Conor Coady's Wolves debut vs Blackburn - Where are they now?

Coady’s debut in old gold came in the first game of the 2015/16 season away at Blackburn Rovers. Wanderers ran out 2-1 winners, with new signing Coady lining up in central midfield under then boss Kenny Jackett.

But where are his teammates now? From property developers to Europa League goalscorers, let's take a look at the Wolves squad from the opening day of the 2015/16 season and Conor Coady’s Wolves debut.

Goalkeeper – Carl Ikeme

Local lad Carl Ikeme was a regular in between the sticks for Wolves during his time at the club, playing 191 games across 10 seasons. 2015/16 would be his penultimate season as a professional footballer though as in the summer of 2017 he was diagnosed with leukaemia, being forced to retire a year later. Since entering remission Ikeme has become a practitioner of Brazilian jiu-jitsu, earning a bronze medal at the IBJJF European Championship in 2022.

Left Back – Scott Golbourne

Scott Golbourne became a fans favourite at Molineux during the record-breaking League One winning season thanks to his standout performances and gold-tinged hair. The 2015/16 season would be his last in old gold though with the Bristol-born full back rejoining his boyhood club Bristol City during Fosun’s first summer window. He retired at Shrewsbury in 2021 and is now a property developer focusing on energy-efficient housing.

Centre Back – Richard Stearman

Wolverhampton-born Stearman left for Fulham shortly after the start of the 2015/16 season, ending seven years of service for the club across three divisions. He returned to Wanderers less than a year later on loan from the Cottagers and scored at Anfield in Wolves’ famous 2-1 win in the FA Cup 4th round. He has just been released by Derby County in League One.

Centre Back – Kortney Hause

A player who arrived at Wolves with high hopes, things never really worked out for the London-born defender at Molineux. After struggling for consistent game time under Nuno he left for Aston Villa, who were still in the Championship at the time, and remains there to this day. Hause is also a rapper away from football, under the name ‘Korts’.

Right Back – Dominic Iorfa

The 2015/16 season was a breakout one for the full back, playing 42 league games and making his England Under-21 debut. He was sent off in the first game of the Fosun-era and left the club a year later for Sheffield Wednesday, who he has just been promoted with in the League One play-offs.

Left Midfield – Dave Edwards

‘Dangerous’ Dave Edwards played in an unnatural wide role having had his central midfield spot taken by new boy Conor Coady. He scored one and set up the other on the opening day of the 2015/16 season and would go on to score 14 more for the club before leaving in 2017 to Reading. He spent two seasons at boyhood club Shrewsbury between 2019 and 2021, working under former Wolves captain Sam Ricketts. He now lines up for Bala Town.

Centre Midfield – Conor Coady

Eight years on from his debut for Wolves, time has been called on Conor Coady’s time at Wolves. His £8.5m deal to Leicester brings an end to a wonderful spell at the club where he captained the side to a Championship title, an FA Cup semi-final, and a Europa League quarter final. The circumstances around his exit, including his loan spell to Everton last season, shouldn’t damage his reputation as one of Wolves’ most influential figures in recent years.

Centre Midfield – Kevin McDonald

Another League One star who didn’t last long under Fosun, Kevin McDonald left Wolves after the 2015/16 season having played over 100 games for the club. He was a regular for new club Fulham until illness and a kidney transplant put an end to his time in West London. Despite almost being forced to retire he has since played for Dundee United and Exeter City and has just joined Mark Hughes’ Bradford City in League Two aged 34.

Right Midfield – James Henry

Kenny Jackett’s go to man, James Henry had a great time at Molineux between 2013 and 2016. Walter Zenga loaned Henry to Bolton Wanderers in the summer of 2016 and Nuno decided against extending his contract in 2017, allowing the winger to move closer to home and join Oxford United. He’s still a regular for the U’s and has played over 200 times for them in League One.

Striker – Nouha Dicko

Nouha Dicko was an instant hit at Molineux after his arrival from Wigan Athletic in 2014, firing Wolves to promotion out of League One with 13 goals in 19 games. However, he would play just five games in the 2015/16 season after a knee ligament injury ruled him out for over a year. He would score just four more goals in a Wolves shirt before leaving in 2017 to Hull City. He now plays for Greek side OFI.

Striker – Benik Afobe

Benik Afobe netted nine times in the first half of the 2015/16 season without two members of the famous ‘Dicko, Afobe, Sako’ trio alongside him. He left Molineux for Premier League side Bournemouth in January but struggled for game time before returning to Wolves in the Championship winning season under Nuno. After leaving in 2019 he has played for Stoke, Bristol City, Trabzonspor, Millwall, and now plies his trade in the UAE.

Substitute One – Matt Doherty

A rare case of a player performing better after Fosun’s takeover than before it, Matt Doherty became a key player for Wolves under Zenga, Lambert, and Nuno. The wing back scored in the Premier League and Europa League for Wanderers before leaving for Tottenham Hotspur in 2020. It didn’t work for the Irishman in North London, and he was allowed to join Atletico Madrid in 2023. He is now a free agent.

Substitute Two – Sheyi Ojo

Liverpool loanee underwhelmed during his time at Molineux, netting twice in sixteen games for the club. Several other loans since, both abroad and in the EFL, have been below-par and now aged 26 is a bit-part player for Cardiff City in the Championship.

Substitute Three – Adam Le Fondre

Le Fondre was a late substitute for Wolves on the opening day of the 2015/16 season having joined the club a few days prior. He netted three times for the club before spells at Wigan Athletic, where he scored his only goal against Wolves, Bolton Wanderers, Sydney FC and most recently at Mumbai City. He has just joined Hibernian aged 36.

Unused Substitute One – Aaron McCarey

Irish keeper Aaron McCarey spent six years at Molineux as a young goalkeeper, playing just five times during a troubled spell at the club that included a spell on the sidelines after failing a non-performance enhancing drugs test. Aged 31 he is finally a first team goalkeeper, lining up for Glentoran in Northern Ireland.

Unused Substitute Two – Ethan Ebanks-Landell

Local boy Ethan Ebanks-Landell struggled to make an impression in his time at Wolves and moved on to Shrewsbury in 2019 after 18 years at his boyhood club. He played over 100 times for Salop before joining Rochdale in 2022, where he still plays now.

Unused Substitute Three – Rajiv van La Parra

Dynamic Dutch winger Rajiv van La Parra had a disappointing spell at Molineux between 2014 and 2016. He scored just one goal for the club before joining Huddersfield, whom he scored for against Wolves less than a month after joining. He is now back in his native Holland playing for Almere City.

Unused Substitute Four – Jack Price

Fear the beard. Salop Pirlo. Jack Price was a fans favourite during his time at Wolves thanks to his tenacious midfield performances. Having been at the club since he was seven Price left for America in 2018, joining Colorado Rapids where he still plays today. He is now their captain aged 30.

Manager – Kenny Jackett

Despite Fosun claiming they would continue to work with Jackett after initial target Julen Lopetegui was appointed by Spain, Jackett’s contract was terminated in July 2016. He has since managed Leyton Orient twice, Rotherham, Portsmouth, and is currently director of football at Gillingham.