Matt Murray: Bond forged with Wolves fans as target gets closer

Wolves are in touching distance of an immediate return to the Championship.

After every round of matches we all look to see how our promotion rivals have done. But crucially Kenny Jackett and his team are simply concentrating on their own business.

Both promotion and the League One title are in our own hands and I cannot think of a steadier hand to have on the Wolves tiller at this time than Jackett, supported by Joe Gallen and an excellent and experienced backroom staff.

The lads were given a well deserved day off yesterday. Down time is important, relaxing with the family, or maybe a couple of drinks with mates at the weekend. But rest assured the focus has already shifted to the next task and an away trip to Crewe on Saturday and hopefully three points on the road. But it will be a tough assignment against a side fighting for their lives at the other end of the table.

The supporters will be preparing for another away trip, or, given the size of Wolves' travelling army, another invasion. We say it time and again, but it happens time and again. Wolves fans take a bow. You have been simply magnificent.

After the trauma of last season, people were wondering how the supporters would react. Would we see season tickets ripped up? Fans in open revolt, voting with their feet? Not a bit of it. 'This is our love and it knows no division.'

That is not an empty gesture and slogan; it is fact and it has hopefully helped propel the club straight back up and you sense it is not going to stop there, given the quality of management, the players assembled and the will and resources to climb back into the Premier League as quickly as possible.

The tone was set when Wolves took 5,000 supporters to Preston North End on the opening day of the league season. It was a statement of intent from the fans. They were going to get right behind the team, providing their faith, loyalty, money and passion for the club were repaid. It has and that bond between players and supporters has been re-forged.

While it is easier to get behind a winning side, when Bakary Sako missed the penalty against Peterborough, hit with thunderous power against the bar, the fans immediately started chanting his name and asking for a wave.

They might not have been so forgiving had it been 0-0 rather than 2-0, but it showed that vital connection is back between players and supporters.

It is going to be some Easter weekend, with Rotherham at Molineux on Good Friday, followed by Orient away on Easter Monday.

Nearly there boys. Nearly there.

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