Izzy inspires happy Molineux memories
HUDDERSFIELD Town and their fans have very fond memories of the last time they played at Wolves.
With a vital Premier League assignment on the horizon against the Black Country side at Molineux on Sunday (4pm), it’s worth remembering Town won on their last trip to the ground. And what a win! On-loan Chelsea player Izzy Brown, now with Leeds United, scored after 31 minutes to seal a 1-0 victory which booked Town’s place in the Championship play-offs.
On a bitterly cold April evening in 2017, a total of 682 Town fans made the trip to see David Wagner’s side score a largely uninspiring, but hugely important win.
The Examiner reported at the time: “The breakthrough goal and the one to seal Town’s passage was a moment of magic from the returning Izzy Brown, curling home a strike from 20 yards out to claim his fifth goal of the campaign.
“His exquisite performance will leave Town supporters licking their lips to what may come in the playoffs as well as perhaps wondering what might have been had he been available over the course of the past month.”
That was a reference to the injury niggles which dogged Brown while he was with Town and continued when he suffered knee ligament damage playing with Brighton last January. He has just made his return to action with the Elland Road club.
Town, of course, went on to gain promotion to the Premier League via the play-offs and Wolves have followed them into the top flight, winning the Championship title by huddle following the final whistle.
The boss gave a rousing speech to his men, but when asked about what was said, Wagner responded: “I said this in the huddle to my players and this should stay between the players and me.
“This was something we usually do in the dressing room after some games, but I thought it was the right moment do to it in the middle of the grass where we took the final step to achieve something extraordinary for this football club.
“This was the reason I did it there and not in the dressing room.”
He added: “I didn’t have this in my head before the game – it only happened when I saw the players after the final whistle and saw how happy they were after this game – and the whole backroom staff as well.
“What every employee of this football club has done this season, and I know every single person worked so unbelievably hard, from the ticketing to the commercial and the canteen, our dressing room and backroom staff – I know how hard everybody worked, especially since we arrived and changed the whole usual British training schedule into another one.
“I am so happy for them that they really got a reward for what they invested.
“This makes me happy.”