My Molineux memories

Admittedly, Molineux wasn't the first ground I remember as a child, that was Walsall's Bescot Stadium, which I went to at a young age with my Dad and my two cousins to see Wolves take on Walsall.

I don't remember much about the game, due to the fact I'd slept through most of it and it wasn't really until about 2001, when I was seven, that I started taking a real interest in football and that was because one of my uncle's had converted me into supporting Arsenal.

However, despite all the cup finals and Premier League games I'd attend in my Arsenal shirt, I always kept a love for my home team. I like to use the analogy, that a man can love his wife as well as still loving his mother.

So I thought I'd share my two fondest memories of Molineux, both from the 2003/04 season (coincidentally the season Arsenal went unbeaten) and here's to another 125.

Wolves 4-3 Leicester City – October 25, 2003

For the first time in my life, Wolves were in the top division! It had taken the play-offs to get there after botching the season before when it looked like Wolves were certainty's for automatic promotion.

My Dad and his brother both had season tickets and lucky for me, my uncle's duty in the Royal Navy had coincided with the Play-Off final, a rather one-sided 3-0 victory over Sheffield United, marked by goals from Mark Kennedy, Nathan Blake and my favourite player at the time Kenny Miller.

It also produced a brilliant penalty save from Matt Murray, which comically my Dad missed due to waiting in a queue for the toilet.

So, Wolves were back, no more First Division, now it was Old Trafford, Highbury, Anfield, St. James' Park, Stamford Bridge etc. where Wolves would be plying their trade, for this season at least.

My Dad and my Uncle had gone to the first couple of months of games at Molineux, but now my uncle was back serving in the Navy my Dad started to take me. It was my first season ticket, sadly given up in 2007 due to my Dad working most Saturdays.

My first game, was against another promoted team, Leicester, relegated in 2002, they'd finished comfortably ahead of Wolves in 2003 but were a point behind them, bottom of the table going into the game, that didn't seem like it would be lasting long.

Two goals in three minutes from Les Ferdinand, which I'm certain were near identical, put Leicester two up inside 15 minutes, 20 minutes later, they were three up, Ferdinand setting up defender Riccardo Scimeca for his own Leicester goal.

"Will people be going home at half-time?" I questioned my Dad. I'd never seen anything like it, the last time I'd seen a team score three in the first half was Wolves against Sheffield United and any type of comeback just seemed impossible.

Seven minutes after the restart, Colin Cameron, the hero of that day, got his first, slotting home after a free kick from Hassan Kachloul, one of those players you never remember in a Wolves shirt.

Cameron got his second on the hour mark, a penalty, but this was all still scant conciliation, wasn't it? We're not actually going to come back and win 4-3.

But remarkably, we did, Alex Rae headed in the equaliser eight minutes later, it all seemed to happen in the blink of an eye, watching Gilette Soccer Saturday these days, I wonder how on earth the panel would have reacted to this game.

Then, against all logic at half time, Henri Camara, the man with about four different pronunciations to his name, got the winner four minutes from time, connecting with Dennis Irwin's cross to send Molineux mental.

Annoyingly, as my Dad always used to joke, Wolves didn't score a single goal at the Jack Harris end where I was sitting, as per usual.

And because Leicester's three were all scored in the first half too, not a single goal was scored at my end, which meant I had to stay up to watch the highlights on The Premiership, which had taken over from Match of the Day between 2001 and 2004 on ITV and replay the game over and over on FIFA Football 2004.

Wolves 1-0 Manchester United – 17th January 2004

Two days before my tenth birthday, comes perhaps the biggest upset in Molineux history (well until they repeated it seven years later).

Wolves, bottom of the table, Manchester United top of said table, it was to be an easy away three points for Manchester United, surely?

My Gran took me to this game, I can't remember why my Dad didn't want to go, whether it was because he thought Wolves would be battered or because I think my Gran really wanted to see Manchester United play, I can't quite remember, probably a mix of the two.

The game was the early kick-off on Prem Plus, the pay-per-view football channel Sky tried and failed with, because I'm sure my family were the only ones who brought it.

Despite the game kicking off at half 12, I remember being at Molineux really early, definitely being one of the first people inside, however, it didn't matter as this would be one of the best days of my life.

United had all the stars out, Roy Keane, a young Cristiano Ronaldo, Ruud Van Nistelrooy, Diego Forlan before he got good, Paul Scholes etc.

And Wolves just had some team from Division One and Paul Ince and Dennis Irwin, former United legends who were really old now.

Wolves got battered; Man United dominated possession for most of the game, missing golden chances to win what should really have been an easy three points.

Molineux's atmosphere that day though, was arguably at its best, 'Champions League, you're having a laugh,' 'Lets all have a disco!' and some other chants directed towards Rio Ferdinand who limped off into an eight month ban for missing a drugs test (that can't be repeated) rung round the stadium.

Then, despite all logic again, Wolves took the lead, Kenny Miller, who was by now on both my home and away Wolves shirts for that season raced away from a falling Wes Brown to score the winner.

A Quinton Fortune throw in, won by Irwin found Miller, he cut inside on Brown who slipped opening up the space for the Scotsman to curl one past Tim Howard, it was the most unlikely outcome of the season.

I always remember, watching the game back, commentator Alan Parry's words: "Don't adjust your picture, Wolves have just taken the lead against Manchester United."

It sent Molineux into overdrive and sent Manchester United's season into a tailspin as they finished third for the second season in three years, Fergie's lowest ever Premier League position.

It was tense stuff, Wolves had to cling on as Manchester United with Van Nistelrooy, Forlan, and David Bellion up front searched for the equaliser that eluded them.

When the final whistle blew it was party time, more mocking songs about how Wolves had beaten a side that were in the Champions League and I just could not get the smile off my face.

It's one of the only games I have on DVD - as my Gran bought it for me for Christmas later that year, it truly was the stuff of dreams.

At the Golden Palace of dreams.