No. 81: Molineux [Wolverhampton Wanderers]

Monday, 6^th April 2015

Wolverhampton Wanderers v. Leeds United [Championship] 4-3

The second game of Easter weekend and yet another trip to the Black Country to finish off the West Midlands section of the 92. This time, to the new City of Wolverhampton. New in the sense that it only gained City status back in 2000 as part of the Queen's Millennium civic present-giving exercise.

I had intended to visit the Museum of Black Country Living before the game – just down the road from Wolverhampton in neighbouring Dudley. But I picked the wrong day, it being a scorchingly hot Easter Bank Holiday, and on arrival there was about an hour's queue to get in as every family in the Midlands had the same idea.

Black Country Living Museum. Inset: Black Country Flag Merchandise.

Which was a great shame as it looked a pretty impressive outdoor space from a peek over the fence – with its reproduction of Industrial Revolution-age smokestacks, iron forges, coal-transporting canal barges and soot-stained terrace housing. Streets that would have been workplace and home to the bulk of the Black Country working class as recently as 100 years ago.

This is all gone now of course. Dudley is just like any residential suburb of a modern British city, and the Dudley canal and its narrow, blackened tunnels now carry barges whose only cargo is tourists in hard-hats, out for a day's jolly.

Black Country Heritage, Including the Dudley Canal Tunnel.

Leaving these crowds behind, I headed straight into the centre of Wolverhampton, just six miles away. There appears to be some debate as to whether or not the city centre is actually part of the Black Country, but as a few Wolves scarves I saw seemed to state that their team was the pride of it, I'm taking that as evidence of this place's inclusion in that pride-swelling region, home to Britain's industrial revolution.

There is not much particularly notable about Wolverhampton city centre, but I do have a few personal memories of previous visits.

I almost came to University here and made a twat of myself at the open day, by inadvertently belching gas from a Little Chef breakfast during the relative silence of the Dean's introductory welcome to prospective students. I almost had to flee from campus in shame.

Wolverhampton Civic Hall:
Shoe Graveyard

I also had a dozen ear drum-bursting nights here as a teenager watching rock and metal gigs at The Civic Hall in the mid-90s. At one gig, I was pogoing so intensely I lost a shoe in the mosh pit, which was then chucked on stage by some unkindly soul and never to be seen again. 

Somewhere in that Civic Hall, probably behind a threadbare stage curtain, my shoe has probably been gathering dust since 1995. But it was all locked up so I didn't get a chance to go in and have another look for it.

Wolverhampton was named after Anglo-Saxon noblewoman Lady Wulfrun, who was granted lands here by King Ethelred to build a monastery in 985 AD.

A statue of the good Lady Wulfrun stands in front of the beautiful church of St Peters in the heart of the city. Unfortunately these days her pedestal is flanked by a legion of drunken, hobo ne'er-do-wells, one of whom asked me what the fuck I was looking at when I was taking a few pictures here.

St Peter's Church, Lady Wulfrun Statue & Anglo-Saxon Cross Shaft.

The honest answer of “I'm looking at Lady Wulfrun” didn't go down well, and I was challenged to “fucking bring it.” I really didn't want to bring it. In fact, if I was honest I just wanted to leave whatever it was he wanted fetching wherever it currently was. So I slinked off to get some food.

Not much was actually open though. I had hoped to sample some Punjabi food, given the large Sikh population of Wolverhampton (9% according to the 2011 census. I wonder if they were attracted here because of all the orange flags waving around Molineux?). I didn't find anything specifically Punjabi but I did find one Indian restaurant open – the jovially-named Johnny Spice.

Johnny Spice: Wolverhampton.

It was a buffet affair, never my favourite mode of dining, but it wasn't too bad. The Chicken Tikka Masala in particular, something I wouldn't normally order, was a delight washed down with a Salt Lassi.

After a quick stop for a pint in the yellow-themed YOLO bar nearby, it was time to make the 10-minute walk from the city centre down to the very impressive cathedral of football that is Molineux.

Molineux has been Wolves' home since 1889, but the oldest section of the ground still standing today is The Steve Bull Stand, which was built in 1979 and renamed later in honour of Wolves' all-time top scorer. From the outside, the glass-windowed facade of the Steve Bull Stand does make it look a little like a functional 1970s office block.

The Steve Bull Stand: Inside & Outside.

The rest of the ground was completely redeveloped in the 1990s after the Taylor Report as the most modern and one of the largest and most impressive all-seater stadiums in the country. In 2012, the Stan Cullis stand was further redeveloped into the impressive two-tier affair behind the goal together with megastore and museum, a temple of a modernity. 

The other two stands remain from the 1993 redevelopment but stand up well today.

The new Stan Cullis Stand celebrates a Wolves goal.

This is certainly one of the better English grounds not currently hosting Premiership football – and it may still yet be again next season if Wolves keep their current form going. It's certainly worthy of gracing the top-flight again, in my opinion.

The old style of having four distinct stands has so far remained, although there are plans to redevelop the Steve Bull and fill in a corner with seats. Which will be a shame, of course.

The main stand I was in is named after former club captain and 1950s England legend Billy Wright, who has his iconic statue outside.

Billy Wright Statue, Molineux.

The Billy Wright Stand also features an odd curve away from the pitch towards the centre of the stand. I was towards the end of the stand so still felt relatively close to the pitch but I do have to wonder what it would be like sitting in the middle as it does lend the ground a slight hint of 'athletics stadium' to it when you see the distance to the pitch from the middle of this stand.

The Curve of the Billy Wright Stand - Looking towards Jack Harris Stand.

This apart, it is a fine modern stadium though and the atmosphere created inside the stadium was very impressive – especially from the Jack Harris Stand who were in fine voice throughout, including their signature song about the prolific Wolves striking partnership of Sako and Diko.

Even the visiting Leeds fans, strung out across the narrow length of the lower Steve Bull Stand along the side of the pitch, were easy to hear when they struck into song – mainly about defending Leeds' own Jimmy Savile's reputation, I believe.

Molineux: Black Country Temple of Football.

It was a fantastic game to watch, especially as a neutral as the scoreline switched back and forth between the teams. 

1-0 Leeds. 

2-1 Wolves. 

3-1 Wolves! 

Time to breathe? Not Likely, Leeds pull one back 3-2...

Then with 15 minutes to go, Leeds level it 3-3! Good lord!

The scoreline may have been in the balance throughout, but the team that deserved the points never was – the home team dominated the game in a way that you wouldn't have expected given they conceded three soft goals – the equaliser being a rocket from Leeds' Alex Mowatt, but preceeded by an extremely poor own goal following a mix-up between Wolves Captain Danny Batth and his keeper.

Jack Harris Stand

Wolves came good in the end though – but they made bloody hard work of it and kept their fans guessing right to the last. But a fine bullet-like header from Edwards two minutes from time sent the golden hordes wild, and pushed Wolves back into the final play-off spot with just five games remaining.

For a neutral, a perfect game. For the home fans, a fine result but on the way out much cursing of how difficult they made it for themselves and how the Wolves always put the fans through the grinder. I think most fans of every team in the country probably think their team are the most frustrating buggers out there - and I could certainly relate to their moans!

A Wolves Attack in the 1st Half.

And so – to home, this time a relatively easy two-hour drive down the M40. Another ground ticked off on my way to completing the 92, and another game I'm glad I attended, and in a stadium I was throughly impressed with.

Bring on the next one!

NEXT UP – Sheffield Wednesday! 11.04.15