Barnsley 1 Wolves 1 – verdict
Saturday 25th April 2009, 4:59PM BST.
Super Wolves clinched the Championship title with a late equaliser to send more than 6,000 travelling fans into ecstasy in the Barnsley sunshine.
So stand by for a champion’s party at Molineux next Sunday, as Doncaster come to town for the final game.
Wolves duly grabbed the point they needed to add the silverware to the promotion they clinched last week with a hard fought draw today.
It looked as if Mick McCarthy’s Premier League-bound team would be kept waiting for the Championship outright, when relegation haunted Barnsley grabbed a deserved 59th minute lead through Jon Macken at Oakwell.
But,with five minutes remaining, Matt Jarvis set up Kyel Reid for an equaliser that put Wolves out of reach of all the chasing packs at the top of the table.
Sadly, the joy came with some worries for both clubs as hundreds of visiting fans swarmed onto the pitch to celebrate the equaliser.
That could lead to an FA probe with the final whistle also bringing a invasion by both sets of supporters, who were separated by a combination of mounted police and ranks of riot squad officers.
But it should not spoil the triumph Wolves clinched, even if they were never anywhere near the form levels which have helped them dominate the division from the outset.
Some 6,000 Wolves fans descended on the South Yorkshire town to turn Oakwell into a temporary district of Wolverhampton.
They were in the mood for a party, with fancy dress costumes and silly wigs setting the tone for a jubilant afternoon.
The match had barely started before the fans were doing a conga behind Wayne Hennessey’s goal with the action on the pitch of only secondary importance.
The acclaim for the promotion winners was not just reserved for Mick McCarthy and his players. The early arrivals gave the club’s former owner and benefactor Sir Jack Hayward a resounding welcome when he arrived an hour before kick off.
Sir Jack had followed the team’s progress via the internet since December, as he relaxed on his annual world cruise and this was his first sight of the team in the flesh this year.
For once Sir Jack found himself not necessarily praying for a Wolves victory.
After posing for photographs with fans outside the ground, he said: “We need a point for the Championship and that will be fine. But I like this club and I do not want to see them relegated, so everyone will be happy with a draw.”
But he spent much of the first half watching Wolves beating away a tide of Barnsley pressure, as the home side fought desperately for the point they require to stay in the division.
In truth, Sir Jack did not have too much to cheer him as this was a game Wolves largely played on the back foot against a side fighting for their lives.
But after Macken’s goal, they put enough together to chisel out an equaliser which will guarantee jubilant scenes around the City next weekend.
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Congrats to wolves for a great season. But i will tell you this, anymore daft fans running on to the football pitch is going to cause wolves problems. Dont give the F.A. and football league more reasons. “screw the nut”
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Well done the lads. Promoted as champions. How good does that sound? Huge respect to the fans who travelled to support the boys today. But please, please, please, please can we all stay in our seats next week? The players deserve a lap of honour and I for one would like to savour it. We had our celebration on the pitch against QPR. Lets stay in the stands and applaud our boys to the rafters after the game against Doncaster. Come on me babbies!!!!!
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Got to agree with Si Hughes.
Pitch invasions are completely unneccessary and spoil it for all the other supporters.
Drink filled IDIOTS spoil it for everyone else just as they do when the come to Spain.
If you can’t hold your drink and behave stay at home.
ps Congratulations Boys you deserve it.
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Not a great game but a great occasion for Wolves fans. We just about deserved the draw but more importantly we deserve to be Champions having lead the league for so long.
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i agree with you si,stay off the pitch for the last game otherwise we aint going to see any celebrations!!!!!the team will go in and not come back out…….all these years of waiting,i do want to see that trophy.
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Nice to clinch the Title,Relax and party next weekend.Looking forward to seeing live premiership football next season.
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A big congratulations to all at WOLVES on a magnificent season.Agree with 1 Stay off the pitch on Saturday and let the Players/Management enjoy their moment of truimph.
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Don’t really need to say how much promotion means to this old fool. Now I have stopped crying may I add to those who are pleading for sensible behavour from the fans. The FA and league are dishing out points deductions as if it is going out of fashion we do not need to start the season 10 points behind.
Up The Wolves
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Agreed Si Hughes. The pictures of that idiot jumping on Mick’s back have done us no favours. It was a pity Wolves could not have been allowed to go to the fans to applaud them and take their accolades – but it was prevented by the numbskulls among us. Hope things are sensible on Sunday. We do not need Football League enquiries to spoil things.
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Absolutely fantastic and congrats to Mick and the team for making this season so special. What a shame some morons spoil it for everyone. they did it last week and again at Barnsley. I would have loved to see Mick and the team on the pitch after the QPR game but these selfish idiots spoilt it. It should have been Barnsley fans on the pitch yesterday after their last home game but our abusive idiotic fans spoilt that as well !
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Well done Wolves. Again where are all the continual moaners now! Why can we not ban these people for life, people who run on pitches risk their own lives and the lives of others. If you are true supporters obey the rules.
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What’s with all this overeaction to the pitch invasion it lasted a minute at best!!!!!
The world is full of kill joys!!!!!
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well done the wolves.pitch invasion unecssasary and who was the muppet that went up to mick no wolves colours to be seen on him disgraceful anyway we are premier league much deserved
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well done the wolves but why the pitch ivvasion it wasnt necassary and who was that muppet who went up to mick no wolves colours to be seen on him. anyway we are premier league much deserved
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In agreement with Si Hughes. Do NOT go on the pitch next week. Allow the players to do a lap of honour and enjoy themselves. Also, don’t give the league and FA a chance to fine us or worse.
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A pitch invasion by our fans, is truly uncalled for and not helping the team in any way except a call for sanctions from the FA or League.
There are other ways to celebrate the team promotion and clinching of the Championship. Let there be no premature behaviour that will let the club and fellow fans down. Let us uphold our integrity and the integrity of our club.
Forever Wolves !!!
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“daft fans running on the pitch”
how long have we waited to get promoted!
and we wanted to run on the pitch, and we did twice, anyone who thinks we’re wrong is obviously boring, the fans you should be moaning at are the ones that sit at home games eating prawn sandwiches, and leaving it to the southbank to get behind the team,
BORING IDIOTS !
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WELL DONE!!! but lets not spoil it on sunday we want to be able 2 watch our team lift the trophy so no more stupid pitch invasions because then we wont be able 2 and we should not do a pitch invasion because mick has asked us not to and we owe im the right to celebrate 2.
NO PITCH INVASION
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PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE STAY OFF THE PITCH AGAINST DONCASTER!
We have had our chances of celebrating with the team ruined by this sudden desire to get on the pitch. Let everyone celebrate together and enjoy the moment!
The Football League won’t need many more excuses to look at what has happened and that could mean a heavy fine or even points being deducted.
You’ve had your fun now, let see the trophy presented on the pitch and not behind closed doors!
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well done wolves for making it back to the premier league, we wish you all the very best for next season lets hope all’s well end’s well.
had a great day at Barnsley,kids had photo taken with Sir Jack, Wolves won the championship and the sun shone what could be better.
just one request to the fantastic fans though, please don’t spoil next (Doncaster)by invading the pitch, it will be superb to see the lads celebrating and doing a lap of honour with the trophy taken off the boy’s from sandwell town
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Have to agree with (1). Everyones had the taste of life on the pitch both home and away, lets keep the party in the stands next Saturday! I could just see the football league deducting points if it all went pear shaped! We want to see the trophy paraded around the golden palace too, fifty years on!
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Champions
Still pinching myself, fantastic!!!!
Our fans were amazing yesterday, the best turnout I have ever seen.
Can’t blame MM for his reaction to the idiot that jumped on his back, he was well out of order, lucky he didn’t get a smack!!!
I stayed in the stand for a better view.
However the rest of the fans who were on the pitch were well behaved & good humoured unlike the Barnsley rabble who were trying to goad our fans & cause trouble.
But, lets keep off the pitch next week, let the trophy be presented properly & the players do a lap of honour, coz they really deserve it.
KTF
Wolves forever
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Agreed Si; For gods sake everyone stay off the pitch on Sunday so we and the players can all enjoy it.
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plonkers on saturday. why run onto the pitch!!! up the wolves!!
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A great party atmosphere but somewhat spoiled but the antics of the moronic few. Identify and ban as many as possible in the hope of leniency for any punishment the FA might want to impose.
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Was on the pitch for Qpr and Barnsley and im not ashamed of that ,but agree with everyone about Doncaster-i want to see the team and the trophy.
As for getting in trouble, rubbish.Pitch invasions happen at the end of every season when teams get promoted and relagated.
The problem on saturday was there were a lot of fake tickets and so not enough seats and yet half an empty stand that we have been allocated in the past!Know that is something to moan about not your own fans enjoying them selves.
Up the Wolves
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STAY OFF THE PITCH and let EVERYONE enjoy the day.
We will be enjoying the day here in Spain as well so please respect your fellow supporters.
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nickthegreek – and others – sorry but you are out of order trying to justify your selfish actions.
You may have enjoyed yourselves, but spoilt it for the players, who always come over and show their appreciation for the travelling fans.
As Al Murray says…
Shame on YOU !
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I was on the pitch when we scored and at full time.
If you’ve got a problem with that, then that’s your problem, not mine.
I’ll celebrate how I want. Who are you to tell me and others what I can and cannot do?
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29 – your proud admission to being a selfish little boy shows that you have a big problem. May I suggest you disappear and play with your toys now.
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26 thick thegreek
Truly I worry not only for the future of our great club, but for society in general when people such as you can try and flippantly justify pitch invasion. A thing which is not only barred by FA rules but has been pleaded not to be done by all, players included, it might be hard for you to understand but the majority dont want the club to suffer because of the like of you.
Up The Wolves
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28 tellitlikeitis
Good on you mate!!
Up The Wolves
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29 wolves mod
You obviously go to matches to watch the Wolves win things just like all of us.
Running on the pitch even after the final whistle is something fans are requested not to do.
Don’t listen to me and many other fan who find this behavior reprehensible. Listen instead to those like the management and players who have repeatedly pleaded for you not to run on the playing area.
The club will suffer if fools continue to flout the rules.
Up The Wolves
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Great feeling to take the title off the albion! I really think micks reaction to the fan that hugged him was very OTT and although I understand it might of shocked him at the time there was no need for it, the guy got over excited! I saw the cross bar challenge and aswell as having a young talented squad they have fantastic team spirit, the banter was hilarious. We do need quality however and great to see we have been heavily linked with Hypia according to one website is friends with Steve Morgan, my targets would be:
-Hypia
- Matt Derbyshire
- Callum Davenport
- Kevin Nolan
- Steve Sidwell
-Joe Ledley
- Chris Eagles
- Alan Smith
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What a season. Champions, Ebanks-Blake Championship Player of the Season and we have even broke the Crossbar Challenge on Soccer AM.Is there no end to these marvels?
Hopefully Reading will win tonight and then beat the Noses and they will be then looking forward to local derbies with the Tesco’s and Coventry.
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With Pompey also needing a MASS clearout so they dont go under, I would like to see us go and get Younnes Kaboul and Sean Davies. Kaboul can play centre back and right back which is great versatility.
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Number 29, that is a disgusting attitude. We, the fans, and the club/players don’t want you supporting our club. I hate the fact I sit in the same stadium as people like you.
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re the idiot on Mick’s back – was’nt Mick in plaster and on crutches just a few weeks ago?
Well done Wolves – fantastic.
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Shocked at you No. 29. In any situation which involves a lot of people we all need to be thoughtful and look out for each other. It’s only a couple of weeks since the Hillsborough commemoration…… Talking of selfish fans,I was in the Steve Bull stand as usual at the QPR match, but this time down towards the front, and suffered – and am still in pain, literally – from selfish fans who stood up throughout the game, meaning that I had to stand up too or I couldn’t see a thing. I’m 72 and have had two hip replacements. I was livid!
WONDERFUL WOLVES!!! Congratulations to everyone. I’m thrilled to bits.
99.9% of Wolves fans are wonderful too!
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perhaps the muppet on micks back was number 29 lol
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Number 29
And how will you choose to celebrate when you’re banned? Really selfish to go onto another club’s pitch – you prevented Barnsley supporters applauding their team. But then, you don’t seem to be a team player.
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