Welcome to the board ... honour for Wolves’ 300 Club members
Among those at the ceremony was Derek Parkin, whose 609 games is the highest figure
NAMES of a Black Country trio from Wolves’ 1908 FA Cup-winning side are on a new honours board at Molineux.
Netherton-born centrehalf Billy Wooldridge, Stourbridge-born left-half Alf Bishop and Wolverhamptonborn left-back Ted Collins were in the side who upset the odds by beating hot favourites Newcastle United 3-1 at the Crystal Palace.
Unveiled in the first-team dressing room, the board celebrates all players who have made 300 or more appearances for the team in gold and black. Eventually, the board will be erected in the foyer of the Billy Wright Stand.
The names of two others
from the 1908 heroes, rightback Jackery Jones and rightwinger Billy Harrison, are also on the board. The team had finished ninth in the Second Division that season and are the lowest-placed league side to win the trophy
Paying tribute to each of the 39 players whose names are on the board, Wolves director John Gough recounted how Newcastle had been so confident of victory they had requested a photograph with the cup before the match when their kit was still clean. They got a swift and emphatic refusal from FA officials.
Also in the 300 club are Cannock-born duo Geoff Palmer and Andy Thompson, and Lee Naylor from Walsall.
First to hit the triple hundred of games for Wolves was goalkeeper Tom Baddeley whose first game for the club was in 1897. In a tenyear stay at Molineux he also won five England caps.
The latest addition to the tripleton order is former skipper Conor Coady who is on a season-long loan to Everton. He may yet add to his 317 appearances in gold and black.
Among those at the board’s unveiling ceremony was Derek Parkin whose 609 games is the highest figure for a Wolves player. He and the others present received a certificate and a shirt with their appearance figure on it, as did relatives of players from years ago.
Three members of the Wolves women’s team also have their names displayed – Anne Johnson, Anna Price and Amber Quick.
Head coach Julen Lopetegui, chairman Jeff Shi and director John Bowater were also at the unveiling ceremony.
Nearest miss to being on the board is the name of Jimmy Murray. He totalled 299 games and was a marksman supreme as Wolves set the unique record of a century of league goals in four successive seasons, starting in 19578.
The 39 listed, in order of reaching the 300 milestone, are: Tommy Baddeley (315), Billy Wooldridge (356), Jackery Jones (334), Alf Bishop (382), Ted Collins (307), Billy Harrison (345), Jimmy Mullen (486), Johnny Hancocks (378), Bert Williams (420), Billy Wright (541), Bill Shorthouse (376), Peter Broadbent (497), Eddie Stuart (322), Bill Slater (339), Ron Flowers (512), Bobby Thomson (300), Dave Wagstaffe (404), Mike Bailey (436), Phil Parkes (382), Derek Dougan (323), Frank Munro (371), John Mcalle (509), Derek Parkin (609), Kenny Hibbitt (574), John Richards (487), Geoff Palmer (496), Andy Mutch (338), Andy Thompson (451), Steve Bull (561), Robbie Dennison (353), Mark Venus (338), Mike Stowell (448), Anne Johnson (348), Lee Naylor (334), Anna Price (353+), Amber Quick (314), Dave Edwards (306), Matt Doherty (302), Conor Coady (317).