MATT REVELS IN HIS MAGIC CARPET RIDE

EXCLUSIVE

Colin Bell 59 Kenny Hibbitt 44 John Richards 85 97,886 at Wembley Steve Bruce, the former Manchester United defender and current Aston Villa boss, was just 13 years of age and a ball boy for the match WOLVES legend Kenny Hibbitt believes it’s about time Molineux had some new heroes. Hibbitt, a brilliantly gifted midfielder who won two League Cups during a 16-year career wearing the iconic old gold and black shirt, reckons Nuno Espirito Santo (below) has a team with the potential to emulate those built by Bill McGarry and John Barnwell during his own pomp. Santo won the Championship in his first season with the club – and five points from Wolves’ first four Premier League games suggests the Portuguese is getting to grips with the top flight.

Hibbitt says Santo reminds him of Jose

Mourinho – while some fans have suggested the long-range shooting of Ruben Neves harks back to the days when a boy from Bradford was the one taking aim.

“I don’t know about that,” said Hibbitt who was honest enough to admit that his spectacular volley to give Wolves the lead in their 1974 League Cup Final victory over Manchester City at Wembley was actually a mishit.

“But I do think that this is the best side Wolves have had since the days when I was playing,” he said.

“We had some great players: John Richards, Derek Dougan, Alan Sunderland, Andy Gray, to name just a few.

“As well as winning the League Cup twice, we lost to Spurs in the 1972 UEFA Cup Final and lost three FA Cup semi-finals.

“So it was a great time to be a Wolves fan.

“But the supporters haven’t had much to shout about over the last 30-odd years and the fact that they still remember the teams of my era with such affection makes me proud and also a bit sad.

“Wolves’ fans have followed the club to the depths of the old fourth division.

“So it’s about time they had a team like this – playing some great football – and a manager who has got some real charisma about him.

“Santo reminds me of Mourinho in that respect. He’s got a bit of devil in him. He has made Molineux a special place to be.”

Hibbitt, 67, has released his autobiography ‘Seasons of my Life’, and at a gala dinner held in his honour last week he was overwhelmed to receive a letter from his boyhood hero Sir Bobby Charlton congratulating him for the 574 appearances and 116 goals he scored for Wolves after signing from hometown club Bradford Park Avenue in 1968.

“There were a few tears when the letter was read out because my grandchildren were there and Sir Bobby is one of the game’s true greats,” said Hibbitt.

“I’ll treasure the letter forever – as I will the memory of travelling on a supporters coach to watch Wolves at Derby last season. “I must have signed about a thousand autographs, posed for 500 photos, and when I finally got to see some of the game I looked up at the scoreboard and it was two minutes into the second half !

“It showed me how much love and respect the Wolves fans have for me and, more importantly, for the teams that I played in.

“Hopefully, Nuno Espirito Santo can consolidate in the league this season and also challenge in one of the cup competitions.

“I would love to see a Wolves team winning a big final at Wembley again.

“I can tell you from my own experience, the players would be remembered forever.” 15 trials when I was younger. I didn’t play that well when I was over here. I’d readily admit that now.

“I worked for my dad in his carpet upholstery cleaning company and that made me grow up

THAT’S RICH: John Richards punishes Manchester Cityis published by GP Publications and is priced at £20. It is available from the Wolves club shop, Waterstones in Wolverhampton and from co-author Tim Nash (tim_j_nash@hotmail.co.uk) GOAL MACHINE: Hibbitt scored 116 times for Wolves TWO years spent as a Dublin carpet cleaner is hardly the ideal preparation for life in the Premier League.But the experience helped Matt Doherty deal with the hard knocks of rejection after a string of unsuccessful trials – and inspired him to finally make it at Wolves.This lunchtime the Ireland international will make his fifth league appearance of the season, never having lost sight of the days when he worked for his dad on £200 a week. He said: “I had 14 or

and realise that was what I didn’t want to do.”The defender, now 26, (above) was spotted playing for League of Ireland side Bohemians against Wolves and is now the longest-serving firstteam squad member at Molineux, having spent seven years at the club.“When the chance came to come to England, people asked: ‘Are you homesick?’ I wasn’t,” he said.“I was 18 and having spent two years with my dad, Tom, helped me mature and I was ready to come over when I did.”