My bostin' day at the Black Country derby - Flares, packed pubs and fierce rivals reunited

It was the game that everyone looked out for on fixture release day back in June.

More than a decade on from the last meeting in front of supporters at Molineux there was no chance of absence having made the heart grow fonder across the Black Country. This was quite the opposite.

Without a foot in either camp but a lifelong passion for football and everything that goes with it, this felt like the perfect opportunity to soak in the premier fixture in this part of the world, both on and off the pitch.

My day began at 9am when I arrived in Wolverhampton town centre three hours before kick off, not that you would know it given how busy it was already.

Some people had been there for hours already, with the first pubs opening at around 7am on Sunday. For away fans, The Sandwell in West Bromwich was opened up at 6am to those making the short trip later in the day.

I made my way towards Molineux and to the new Molineux Subway mural, unveiled less than 24 hours previously but already vandalised by a Baggies fan with blue paint.

The paint itself had already been removed by the time I arrived, and the mural was blocked anyway by the legendary Masala Express van.

Reports of ‘revenge graffiti’ by Wolves fans in spots across Sandwell, including The Vine and Massey’s Café, showed a subplot was building pre match. Was this the Black Country derby, or The Banksy Derby?

As is always the case on the day of a highly emotional fixture, the city centre was full of police vans and officers, and an operation that had clearly been months in the planning was in full swing.

I wandered over towards Wolverhampton Train Station at around 10am to see how things were looking there, and once again I was met by a sea of high-vis and hats.

When the trains from Smethwick started to arrive everyone swung into action, and supporters were given a clear instruction: “Albion this way, everyone else that way.”

It was all pretty mellow at the station thankfully, and I even saw rival supporters shaking hands on the platform before being going their separate ways. Good to see, I suppose, although the tribalistic football fan in me did struggle to comprehend it at first, given the fierce build up.

Now it would not be a true football experience without a pre-match drink, so I marched back into town and to PACK, which has become a popular pre and post-match spot for Wolves fans since it opened just under a year ago.

The mood was certainly different to that of your average game in there, as supporters nervously sipped their drinks in anticipation, still with more than an hour to go before kick off.

As the drinks flowed and the clock ticked towards 12pm however things started to loosen up a touch, with optimistic chants replacing the pessimistic chatter that had filled the air some moments before. That is what alcohol for breakfast does I suppose!

Across the road there was plenty going on outside North Street Social, and we got our first flares of the day as Wolves fans sung the Steve Bull song that must still annoy their neighbours. Given the amount of times I heard it in the space of six hours I imagine it will be stuck in my head for a while too.

With kick off fast approaching I made my way to Molineux, where the atmosphere was, as expected, sensational.

Back-and-forth chanting between the South Bank and the away end made for some good viewing, with both sides coming up with some impressively unique lines of attack.

‘Hi Ho Wolverhampton’ was as loud as I can remember hearing a football ground pre match, but I was slightly disappointed not to hear ‘The Liquidator’ brought out for a special one-off outing.

The decision itself has been explained enough already, but would it have made the likelihood of trouble any greater? I have my doubts.

Albion’s 2,549 supporters in the Steve Bull Stand obviously had their work cut out being heard over the some-28,000 of an old gold and black persuasion, but gave a loud and proud rendition of ‘The Lord’s My Shepherd’ when the game got underway.

However, like their team on the pitch they were quickly quietened down, and Wolves dominated proceedings from pretty much start to finish.

Fer Lopez’s second half goal proved to be the difference, but Albion had goalkeeper Max O’Leary to thank for avoiding a derby day embarrassment akin to the 5-1 drubbing they handed out to Wolves last time out in WV1.

As the full time whistle blew an outpouring of emotion from three and a half stands sent a shiver down my spine, and brought up a decibel warning on my Apple Watch. Yes, I absolutely am in a noisy environment!

Wolves fans leaving the ground were in jubilant mood, and the several I spoke to all said the same thing; the home victory was worth the wait.

Just as they had done before kick off, West Midlands Police and British Transport Police ensured that both sets of fans were kept well separated and looked after as they made their way back into the city centre and towards the station.

After the crowd trouble that marred the last meeting between these two sides in 2024 that was certainly a welcome development, and both sides did the region proud in that regard.

There can be no doubts that this is one of the country’s best rivalries, and after experiencing my first taste of the Black Country derby I am already clearing my calendar to ensure I can make it to the reverse fixture next year.

See you in February!