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Archived News:

30th May 2008

Lafferty Wants Molineux Move

Burnley's Kyle Lafferty has signalled his intention to secure a summer transfer to Championship rivals Wolves.
The Northern Ireland international has told the Clarets that he is actively seeking a move away from Turf Moor, and has now made it clear that Molineux is his preferred destination.
Mick McCarthy is believed to have already entered into negotiations with Burnley concerning a potential switch, although Owen Coyle is demanding around £4million for the striker's services.
Wolves are understood to favour a player-plus-cash deal, but Lafferty is hopeful that a compromise can be reached.

"They are a huge club who are always fighting for a play-off place or automatic promotion rather than struggling in the bottom half of the Championship," he told the Express and Star.
"It has always been an ambition of mine to play in the Premier League and I feel that if I moved to Wolves I would have an excellent chance of reaching what many believe is the greatest league in the world.
"I understand Wolves and Rangers want to sign me - I would be thrilled to move to either club. Celtic are also interested but I don't think that's ever going to materialise.
"I understand it will be the club who agrees the best deal with Burnley who gets my signature - that may turn out to be Wolves."

Keogh Promoted From Bench

Andy Keogh had a surprise in last night's friendly international between the Republic of Ireland and Colombia.
The Wolves striker, was originally named as a substitute, but was promoted to the starting line-up to win his seventh cap when Newcastle's Damien Duff dropped out after suffering from a bout of sinusitis.
Keogh was replaced in the last minute of the match by Blackpool's Wes Hoolahan. But there was no debut cap for Kevin Foley who watched proceedings from the bench.
Former Wolves star Robbie Keane scoreded the only goal of the game in the third minute.

29th May 2008

Welsh Wolves Win

Four Wolves players where in the Welsh team that beat Iceland 1-0 in a friendly in Reykjavik last night.
Goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey pulled off some fine saves as he kept a clean sheet and there was a first full cap for new signing Sam Vokes who went on as a substitute replacing another Molineux striker, Freddy Eastwood, shortly after the interval.
Dave Edwards was the fourth Wolves player, he played for just over an hour before he was substituted.

Olofinjana Staying

Nigerian international midfielder Seyi Olofinjana has said he's looking forward to next season with Wolves.
The  27-year-old who signed in a £1.7 million deal from Norwegian side Brann Bergen in 2004, appeared 36 times scoring three goals during the 2007/08 season.
West Brom and Sunderland were said to be interested in him, but Wolves have since dismissed the reports as pure speculation and Olofinjana himself insists he is happy to stay at Molineux.
He told the Express & Star: "The chances of me remaining here are very good. I'm very much looking forward to the new season with Wolves.
"Respect is vital for me and I feel I have become so familiar with the fans and the whole bandwagon, so it would take something special to take me away.
"I've still got that desire to do well and as long as I'm still a Wolves player, I will continue to do my best."

25th May 2008

Keogh On Target

Wolves striker Andy Keogh scored a stunning injury time volley to give the Republic of Ireland a draw in their friendly with Serbia in Dublin on Saturday night.
The Molineux striker, who earned his sixth cap when he came on as an 81st minute substitute for Stephen Hunt, struck just as it seemed Giovanni Trapattoni's first game in charge of the Republic was to end in defeat.
A crowd of 42,500 in Croke Park has watched Marko Pantelic fire the Serbs into a 75th minute lead.
Wolves defender Kevin Foley, who was an unused substitute, could have another chance of winning his first senior cap when Ireland meet Colombia at Fulham's Craven Cottage on Thursday.

23rd May 2008

First Signing Of The Summer

Wolves made their first signing of the summer today, striker Sam Vokes from Bournemouth for an undisclosed fee.
The 19-year-old passed a medical this morning then signed a four year deal.
He was also named in the Welsh senior squad for the first time this week after playing regularly for the under 21s.

Boss Mick McCarthy said on WOW: "Sam is a great young talent who our scouts have been watching for some time.
"I saw him when he played for the Welsh under 21s against England last week and he was excellent.
"He is a target man who is physical, strong and good in the air. He was involved in a real scrap in trying to keep Bournemouth up at the end of the season. It was tough but will have been a good experience for such a young player.
"I have been very impressed with him and I think he is quite capable of doing well in this league despite his tender years."

22nd May 2008

Good News For Women's Team

from www.wolves.co.uk :
The Wolves women's team are celebrating officially becoming part of the Molineux set-up and starting an innovative link-up with Wolverhampton College.
With the financial backing and marketing support of the men's club, added to new facilities due to be completed at the college's Bilston campus next year, a new era is dawning for the women's team says chairperson Jenny Wilkes.
BBC WM presenter Wilkes, who last year saw Wolves relegated from the Women's Premier League, said: "Being taken under the wing of the men's club is a massive step forward for us.
"Finances are a problem for most women's teams and we've struggled in the past, but that should be behind us now and we'll be looking to not only win our place back in the Premier League but also to expand as a club.
"Wolves in the Community already runs our FA Girls Centre of Excellence, which caters for eight to 16 year-olds, but our new partnership with Wolverhampton College means we will be able to start an Academy for older girls next year.
"There's also a third-generation artificial turf pitch being built at the college for our use, so we'll have all the facilities we need to improve the club at senior level and help promote and develop girls' and women's football throughout the Wolverhampton area."
The women's team will become part of Wolves' Community Scheme and Matt Grayson, Wolves' Head of Communications, said: "We have seen the rapid development of the women's game and feel that this is a logical move for everyone concerned.
"The women's team will become integrated within our club and we will give them whatever support we can to help them achieve their aims."

Wolves Women have a track record of producing top players. England internationals Rachel Unitt and Emily Westwood are now with Everton, while Northern Ireland striker Amy McCann and England Under-21 striker Becky Hall have both switched to Birmingham City in the last 12 months.

19th May 2008

Murray Injury Update

Physio Steve Kemp believes Matt Murray will be fit and ready to challenge Wayne Hennessey for the number one jersey at the start of the season.
The former England Under-21 international suffered a season-curtailing cruciate knee ligament injury during the club's last pre-season campaign and failed to make an appearance for Mick McCarthy's men this term.
But after undergoing a rigorous rehabilitation process including two operations in the last 11 months, Kemp believes Murray is now on track to make his scheduled return this summer.

"Matt's looking very good for pre-season training. Unfortunately his injuries always seem to be extremely complex and this one's no different," Kemp told the club's official website.
"But his knee is strong and the bone is stronger and it's stable so it's now just a matter of building him up because he has not been immobilised and unable to do anything for three months so we're now just strengthening.
"He'll be running again in two or three weeks which should roll in nicely into pre-season so touch wood that will go smoothly and he'll be ready to start next season."

18th May 2008

Hennessey Staying

Highly-rated Wolves goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey has played down speculation linking him with a move to the Premier League this summer.
Everton, Aston Villa, Fulham and West Brom are all reportedly interested in signing the 21-year-old Wales international, who featured heavily for club and country this season.
But Hennessey appears determined to continue his fledging career under the shrewd guidance of Wolves boss Mick McCarthy.
"I went in to see the gaffer at the end of the season and it was all positive, so we'll see what happens next season," Hennessey told the Express and Star.
"So far I'm staying and if I've got a Wolves shirt on, I'll try my best for Wolves.
"It's nice to hear clubs are coming in for me but I will keep trying my best, whoever I'm playing for. I'm confident I can continue my development at Wolves, definitely."

17th May 2008

Transfer News

BBC Radio Derby have reported that Derby County midfielder David Jones could be on his way to Wolves or Preston.
The Rams are thought to be prepared to sell the 23-year-old, but want to recoup the £1m they paid Manchester United for him in 2007.
Jones scored seven goals in 47 games in two seasons for the Rams.

15th May 2008

Friendlies Announced

Wolves annual home friendly this year will be against Premier League Blackburn Rovers.
The match at Molineux is on Saturday 2nd August, kick-off, 3pm.
The other away friendlies that includes a three-game trip to Scotland are listed below.

Saturday 12th July 2008, 3pm - Wrexham - away.
Wednesday 16th July 2008, 7.45pm - Hereford United - away.
Sunday 20th July 2008, 3pm - Dundee - away.
Wednesday 23rd July 2008, 7.30pm - Motherwell - away.
Saturday 26th July 2008, 2.00pm - Kilmarnock - away.
Tuesday 29th July 2008, 7.45pm - Walsall - away.
Saturday 2nd August 2008, 3pm - Blackburn Rovers - home.

14th May 2008

International Call-Ups

Kevin Foley is joining Darren Potter and Andy Keogh in the Ireland squad selected by new manager Giovanni Trapattoni.
They are playing friendlies against Serbia in Dublin on 24th May and Colombia at Craven Cottage on 29th May.

Wolves winger Michael Kightly has pulled out of England Under-21 squad after more trouble with his ankle.
The 22-year-old was due to play Wales in a friendly on Thursday but is still not happy with the injury.

13th May 2008

Billy Wright Honoured

A Midland Metro tram was named after Wolves legend Billy Wright today.
The region's public transport authority, Centro, held a ceremony to mark the unveiling of the carriage which will carry the name of the former Wolves and England captain.
Family members and ex-team mates were amongst the guests assembled for the event before enjoying a ride back to Wolverhampton.
The decision to name the tram after Billy was made after Centro held a public vote to decide who would receive the honour.
The footballer defeated two other Black Country stars - Methodist preacher Francis Asbury and literary legend Jerome K Jerome - with an overwhelming majority of 90 per cent of the vote.

As part of the ceremony, Derek Horton from Stafford is to drive the newly named tram after he was selected in a prize draw.
Twelve of the 16 vehicles have already been named in honour of other local legends.
Centro is now looking to name a further Midland Metro tram after a regional hero through another public vote, details of which will be available soon.
Since opening nine years ago Line One, which runs between Birmingham Snow Hill and Wolverhampton St Georges, has achieved 98 per cent reliability and is used by more than five million passengers a year - nearly a third of them former car users.

10th May 2008

Transfer News

Wolves boss Mick McCarthy has begun his clear out at Molineux, letting Gary Breen leave and putting five others up for sale.
McCarthy is looking to reshape his squad for next season after narrowly missing out on reaching the play-offs this term.
Defender Breen will leave Molineux on a free transfer after being informed his contract would not be renewed.
Jay Bothroyd, Rob Edwards, Stephen Elliot, Darren Potter and Darren Ward have all been placed on the transfer list, joining Freddy Eastwood.

8th May 2008

Eastwood Transfer Listed

Striker Freddy Eastwood has been transfer listed after just one season at Molineux, the 24-year-old signed a four-year deal from Southend last summer, but has not scored since August and most of his appearances have come off the bench.
Coventry who almost signed Eastwood before the deadline in March are the favourites to sign him.

Manager Mick McCarthy said on WOW: "I've had a discussion with Freddy and he is available for transfer.
"It's nothing personal, it's just not worked out how either I or Freddy would have liked.
"I thought he would fit into my team but he hasn't. He's not for me and maybe I'm not for him
"He wants to play and he'll do well somewhere else. And we wish him good luck."

7th May 2008

Wolves Don't See Red

Wolves where one of only three clubs not to have a player sent off last season.
In 51 League and cup fixtures no Wolves players got a the red card.
Only Bolton (Premier) and Rotherham (League Two) achieved the same.
Rotherham finished the season with 43 yellow cards, Wolves had 63 and Bolton 73.

6th May 2008

Sylvan Gets The Boot

Sylvan Ebanks-Blake has won the Championship's Golden Boot award.
The striker scored 12 goals for Wolves since his transfer from Plymouth in January, where he had already scored 13 times. Taking his total to 25, one more than West Brom's Kevin Phillips.

Olo's Future Talks

Wolves midfielder Seyi Olofinjana plans to hold discussions with the club before committing to another season in the Championship.
The Nigerian international signed a four-year contract at Molineux last October and insists he "wants to stay" at the club, but first he wants some reassurances following Wolves failure to make the play-offs.
"I want to stay at Wolves, I'm loved here and I know everyone around here and how people value me," he told the Express & Star.
"Having said that, we'll have to see. I can't say precisely what it will take for me to stay."
He added: "It's good we're coming in and I'll be able to speak to the manager and a lot can be discussed. It all depends on what happens from here. I just need to get out of this mood before even thinking about all that.
"The chairman (Steve Morgan) has been very supportive and I don't think he speaks to many other players like he speaks to me. That tells me a lot. That responsibility is something for me to relish. There's no point going somewhere else where maybe I'm not welcome."

5th May 2008

Match Reaction

Wolves manager Mick McCarthy conceded the match with Plymouth summed up his side's season after their promotion ambitions ended for another year.

 McCarthy said: "If we had nicked it 1-0 then I guess we wouldn't be feeling so bad but we haven't nicked it 1-0, we have had loads of chances and not managed to score three goals - but then we have not done that too often this season to be fair.
"That one game has been a reflection on the 46 this season when we have been dominant and not scored."

McCarthy refused to claim bad luck was to blame for his side's failure to reach the play-offs for a second successive season but he did go as far as saying good luck had been in short measure.
"I have only walked off the pitch once and thought we were lucky there and that was Blackpool at home," he added.
"I can't remember one other game where I have thought 'that was a fortunate result'.
"That's not me bemoaning it as bad luck, I just don't think we have had too much good luck.
"I think the lads have worked their socks off, as a team we have had 19 team clean sheets.
"Quite clearly we have not put the ball in the net often enough yet even today we have created loads of chances."

And while McCarthy hinted at changes next season he insisted he had no regrets over the current campaign.
"I have done everything I possibly could. I don't go home and regret things. If I could have done something better or different in my opinion or changed something then I would have done," he said
"There will be changes. Players come, players go.
"In my own head the nucleus of the players will be staying. I think there is a lot of them new into their careers at this level.
"Some of the games we have played recently are the biggest games they have ever played."

4th May 2008

Wolves 1-0 Plymouth

15mins: Yellow card, Easter.
31mins: Yellow card, Doumbe.
Half Time: Wolves 0-0 Plymouth.
46mins: Plymouth substitution, MacLean on for Easter.
58mins: Yellow card, Henry.
61mins: Yellow card, Anderson.
65mins: Wolves substitution, Eastwood on for Keogh.
69mins: Plymouth substitution, Teale on for Clark.
79mins: Plymouth substitution, Folly on for Timar (injured).
83mins: Yellow card, Fallon.
85mins: Wolves substitution, Gray on for Kightly.
87mins: GOAL, Olofinjana gives Wolves the lead.
89mins: Wolves substitution, S Elliott on for Foley.
Full Time: Wolves 1-0 Plymouth.
Wolves miss out on the play-offs by a goal difference of 2.

3rd May 2008

Team News

Wolves: boss Mick McCarthy is expected to be able to call on Darron Gibson and Karl Henry after injuries.
Midfielder David Edwards (knee) also hopes to return to help his side secure a play-off place.

Plymouth: are sweating on the fitness of left-back Jim Paterson, who had to pull out of last week's 3-0 home win over Blackpool because of a back complaint.
Gary Teale, on loan from Derby and in talks about a permanent switch, will return after a thigh injury.

2nd May 2008

Death Of Former Keeper

From www.wolves.co.uk:

The club was shocked and saddened to hear reports this morning of the death, from a suspected heart attack, of former goalkeeper Mark Kendall at the age of 49.
It was 20 years ago this month that he was a member of the Wolves team that won the Sherpa Van Trophy by beating Burnley 2-0 in front of 88,000 supporters at Wembley.
The victory came at the end of the 1987/88 season when the club were crowned as Fourth Division Champions. He was an ever present in the campaign and kept a club record 28 clean sheets from the 61 League and Cup games played.

The following season he won another Championship medal as Wolves stormed to the Third Division title.
Mark started his career with Tottenham Hotspur before he joined Newport County.
He moved from Somerton Park to Molineux in December 1986 and made 177 appearances for Wanderers before switching to Swansea in May 1990.
Mark spent a spell on loan with Barnsley before retiring at the end of the 1991/92 season to become a policeman in his native South Wales.

Wolves' Vice President Steve Bull said: "Mark was a good friend, an excellent work colleague and a real joker in the pack.
"We had a great team spirit in that team at Molineux and he was a massive part of it - a real character.
"It's a great loss and he will be sadly missed by all that knew him."

McCarthy's Job Is safe

Wolves chief executive Jez Moxey expects Mick McCarthy to still be in charge at Molineux next season, even if Wolves don't make the Championship play-offs.
"I can't see any reason why he wouldn't be," said Moxey. "I'm surprised at the sea change from "Super, Super Mick" to something less complimentary.
"But sometimes we have to say we know what we're doing," he told BBC WM.
"We've got a plan, we'll stick to that plan, and hopefully the fans can stick with us. By and large they have done."

Moxey also followed the stance taken by the club's owner Stephen Morgan a week ago by denying newspaper speculation that they will sell their best players this summer if they miss out on promotion.
Rumours have linked Michael Kightly, Wayne Hennessey and Sylvan Ebanks-Blake to Premier League clubs.
"In a way that's good, because they're all good players," Moxey told BBC WM.
"They're contracted, we've a new owner, we've lots of investment and we're building something special. Absolutely they'll be here next season."

1st May 2008

New Kits Every Season

Wolves have signed a new two-year sponsorship deal with sportswear manufacturers, Le Coq Sportif.
The new design will be paraded around Molineux before the final game of the season at home to Plymouth on Sunday May 4th 2008.
The seven figure deal will see Le Coq Sportif produce a new home and away kit every year. The away kit will be launched in the summer.