As a player those are the memories you keep for the rest of your lives, the scenes were that good.
It’s exactly how I suggested it could go in my column last week, talking about the emotion – hoping Wolves, without as many British players and staff, could take the emotion out of it because it does tire you out and it looks like that’s maybe what Villa got caught up in, they died on their feet.
Wolves just looked stronger and fitter while in the ascendency in the last 10 minutes. It’s a huge win for Bruno Lage – not just because it was a derby, but in Wolves’ season generally.
It’s really cemented what the head coach is doing. Lage went absolutely gung-ho for that win and it’s something all football fans want to see. You don’t want them sitting, content with a point, you want to go for it!
The first 75 minutes felt like one of those first games after an international break. I feared for Wolves with the break, because they were in decent form. Raul Jimenez coming back late from Mexico, late enough for Lage not to start him or have him as first substitute, it felt like one of those days.
But you have to give Lage full credit, the way he plans his tactics, what he has up his sleeves, even after it was Fabio Silva coming on first before Raul – I know people weren’t quite sure about that!
The knockout blow came with a bit of fortune via a deflection but it was that pressure, cross after cross, Villa just couldn’t clear their lines.
The scenes in front of the away end were amazing. Honestly if you could bottle that feeling as players it would be worth so much money. The elation you feel, even those that don’t score, and the thoughts of your wife and kids watching on.
To have Ruben get the winner and enjoy the celebrations all over again would’ve felt like a bit of a daydream for the players.
It shows why the Premier League, West Midlands derbies and Wolves fans are so great. You see the footage and it really is carnage, limbs everywhere with away fans bottled into that corner.
The one that stands out in my memory is my 88th-minute winner against Leeds on Easter Monday in front of the South Bank. A win sent us into the play-offs, where unfortunately we didn’t finish in the end
Leeds had levelled from 3-1 down and I managed that late winner, I just wish I could’ve bottled it up, there’s no way you replicate that instant hit of emotion, even considering special days in your lives like having children.
I was lucky enough to score against Blues in front of the away fans at St Andrew’s. I had special moments but nothing like Coads or Ruben on Saturday.
After those first three games I thought Wolves were playing well but just lacked that finishing touch. Then I worried that they might struggle to get up for games against so-called lesser sides than against Man United, Leicester or Tottenham.
Barring Brentford they’ve been up to it with some big wins. They are in a position now where if they go to a struggling Leeds team and win on Saturday they could be looking at European places. All the pressure will be on Leeds as the hosts, but Wolves know they can hurt them.
