Alan Hinton reveals his hand in Marcus Hahnemann's career

???Alan Hinton's Molineux exit remains a regret for the ex-winger but he's happy to have left Wolves in safe hands for the future as he tells Tim Nash.

?Alan Hinton still has regrets about leaving Wolves four-and-a-half decades on.

But it hasn't stopped him indirectly creating a legacy that will play a key part in the club's survival chances.

Had it not been for the former winger's intervention, Molineux keeper Marcus Hahnemann may never have made it to England.

Hahnemann — Wolves' number one shot-stopper — impressed Hinton, who discovered the keeper in Seattle, where he has been happily based for more than 30 years.

"He was so keen and wanted it so badly — if someone else worked two days in practice, he'd work three days," said the 68-year-old, who is on an annual visit to see his brother Brian, who lives in Pattingham.

"It's a real pleasure when you see a kid give so much and make it."

Hinton re-formed the one-time NASL team Seattle Sounders in 1994 and Hahnemann was one of his first signings.

"We joined the 'A' League in 1994 and we won the league in our first season," he said.

"In the second year we won the whole thing.

"Marcus was absolutely brilliant on and off the pitch.

"By then I decided he should try his luck here because he'd got his European passport as his mum and dad are German. I took him to Sheffield Wednesday because I knew the manager David Pleat from when he was a kid at Nottingham Forest.

"Marcus was there for two weeks and they should have signed him — Chris Waddle was singing his praises. Marcus was better than Kevin Pressman because Kevin always seemed to be flat out whereas Marcus was relaxed.

"I learned that from Brian Clough and particularly Peter Taylor, who said if you've got a player who's relaxed, as opposed to one who's flat out, take the one who plays 'easy' because he's got plenty of gears, and Marcus has gears. But David Pleat didn't want to sign him, although he's apologised to Marcus since, saying he made a mistake."

Wednesday's loss was ultimately Reading's gain after Hahnemann struggled to break through at Fulham behind Edwin van der Sar.

And Hinton believes there's plenty of life in his one-time protege yet.

"He's still in the prime of his career and he's always had a good attitude," he said. As for Hinton, who will take in Wolves' big clash against Sunderland this Saturday, the ex-Derby wideman revealed he gave in to an urge to return to his old stomping ground.

"I love coming back to see my brother Brian because we have such a good time, and I just had the urge to go on the pitch," said Hinton, who had a tour of Molineux last Friday.

"I was a Wednesbury boy and I loved the Wolves from the age of eight or nine."

Along with his exciting wing play, Hinton was famed for his white boots — but he revealed they weren't his pride and joy.

"Just being around Billy Wright was such a thrill — he once gave me a pair of Tom Finney's boots and he asked me to wear them in for him," he said.

"Well, he never asked for them back and they were the best boots I ever had."

But despite a glittering career that took in England caps with Wolves and Nottingham Forest and two League title winner's medals at Derby, Hinton — who played for managerial greats Stan Cullis and Clough — still harbours regrets about leaving Molineux.

"When I joined them in 1957 Wolves were the biggest club in the world," he said.

"I'll never forget it — it was a Friday morning and Stan Cullis called me into his office. I don't think he liked me much. He said he wanted me to talk to Johnny Carey at Nottingham Forest. I said 'I don't want to go'.

"But although I didn't want to leave, it was the best thing for me."

While Hinton flourished, he was surprised Wolves went into decline.

"Wolves had Peter Broadbent who was brilliant, Terry Wharton and myself on the wings, and Bobby Thomson was the best left-back in the country at the time," he said.

"Ted Farmer was the bravest player I ever played with and what a talent Peter Knowles was."

And although he found it hard to please Cullis, he got on the right wavelength with Clough — eventually.

"I wasn't happy when I first went to Derby because you have to get on the same page as Cloughie," he said.

"But once you accept the fact that it was all a game to get the best out of you, it was wonderful for me."

Just like Hinton has been for Hahnemann.