Rob Edwards explains decision not to acknowledge supporters after Wolves draw

Wolves boss Rob Edwards says he chose not to acknowledge supporters at the end of Saturday’s 1-1 with Sunderland as he feared further “inciting” their anger.

Edwards headed straight down the tunnel at full-time after his team missed the chance to secure just their fourth Premier League of the season, despite playing against 10 men for more than an hour.

The head coach has made a tradition of thanking fans at the final whistle since being appointed last November and previously acknowledged he would do so “win, lose or draw”.

But he changed tack against the Mackems, as the final whistle was greeted by boos at Molineux.

Edwards explained: “I was frustrated. But also I just thought I am not going to incite it any more.

“I don’t want to make the ground any more angry. That is probably why.”

The draw snapped a three-match losing run for Wolves but was of little cheer for Edwards, who saw his decision to substitute Hugo Bueno in the second half greeted by loud boos.

Edwards later revealed the wing-back had been carrying a knee injury and barely trained all week.

His decision not to head on the pitch and thank fans resulted in derogatory chants being sung from a section of the South Bank.

Asked about what appears an increasingly strained relationship with supporters, he replied: “It is understandable. In the end the work we do in the summer - and we have to get off to a good start, will be the most important thing.

“I understand the situation at the moment. We are bottom of the league, have been relegated, we have drawn against 10 men off the back of three defeats in a row.

“I am going to take it. I understand it. We have to work hard, stay strong. We have three more games and have to try and get a result.

“We can turn things around. I knew coming in this was going to be really challenging and at some stage we were going to be in a situation like this.

“You do wonder, why do we put ourselves through it at times? But it will be all the more rewarding when we do turn it around.”