Express & Star

Wolves' place in the history books with away following

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Wolves take their place in the record books tomorrow at MK Dons – but their West Midlands rivals get a mention too in a special Football League 'away fans' roll of honour.

The E&S contacted the League asking for comparisons of Wolves' huge 8,800-strong following to stadium:mk. And the world's oldest league confirmed the gold and black exodus is the biggest since their records began in 2008.

It is impossible to determine the largest away following for league games because, prior to all-seater stadia in1990, there was no strict segregation.

But a Football League spokesman said: "Our records only go back to 2008, but with research we have found other data, which, while not definitive, forms a comparison. It's been difficult to put it into some sort of context, but the fact that we have struggled to find a precedent indicates how special it is."

The League mentions Albion's promotion clincher at Oldham in 1976 that saw around 15,000 flood to Boundary Park.

Villa's 20,000-plus following to Arsenal's Highbury that saw them win their first top-flight title for 71 years is included in the list, as is Walsall's 10,000-strong travelling army to Shrewsbury for a Third Division game in 1961.

The estimated 12,000 that travelled to Portsmouth to see Albion stay in the second tier in 1994 and the legendary 20,000 that went to Coventry with Wolves in April 1967 could not be verified by the League.