Express & Star

Video and pictures: Let's meet up every year for Wolves ex-players get-together, says Bully

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Steve Bull summed up the mood of the night when he declared Wolves Former Players Association's dinner should become an annual event.moreThe Wolves vice-president and club record 306-goal scorer was one of 21 ex-players spanning eight decades who gathered at Molineux's packed Hayward Suite for the first time in six years.

And former England international Bully, who recently celebrated his 50th birthday, believes they should hold a dinner every year.

"Looking around that room, there was loads of talent, goals and appearances," said Bully.

"Old and young, the lads are all superb and they should do it every year.

"Even though I was the youngest there (!), we all love to get together and reminisce, talking about old times and games and stuff and I think it's brilliant."

Goalkeepers Phil Parkes, Mike Stowell and Matt Murray provided hilarious anecdotes from their careers.

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'Lofty' Parkes recalled how he headbutted then Arsenal striker Bobby Gould only to be then paired as room-mates with him when Bill McGarry signed him shortly afterwards, and regaled the 200 guests with tales of charged with finding Danny Hegan when he went missing.

Murray remembered Robbie Keane leaving the keeper's car in the manager's parking space, with the keys locked in the boot.

Award-winning after-dinner speaker and former Wolves midfielder Steve Daley brought the house down with his superb self-deprecating act on his playing career, including being pelted by a meat pie, chips and gravy from Manchester City fans at Old Trafford.

For 54-year-old Wayne Clarke, it was the first time he had seen some of his former team-mates since he left Wolves in 1984.

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"It's the first time I've seen a few of the old players for a while - I usually only see Willie Carr at the Grand Theatre, but it was great to catch up with him, as well as people such as Geoff Palmer and Mel Eves," he said.

"I'm a member of the Former Players Associations at Birmingham City and Everton, but Wolves was my first club and the one where I spent the longest period of my career - six years, so it was a special moment for me.

"Mike Bailey was a great captain and servant to the club and Ron Flowers too so it was nice to see those two."

And from 91-year-old Alf Crook, who played in the 1940s, through to new members Steve Froggatt, Jody Craddock, Seyi Olofinjana and Rob Edwards, every post-War era was thankful for the efforts of the man who has continued to keep them all together.

As a surprise gift, Wolves FPA's founder secretary and former Express & Star director Peter Creed was awarded a framed presentation of original programmes from four of the club's Wembley cup finals - 1949, 1960, 1974 and 1980.