Express & Star

From the archive - Wolves win the title

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It was the day Wolverhampton had waited 70 years for.

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Saturday April 24, 1954 - the day Wolves were confirmed as Football League champions for the very first time.

Messrs Cullis, Wright, Broadbent and more were lauded by the town in joyous celebrations after they beat Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 on the final day of the season to confirm the title was theirs.

It was a processional final day - Wolves went into it two points ahead of great rivals Albion and with a far superior goal average.

As it transpired, Albion lost 3-0 at Portsmouth and two Roy Swinbourne goals handed Wolves victory on one of the most momentous days in the town's history.

There were 44,055 at Molineux, the biggest crowd of the season aside from when 56,590 saw them beat Albion 1-0 the previous November, one half of a double over their Black Country neighbours that would prove crucial in the title success.

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The 11 names who took to the field for the Tottenham victory are etched in Wolves folklore: Williams; Stuart, Wright; Slater, Shorthouse, Flowers; Hancocks, Broadbent, Swinbourne, Wilshaw, Mullen.

They had all played their part and together amassed no fewer than 96 goals in 42 matches, with Wilshaw (26), Hancocks (24), Swinbourne (24), Broadbent (12) and Mullen (seven) notching the lion's share.

Bert Williams in action against Albion in 1954

In the following Monday's Express & Star, the report read: The crowd were on the pitch, the players were in the dressing room and nobody quite knew what to do next.

The crowd surged a few yards to their left and stood, a sea of pink, happy faces, looking up towards the darkness of the Waterloo Road stand.

Up came the players, up went the cheers, and in return the players cheered the crowd.

It was all so very, very matey.

Billy Wright spoke and so did every other player, some with confidence, some with nervousness, but all with pride.

The crowd wanted the manager, but Mr Stanley Cullis was nowhere to be found.

He was, I would say, rather too full for words, and anyway, he will have his chance.

So the crowd had their part in the proceedings, leaving the players, directors, officials and a host of friends to tell each other how happy they were in the previously sacrosanct and imposing board room, invaded, probably for the first time, by women followers, too.

The moment came, the moment for which Wolverhampton had waited for nearly 70 years, and the club chairman, Mr James Baker, a little touched by the moment, asked us to drink a toast to the team with which we happily coupled the names of the captain, Billy Wright, and the manager, Mr Stanley Cullis.

Wright responded in that accomplished fashion he has learned after experience all over the world.

He thanked his team colleagues and the manager, and then came Mr Cullis to thank the captain and the team.

Another drink of champagne, congratulations all round, a handshake here and there, and everybody went about his business a little more proudly because what we had all been so long looking forward to had become an accomplished fact at last.

It was in every way a happy end to a happy day.

The Sporting Star front page on April 24, 1954

Stan Cullis: "Let me put the credit where it rightly belongs – on the players, who have won this championship because they have given their best from start to finish.

"Naturally, I am proud to be their manager and to have seen them win the cup and the league in the course of six seasons, but I could have accomplished nothing without the players' loyalty.

"Without wishing to single out individuals, I feel I must pay a tribute to the captain, Billy Wright.

"I have had to make many demands on him this season, but he has answered them all without question.

Billy Wright: "First duty on one of the proudest days of my life is to pay a tribute to the lads for the way they have played throughout the season from start to finish despite the fact that we lost two of the first three games. They have rallied round splendidly.

"Success, I think, has come because everybody in the team has pulled his weight all the time.

"We now realise what a tremendously hard job it is to win this title – but we also know that the effort was well worthwhile.

"Adding interest to the season was our constant rivalry with the Albion. We wish them the best of luck in their effort to take the FA Cup next Saturday (Albion beat Preston 3-2)."