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Malcolm Finlayson is Wolves' 'best and bravest'

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Wolves great Malcolm Finlayson was today described as the best goalkeeper in the club's history.

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The 84-year-old passed away on Wednesday afternoon at Russells Hall Hospital, Dudley after suddenly being taken ill.

A Wolves Hall of Fame inductee, Finlayson won League titles in 1958 and 1959 and the FA Cup in 1960, making 203 appearances for the club from 1956-64. He's the most decorated keeper in Wolves' history.

Former team-mate Gerry Harris, 79, said: "He was as good as anything there was – I can't see any Wolves keeper who was better.

"Bert Williams and Phil Parkes were the only ones in his category. He was as good as we've ever had."

Mike Bailey, 72, who succeeded Finlayson as chairman of the Wolves Former Players' Association in January, said: "It's very sad.

"He played in Wolves' best team and myself and my wife Barbara and him and his wife used to go for meals together."

Finlayson also made 251 appearances for Millwall prior to moving to Molineux in 1956.

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Fred Davies succeeded Finlayson in 1964 after vying with him for the first-team berth in the early 60s and was shocked and upset to hear about his former team-mate's death.

Davies, 75, who later went on to manage Shrewsbury Town, said: "It's such a shame.

"He was as brave a goalkeeper as I've ever come across – he would put his body in where others wouldn't bother.

"When I first went to Wolves, Malcolm was already established after Bert Williams retire.

"They had a system where the first-team was in the top dressing room and the reserves and youths were in the bottom one.

"I was one of the younger ones trying to get to the top dressing room and the older ones such as Malcolm, Eddie Stuart and George Showell looked after me.

"But my memories of Malcolm really were of competing for the same position later in my career.

"In a lot of ways he was like Stan Cullis – he wanted that honesty; you didn't mess around in training else Malcolm would give you a dressing down.

"But it meant you learned the right way and it was a good grounding."

Wolves great Ron Flowers added: "You got out of his way on the pitch – I did anyway! He made a lot of brave saves diving at people's feet."

Finlayson had to follow the legendary Williams between the sticks, but Flowers believed the Scot filled the huge gap impressively.

He said: "People were always making comparisons so he had to live with it but he coped with that alright.

"He was his own man and he was a strong-willed man – he wasn't frightened of anything on the field and he was strong and self-assured on and off the pitch."

Wolves winger of the 1960s Terry Wharton said: "He was a very brave keeper and an assuring presence.

"You were very comfortable with him behind you.

"And he was very suave. Him and Eddie Stuart were immaculate –he always had a suit and a tie on, even to training."

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