Fifty years ago, John Trout and his gang of young friends lived and breathed football.

The lads were so obsessed with the beautiful game they started their own team, Warstones Sporty Club and followed every high and low of their beloved Wolverhampton Wanderers.

The boys’ own team proved so successful, they were soon invited to Molineux by then-manager Stan Cullis to meet their Wolves heroes. The highlight of the day was the side being snapped by the Express & Star with centre forward Roy Swinbourne, a photograph Mr Trout has treasured to this day.

And in a week’s time, the snap will be recreated on the pitch at Molineux after John traced 11 of the 12 lads and Mr Swinbourne himself, who at 79 lives just a few miles away in Kinver.

Mr Trout, a 65-year-old retired council worker who now lives in Church Road, Shareshill, said: “Our parents were so impressed with our efforts and achievements, they contacted the Wolves and asked if it would be possible for a group of us to visit Molineux and possibly meet some of the players and have a look around.

“Wolves agreed and in April 1955, 12 lads were met at the ground by Stan Cullis. After being taken on a tour, we were then taken outside to meet up with centre forward Roy for a run around the pitch. The Express & Star was present to take photographs of us all. It was a wonderful day.

“But by early 1957, our lives were moving on in different directions and the club activities came to an end. Most of us have not seen or heard of one another since then.”

Earlier this year, Mr Trout decided to trace his old friends and wrote to Wolves chief executive Jez Moxey asking if it would be possible to recreate the photograph at Molineux.

He found the majority of the team through relatives who still lived in the area.

He said: “Rob Robinson’s aunt still lived in the same street so she put me in touch with him and he then put me in touch with Mike Edwards, and so on and so forth. It snowballed really.”

The furthest afield member of the team was Robert Bicknell, who moved away to Chicago with his family three years ago. He will be flying in especially for the photo call.

Mr Trout said: “I’m very pleased we managed to get in touch with Robert over in Chicago as I think he’s settled there now.

“His mother still lived in East Green, which was a stroke of luck. We’re all looking forward to meeting up again for what promises to be a most momentous and memorable occasion, even better still in the company of Roy Swinbourne.”

Warstones Sporty Club was created in 1952 and within two years had expanded into a proper team.

The boys all attended Warstones Primary School and grew up a stone’s throw apart from each other on streets including East Green, North Green, Kingslow Avenue and Claverley Drive. The group will be back at Molineux on October 15.