and Michael Mancienne on loan from Chelsea. The prospect of survival took a turn for the worst after away defeats at Bolton and Birmingham but the persistence and gyal of McCarthy’s side culminated in a tremendous 3-1 victory at Upton Park and 3 more vital points away to Burnley at Turf Moor. By April Wolves realistically needed a point to ensure their survivial out of their 3 remaining games, and it was Sylvan Ebanks-Blake who had only one goal to his name before starting the fixture as a substitute who scored the equalising goal in the contest which resulted in thousands of Wolves fans once again invading their own pitch in euphoria. The work is not over yet for Wanderers as they will need to add to their squad to safeguard against ‘second season syndrome’ but as far as hopeful Wolves fans are concerned – the future might have just started to look bright once more.

The good, the bad, and the homesick! Why don't British players travel?

It is only in exceptional cases that top British players move abroad, and given that no other country appears to have such a stranglehold over its own produce, I want to find out why.

In 2006, Italy won the World Cup with a squad comprised of players who all played in their homeland bar Fabio Grosso who at the time earned his trade at Olympique Lyonnais.

In 2010, Spain did the same with only Fernando Torres and Cesc Fabregas playing outside of La Liga. But the continental players have always travelled well - we need only look at the Premiership for evidence of that.

Without the obvious examples of David Beckham and Michael Owen, one struggles to find a case study of a decorated British footballer really making the cut abroad. When we consider the impact on our own game of the likes of Henry, Zola, Cantona, Ronaldo and Bergkamp - that just seems staggering!

Maybe the pull factors overweigh the push ones. After all the Premier League is the most supported and most lucrative league in the world today. No wonder so much overseas talent wants a piece of it, and no wonder our best homegrown players don't want to leave.

When I think of 'Brits abroad' in modern football, it's no longer Charles, Lineker, Keegan, Hughes and Hoddle. It's Pennant, Harte, Miller, McGeady, Derbyshire and Carson - no disrespect but it just isn't the same.

The concept of wanting a new challenge doesn't seem to exist in England. It seems unfeasible that Rio would leave Old Trafford for Barcelona or that Joe Cole would have taken the opportunity to make a fresh start on the continent rather than cling to his own Premier league career for dear life.

Fans, journalists and ex-players alike have all finally come to the conclusion that the direct style of play employed naturally by our international side has been outdated by a new pass and move era. Would it not benefit the Lampards and Gerrards of this world to see how the other side live a little?

Despite the Premier League being a multi-cultural playing field, a national style of football is deeply engrained and old habits die hard. The roar of the crowd when a robust tackle flies is no louder than the frustrated groans which ring around football stadiums when a side attempts to build patiently rather than fling hopeful high balls into opposition territory.

Having watched live football at the San Siro I can tell you that the attitude abroad can vary. When Pirlo attempted ambitious slide rule passes and overhit them, my father and I both muttered 'what a bloody waste', but the people around us applauded.

England are always undone by tricky customers like Ozil, Rui Costa and Arshavin and we always say the same thing - 'we don't have anyone like them'. It's no coincidence and we need to stop blaming evolution and rotten bad luck for our lack of creative flair.

Gary Lineker by his own admission learned more in a season at Barcelona about international football than he ever did in his 80 caps for England. I have no doubt that the English strait-jacket could well be unravelled if a few more of our top internations showed a similar ambition.

Psycho's stars stunned by Czech's

Pearce's Under 21s outfit were dumped out of the European Championships in typical English fashion by a side who did not contain a single player who would command a place in a Premier league side. The incapable captain Michael Mancienne summed up the deluded mindset of English players and fans by blaming the defeat on the absence of Jack Wilshere. Let's not kid ourselves, we could have had Lionel Messi on that pitch and we still wouldn't have looked convincing. Smalling and Jones for 89 minutes had the Czech attack locked in their pockets until they were abandoned by their inept midfield. £20m man Jordan Henderson tried in vain to pick the ball up from deep and start a patient attack; but due to Psycho's suspect team selection and tactics every offensive was readable at best.

Until the introduction of Arsenal's Henri Lansbury there was no link between the midfield and the attack. Unfortunately, as has been a common theme of these Championships, Lansbury replaced the aforementioned Henderson rather than his midfield partner Fabrice Muamba. The Bolton destroyer contributed nothing to England's forward play in a game where only a win would do. Having found a goal through a fantastic combination between Sturridge and scorer Wellbeck, England lost the plot. Our negative tactics were finally looking as if they would wreak some ill deserved rewards, and then we made our most attacking substitution of the entire tournament - Albrighton of Villa replacing Tom Cleverely after a poor performance from the Wigan loanee. Sturridge was allowed to continuously lose the ball and as the Czech's shifted into gear Muamba was stranded in midfield.

From the very outset, Pearce's smash-mouth style was clearly doing his side's nerves no favours. When attempting to adopt a more patient style, hearing your coach ranting and raving like a man possessed sends out a rather contradictory message - hence the numerous clips of England players losing the ball. Most are agreed that this is the final straw and that England need to quit their direct, high tempo style when trying to break down their opposition. On the occasions we got the ball down and played, our superiority was apparent. However, periods of sustained possession were few and far between - and a one goal lead is never enough in a must-win situation.