Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Wolves blog: Oh Happy Days
Wolves blogger Nathan Lloyd is reveling in the glory at Molineux – although the season’s work has hit him and others in the pocket.
In my head I can just hear a muffled ‘ha ha’ from Nelson Muntz of ‘The Simpsons’ fame mocking my stupidity for forgetting the Early Bird and laughing at the 30% extra its now going to cost me to renew.
With just under 100 days before Wolves kick their first ball in the Premiership season of 2009 to 2010, if I want to watch them play top flight football, I’ll have to part with an extra £150 at least on top of what I paid for my last season ticket.
That’s a lot of extra doh – pardon the pun – and the money could be even harder to find for some of those unlucky fans who filled West Park to enjoy the celebrations after the Doncaster match, only to have opportunistic traffic wardens sour their day.
Perhaps that’s why the open top bus celebrations have been curtailed, as club officials are worried that if the bus goes too slowly, then a council foot soldier will be walking alongside, issuing parking tickets like confetti if the bus drops beneath the council speed restriction.
The council’s disgusting and petty behaviour is hardly the kind of negative PR they should be striving for. Wolves’ promotion to the biggest domestic league in the world will generate millions of pounds in additional revenue for the city, creating extra focus and attention in the media.
It’s a disgrace that the first big trophy win in many fans lifetime will not be celebrated in time honoured tradition through the streets of WV1, simply because of health and safety red tape.
That aside, I can’t remember their ever being such a buzz around Molineux like there was on Sunday.
A myriad of extravagant fancy dress adorned many of the fans milling around the stadium prior to kick-off and the thousands of ‘We shall not be moved’ flags waving from each stand in the ground was a wondrous site.
Congratulations to Richard Stearman on his first goal for the club, a fantastic way to end the season. Because I know his dad, I always placed a few quid on him to get the first goal – Richard, not his dad that is – when he was a regular starter earlier in the season.
His inclusion on Sunday took me by surprise and as soon as we kicked off I said to the lad next to me that it would just be my luck if ‘Stears’ got the first goal.
Ah well, I’ll have to find other ways to raise funds for my Premier League season ticket.
The fanfare and the reveal of the new strip before kickoff on Sunday was quite amusing as probably nearly every fan in the ground had already seen it.
But I always like a white change strip and I still wear the Doritos one from our last top-flight jaunt to five-a-side on a Monday night.
Apart from receiving the Championship trophy on Sunday, my other favourite moment had to be the welcome return of the man-mountain of George Elokobi.
I think if he can keep that aggression measured and controlled, he could be a nightmare for opposing forwards and wingers in the Premier League.
I predicted that the player of the year would be a formality and go to Sylvan Ebanks Blake, who’d have thought I could get it wrong?
One of Mick’s best ever signings, Kevin Foley, received over half of all the votes and after being so consistent and playing nearly every game this season, deservedly walked away with the honours.
I also popped into to see the Championship trophy on Bank Holiday Monday with my good friend Alfred Camilleri and the rest of the Maltese Wolves fan club, who had travelled over especially for the end of season celebrations.
As the squad departs for Vegas, thoughts turn to next season and the guessing game of what players will be arriving in the summer.
I’ll just say it was a relief that Sami Hyypia has chosen Bruno Labbadia’s Bayer Leverkusen and won’t be available for talks at Molineux after all.
I always remember the heart wrenching disappointment as Oleg Luzhny was announced as our first Premiership signing back in the summer of 2003.
Although had Hyypia signed it may not have been quite as cataclysmic, I certainly don’t think it would have been the right move for the club.
After spending two seasons writing the blog, last week’s comments from some fans on the blog were some of the most strongly opinionated yet.
I wrote that in my opinion I didn’t think that Mick has a particularly fantastic affinity with the fans.
Although I think it be hypercritical of me to apologise for my views, I don’t think the blog was perhaps brilliantly timed as nobody really wants to read any negativity in these happiest times to be gold and black.
But just because some mud slinging has come my way, doesn’t mean I will bowdlerize my observations just to avoid the diatribe of some disgruntled fans.
The blog has to be my opinion and not those of the collective. If I became a sycophant and simply aired the views of the majority, I might as well become a Tory MP.
It would be a dull world if we all agreed on everything and took the same approach to life. How mundane would it be if I behaved like the over enthusiastic teenager from the Fast Show and pronounced that everything at the club was brilliant?
Thanks you for sharing your opinions and insight with me over the last season on the blog. I hope you all have a fabulous summer.
I’m off to Vegas with Mick McCarthy on a special fan bonding convoy.
Well done me babbies and see you all in August for another fantastic season.
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Cheers Nathan and thanks for all of your blogs this season. You picked up a bit of flack last week but surely your job is to offer your thoughts and open up the debate. That airing of so many different views is why we keep coming back for more.
I thought that the level of debate was much improved of late but the ” Fortune to Molineux” story has brought out the worst on both sides of the divide.
I hope you and Bomber enjoy your summer and come back to entertain us during the wonderful and frightening season that waits for us.
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Off to Vegas.. “lucky you”
One point I have to make is that Sami and Oleg…
Abit like Ronaldo & Anderton
One is world class, the other…. past it!
i.e It would have been a superb buy if we did get Sami as I think he is world class and could have done a job for us and it would have been a brilliant move for the club as added experience, champions league winner, what more would you need…
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Glad you didnt take to heart some of the over the top and insulting remarks last week to heart,its all about debate not abuse we should and are entitled to our opinion however much we dislike the others!
This last season has been the best ive witnessed since the play off deafeat season under Graham Taylor!
I look Forward to next season like no other in the past twenty years!
Up the Wolves
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Don’t worry Nathan —- we accept your apology and keep writing the blog next season
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Great blog Nathan and great season of writing them. We forgive your erratic and ever changeable views.
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Nathan, lets make it clear to everyone who reads this.
It was the football club that made the decision NOT to take the open top bus tour of the city, not the Council. The council leader actually begged WWFC to proceed with the tour but Mr Moxey refused claiming that supporters have already had ample opportunity to celebrate. (not very sociable being as he is now wanting to charge fans 30% more)!
You are to quick to implicate the council rather than checking the facts.
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Cheers Nath, i do enjoy your blogs, whether I agree with them or not.
Wolves forever.
Erm, im sure the 2003 Wolves Doritos away shirt was black??
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He’s got no hair, and we don’t care… Nathan, Nathan, Nathan Lloyd…
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7.Sandwell massive??
Perhaps they did two? I’ve got a white one signed and framed and a white one I wear for a kick about. I do remember someone turning up in a black one as well.
I thought I was just about to be crucified for a mistake again!
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No 7. Yes, the Doritos away strip for the Premiership was indeed Black
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6 – The council refused to take responsibility for the safety aspects of the parade in THEIR city. That’s why the parade was stopped. Council’s fault not the fault of the club. How can the club be responsible for the ring road?
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I think some of our fans are underestimating how much of a big step up the prem is. We dont need 3-4 players we need nearer eight a couple of experienced (not too old) premier players and to carry on with our policy of young and hungry, go for:
Collin Kazim Richards
Shaun Davies
Roger Johnson
Joe Ledley
David Wheater
Steven Hunt
Kevin Doyle
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Malta Mick…
The black kit was our change kit in the Prem. The white Doritos was the third change kit. I don’t think either were used much.
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Let’s take the chance to repay Doncaster – turn up in big numbers for the pre-season friendly (in fancy dress?) Drink in the pubs with them , swap flags, bring down the home/away segregation and all mix together, before, during and after the game. Make it a permanent pre-season fixture that everyone can look forward to and enjoy. Let’s all have a party!!
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nath I must start by opologising for the way I ranted at you in your last blog(lots of humble pie) by on large I’ve enjoyed your blogs and as you stated it would be boring if we all had the same views, I guess I got caught up in the emotion of it all and your timing as you stated was poor, good one this time round, look forward to the prem but I don’t think i’ll be getting a season ticket with the 30% increase and my job in the balance it’s a case of one thing or another and the family holiday won, still mod to watch.
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nath I must start by opologising for the way I ranted at you in your last blog(lots of humble pie) by on large I’ve enjoyed your blogs and as you stated it would be boring if we all had the same views, I guess I got caught up in the emotion of it all and your timing as you stated was poor, good one this time round, look forward to the prem but I don’t think i’ll be getting a season ticket with the 30% increase and my job in the balance it’s a case of one thing or another and the family holiday won, still motd to watch.
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I was all partied out anyway – QPR on the pitch – fantastic away day at Barnsley and finally the trophy awarded last weekend. That’s 3 weeks on the bounce and I’ve just about sobered up and recovered, so I doubt I or many like-minded fans would have bothered with a parade. It was different last time, ‘cos we won promotion down at Cardiff after the season had ended, so a parade was called for – not this time – let the lads get off for a well-earned break – ROLL ON NEXT SEASON!!! Blog on Nathan……..I’m still gonna campaign for us to sign Blackburn striker Matt Derbyshire, mind you he seems to be enjoying his time at Panathanaikos.
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Why is everybody saying we should sign Joe Ledley? What is so great about him? I really want to know. Do you really think Mick will spend £6mill on a Championship player? He’s as good as Jarvis so what’s the point?
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Good blog apart from I do not agree regards to Hyypia. He and others like him are what we need to support our many quality young players.
Unfortunately you will get abuse from so called supporters on here. At the end of the day a lot of them are armchair and never been anywhere!
UP THE WOLVES!!!
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Nathan – after last weeks OTT comments, I feared that you would (understandably) say enough is enough and pass on the baton to someone else – I’m glad that you didn’t.
Some people have a hard time accepting that football, in particular is all about opinions, some are strong in their beliefs, others read opinions and adopt the popular to conform with the most vocal.
Just an aside from the topic, a gentle dig at the E & S and their role in whipping up skewed opinions.
Last week we saw articles on the pitch invasions at Barnsley which set fan against fan and showed our supporters in a poor light – nothing was reported about the favourable comments from Yorkshire police or the compliment paid to the supporters by the manager of the U9 boys team that received an outstanding ovation from all the Wolves away fans.
Even on a very slow news day yesterday where the only article for comment was one which set fans from Wolves and Albion against each other, The E & S ignored the more positive news that Wolves fans had emailed Doncaster Rovers FC in their droves to thank them and their supporters for their contribution to Sundays celebrations.This has now been reciprocated with a message of thanks from Doncaster Rovers FC.
Well done Wolves fans
and E & S – shame on you !
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Nathan like you i received some very abusive comments on my views of the possible signing of Hyypia.I agree totally that these pages should give everybody the right to air their views as they see them and although not everyone would agree there is no need for insulting comments just a collective debate.11 Dave if you read the paper yesterday you would have seen the comments of the health and safety exec that WWFC Cancelled the Parade and nobody at Wolves was available for comment. Nathan enjoy your trip and look forward to some bright and airy blogs come August.
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Dave, Number 11.
Government legislation has moved the onus from any council (not just Wolverhampton) onto the Football club that is celebrating, thus meaning that if there were any health & safety issues, the HSE would hold the football club responsible.
Please note that it was Government that changed the legislation!
Even with that in mind, Wolverhampton Council wanted desperately to assist the Wolves in making it possible but dear Mr Moxey refused point blank! Both the Council and the police have tried to convince Wolves to do the parade.
So basically you were wrong.
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Are we saying that the “City” Managers are unable to saction a parade-YES again they fall short for the Club-I think over the past years I have been in the TOWN prior to kick-off like many other supporters bringing benefit to bars and clubs that are only to grateful to have us-The Club generates next to Friday Night visitors great wealth fot the TOWN…..It is clear that the TOWN is run like a TOWN it may have City Status but as “Cities” go–But in my eyes it is a Town run like a Town–They treat the Club with disrespect——–The Moment is lost do not blame JEZ… Yes for the High prices NATHAN but his ideology is save money put pricers up-If we want to come then we pay regardless.
We want no CUT PRICE purchases only players that can keep us in the PREM–Forget the parade the moment is Lost-Move on. There is no reason why we should not take TESCO players its good business if they are good enough–I think Morrison foe one is a player we should have–I know MM will do OK for us—Bottom line if you want to see you have to pay as we did last time through thick and thin
KEEP THE FAITH_ KEEP US IN
Crazey Dave.
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The 30 per cent rise is terrible,why dont the management give something back to us fans..I dont buy a season ticket because I cant afford the big shell out,But I didnt miss a game this season.so with credit card charge it cost me £24-25 for each game,this worked out a lot more than a season ticket holder pays each match…Is the season ticket holder a better fan than me??am I a better fan than a fan who cant afford a ticket,,surely we are all Wolves Fans.It would have been nice iff our management had taken into account the hard financiall climate and given us all the opportunity to buy at pre budget prices,maybe looked at Stoke,Wigan,Borough or even Brum…
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im glad there was no parade personally. Not just cos I dont live in Wolves anymore and couldnt make it, but because I am celebrated out. Running on the pitch vs QPR in sheer elation was the best moment as a Wolves fan – of all time. Nothing can beat it.
I know a father and son who are going through hard times, waited outside for the gates to open, and ran on the pitch and celebrated with everyone else. Good on them, That is what its all about.
If we had got promotion on the last day, my view on a parade would be different – but we have been partying for weeks.
Woke up from dream of Hamman and Morientes partnering JOnes and Seb and sealing a Europa League place. I cant take anymore optimisim – can we get negative again soon?
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No.7 – There was definetly a white one. Im wearing it now lol. Dont remember a black one at all.
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The Prem Season we wore an all black away kit the White one Nathan has referred to is the one we wore the season before when we went up in the play-offs hehe
On this rumour about Davenport personbally it would be a good signing at 1.5 mill its not much for a player whos had a fair bit of premier league experience and in the rite age bracket could well be a steal at that money, He is played alright considering he is in a poor S’land team which Sbragia doesn’t know how to manage anyway
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24 – i dont really agree – not in the game as it is now.
Football has moved away from the normal family – i used to get in for £2 each game as a 16 year. But its different now.
If we want to compete – we have to accept we will be screwed, and furthermore the doors are closed to all but either the well paid, or the debt happy.
It does mean that the contract between supporter and club is changed though, moving from a fanbase, to well paying customers who have expectations. Wolves Management – you have been warned…..
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28 – I think you’ll find that a number of clubs ( Wolves included) realise this and are making moves to encourage families and younger fans – after all, they are the future fanbase.Interesting to see how this evolves next season though.
I wouldn’t class the current Wolves supporters as having low expectations.
Re – the Doritos away kit – Proof, if it were needed that football fans are willing to argue that Black is White !
P.S. I have a Black Doritos away shirt, as does my daughter.
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Scandalous that we cannot see the lads on an open top bus tour. Living in Stoke I had to put up with the red and white clowns on their open top bus tour a year ago. If they can do it in Stoke, why not in Wolverhampton a city of similar size to Wolverhampton??
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The actions of the jobsworths from Wolverhamption council and the police on the so called “safety advisory committee” requiring the club to take responsibility for “health and safety” issues associated with an open top bus parade are a disgrace.
The relentless march of petty health and safety rulings over the last few years needs to be challenged. There are local council elections for 33% of Wolverhampton Council in a few weeks time and I urge all Wolves supporters living in the city to take this issue up with any prospective councillor who is seeking their vote. And while you are at it why not ask them about their policy on the role of city traffic wardens.
Life is for living and these occasions are all too rare. Its too late for this season ….. but something must be done to stop this pettiness in future so that future Wolves fans and citizens are not stifled by the jobsworths.
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11 & 22 Fellow Supporters
Health and Safety is not an issue all CITIES and TOWNS have parades-They took responsibilty for the Ring Road when they kicked us out our seats for the Baggies last season.
The time is lost lets discuss signings and the way forward–Crazey Dave…
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At the end of the day, neither Wolves F.C or Wolverhampton Council were to blame for the lack of parade in the City.
Unfortunatly with the world we live in today, there would bound to be someone who would be “affected” by the parade and want to sue for it.
Its the world we live in today that has stopped the parade and all the bleeding tree hugging do gooders out there.
Its pretty simple, the club and council knew they would be heavily stung (cash wise), so both wanted each other to take the hit which neither can afford to take.
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29 – im genuinely interested to know how Wolves are encouraging younger fans. As far as I heard – anecdotally – you cant get into the family enclosure without a season ticket or good amounts of cash. Adults paying full. But if they are doing something thats great.
Its been a moving feast for years, the more a customer pays, the better they expect. I didnt say we had low expectations. but next year they will be higher.
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34 – Begs the question – Have you been to Molineux this year?
I refer to the games that were earmarked as ‘Family Games’ where two adults and two juniors could get in for, I think £40 ( stand to be corrected on the price )The last three were allocated in the lower Steve Bull. I also think that tickets have been distributed to local schools at various times in the season.
A ‘family kiosk’ is situated at the back of the Stan Cullis.
I also think that the club won an award from the FA regarding the ‘Family’themes.
Not saying its a solution, but at least Wolves are trying to encourage family attendance.
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no 6 I have supported the Wolves for nearly half a century ,and I don’t live in the Wolverhampton area,but I have always been appreciative of the actions taken by Wolverhampton Council in purchasing Molineux at the time of our second period in administation.Without that intervention there was a strong possibility that our football club would have ceased to exist.Wolves fans should always remember that.
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Nathan – so you would be happy to be a Labour MP, in a party responsible for miss-managing the economy to the extent that they have taken us into the worst recession in living memory?!
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On the subject of shirts I once owned a BLUE Good Year shirt!!
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Nathan, you’ve done a good enough job of a difficult task. The official blogger needs a thick skin because he sets himself up to be shot at.
Incidentally, nice to see you read my posts during the week. I didn’t think the moderator would allow c——e. ! !
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28.. I used to pay 5 shillings (25p) to stand in the enclosure next to the player entrance.
I could have payed less in another stand but there was a girl I fancied went there.
Oh, happy days.
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no37 Ron; I take your point he should just have said MP. That would have done it for all of us. But you know the right wing governments of France , Germany, Italy ,and until this year, the USA all are experiencing the same recession.It must be catching this mismanagemet stuff.
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OK, lets put this Oleh (not Oleg) Luzhny business to bed. Lets look why he came here in the first place, he had just won an FA Cup winners medal on the back of Premier League winners medal and featured in most of Arsenal’s games the previous season. So he came with good credentials. Yes he was getting on a bit and was a better right midfielder or fullback going forward, defending was never really his forte not even with Dynamo Kyiv. So he should have been utilised to his strengths which I’m afraid some managers just do not do. Perhaps this was just a signing that did not work out for Jones/Jones did not really look at what he was getting allbeit a Bosman. Nathan, you really do need to check your facts before blogging crap. This is one worrying thing about Bosmans, you really do not know what your gonna get with older players. They’re not as quick as they used to be and need to be utilised on there current strongest roles
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“who’d have thought I could get it wrong?”
Me, based on the drivel you spout week in week out
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Nath
Take no notice of anything that was said last week, I don’t like him either. But he has won us the league & no one has achieved that for a long,long time & I think he will keep us up, so he’s pretty much bomb proof at the mo!!!!
Anyway, you like everyone else associated with Wolves has had a pretty good season, so make sure you keep up the good work next term.
Well done fella.
KTF
Wolves forever
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42.Dudziewolf
Blogging crap? Oleg Luzhny may have been a hero at Dynamo Kyiv, but he was a unmitigating disaster of a signing for Wolves. 10 appearences and a big wage? Brilliant.
When I heard we had signed a player from Arsenal, I thought that all the Bergkamp rumours were true and then we get Oleg (the Roman version, Oleh is the Ukrainian pronouciation).
What a start to our Premiership campaign. I wonder how many Wolves fans leapt for joy when they got the news?
Oh and Resident Weevil, look up sarcasm, it appears to have driven past you.
Thanks Grace. It is possible to share in the success of the club without necessarily blowing smoke up MM’s backside.
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Missing out on that ‘early-bird’ is going to cost you an arm and a leg Nathan but seeing as you are going to watching the cream of English football, maybe it will be money well spent, eh?
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45 Luzhny was MOM at the Cup final for Arsenal the season before he came to the Mol & he was captain of his country ;-) – BUT most of our signings for the Prem seemed to be “knee jerk” and below “bargain basement” last time we went up – maybe Moxey going on his jollies as soon as Cardiff was over had something to do with it! I can recollect a certain Kris Boyd coming over for a trial in that preseason (Long before he went to play for Gers) – he probably wanted £50pw more than the club was prepared to pay him??? What a farce!!! Memories eh Nathan – Oko, Iversen, Camara, Luzhny, Joey Gudjohnsson, left midfield loanee fr Villa – cant remember his name, Silas – Who??? etc etc
I get the feeling of fear and dread when I think that Moxey is the man who will approach potential Prem Proven Players – Not so much a personal “attack” on Mssr Moxey – more a substantial fear that the better than average Prem Proven Players and thier agents will look at Moxey and think – hmmm – Who is this guy? & I feel that the standards of approach have to be way above anything Mr Moxey is capable of – to sell and promote the “Wolves brand” and their potential future – not as simple as “picking up the phone” and making a better offer in salaries
Imv Mr Moxey is probably better off – leaving the face to face stuff down to a professional organisation – ala Chaucer – who can corporately present the “package” to a potential Prem Proven Player – afterall, Moxey reffered to attracting players for the Championship as being far easier to do – Of course it was – that was down to being a bigger fish in a smaller pond – now we are the smaller fish in a big pond – fighting around 8-10 similar profile clubs
Bearing in mind the fight we have on our hands is the same as about 8 to 10 clubs ala Stoke, Blues etc – I for one DONT accept the BS that the club/ Moxey spins about “not doing a Leeds etc” We are NOT trying to do a Leeds – just have enough weapons in our portfolio of players to be able to fight to survive! I really hope & pray that Moxey is NOT allowed to do what he did the last time we were promoted – and wasted not just the little amount of money we had but also all the hard work that the manager and his team have done to get us to this point!!! (& also the hopes and aspirations of nearly all the Wolves fans)
PS Nathan as I have said before – you my friend have placed youself in a position with writing your blogs at getting shot at from all camps of Wolves fans – I havent always agreed with you – but keep doing it – you have my vote! ;-)
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As and health and safety bod myself I can assure fans that there are no ‘petty health and safety rules’ that prevent the holding of a parade. Parades have been held in other towns and cities.
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Good postings all season nathan,
whether i agreed or not.
Good playing of devils-advocate sometimes.
Hope you keep it going next season.
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