From the archive - thumbs up from the Doc

The club had just been relegated from the top flight but jovial Scot Docherty had previously won promotion with Chelsea and Manchester United (albeit after overseeing both their relegations).

Wolves had sacked Graham Hawkins after relegation and amid dwindling crowds wanted a 'personality' to revive interest in the club.

Alan Mullery was in the frame for the job, as was Keith Burkinshaw, but chairman/chief executive Derek Dougan plumped for Docherty.

He has been out of work for nine months after resigning from Sydney Olympic, and it was his first job in England since leaving Preston after just 17 matches in October 1981.

"The most important thing is to get a winning team playing attractive football to attract the fans back in large numbers," the new boss said.

"My aim is to entertain them and win matches."

Mysterious owners the Bhatti brothers were in charge and money was not forthcoming, either for players or ground improvements at a dilapidated Molineux.

Dougan said: "We have given him a total and complete insight into our situation,

"We only have 16 or 17 professionals on our books and we have told him we will try to find surplus cash to strengthen the side."

Fans initially welcomed the Doc's appointment and Wolves won two of their first four games.

But it wasn't a sign of things to come - they won just eight all season and finished bottom of the pile, seven points from safety.

Eighteen players made their Wolves debuts that year, the team went 15 matches at home without a win, and from December to April failed to record a single victory in 21 league and cup games.

Joint-top scorers Alan Ainscow, Mark Buckland and Tony Evans notched just five goals each.

The season was a disaster and relegation meant Wolves would play third tier football for the first time in 55 years.

The Doc, unsurprisingly, was sacked at the end of the season. The only surprise was that it took until July for it to happen.

Wolves were in the midst of the worst downward spiral in their history - and things weren't about to improve, with Sammy Chapman and Bill McGarry unable to reverse a slide to the Fourth Division.

As for the Doc, he would later rock up at Altrincham and retired in 1988.

Shortly after departing Molineux he gave an insight into life working for the Bhattis, whom he met twice - one when they hired him and once when they sacked him.

"I don't know what their businesses are run like, but when it comes to football they haven't got a clue," he said.

"It was my opinion very early on that unless they sold up Wolves would die and it looks like I could be proved right."