Mick McCarthy plays down good start
Monday 22nd August 2011, 3:30PM BST.
Wolves manager Mick McCarthy today insisted he won’t be getting carried away after his side hit top spot for the first time in 38 years.
Yesterday’s 2-0 win over Fulham continued Wolves’ 100 per cent start to the season after their 2-1 opening day victory at Blackburn.
Wolves led the top flight for two hours for the first time since August 1973, until Manchester City replaced them on goal difference after their 3-2 success at Bolton.
But McCarthy, who admitted he celebrated with a beer while watching Match of the Day, stressed there is nothing to celebrate after maintaining their 100 per cent start to the season.
He said: “We’ve set a very high standard but there are still 36 games to go. Suddenly you can look very silly if you get carried away crowing about it, so I won’t.
“I’ll just go back to my mantra of saying it’s what happens at the end of the season that really counts, not where we are after two games.
“We’ve played well and deserved to win two games, but we won’t be getting smart and carried away because it will come back and haunt you.
“I know how quick this league can come back and bite you on the backside.”
Wolves last went top of the old First Division in 1973-74 after successive home wins in the space of three days by two-goal margins, with all the goals scored by Derek Dougan and Jim McCalliog, as they beat Norwich 3-1 and Sheffield United 2-0.
But the promising start by Bill McGarry’s side didn’t last as they lost the next five league games in a row to Southampton, eventual champions Leeds twice, Burnley and Newcastle.
Wolves went on to finish 12th, but they did win the League Cup later that season.
Frank Munro, to whom the club paid tribute yesterday after he died last week, was a key player.
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