The game was a dream – we’d won it by half-time
A grand day out for Wolves fans as a trip to Cardiff finally brings them their Premier League dream ...
IT is hard to believe that twenty years have passed since the incredible events of Monday 26th May at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium.
The outcome is well-known to Wolves fans; a 3-0 win for Wolves over Neil Warnock’s Sheffield United, with firsthalf goals from Mark Kennedy, Nathan Blake and Kenny Miller.
We also readily recall Warnock being sent to the stand, Matt Murray saving Michael Brown’s penalty after the break, and Sir Jack smiling on the big screen as Dave Jones found redemption from his well-publicised troubles.
But this article is not a rehash of match day facts, it is about a great day out for a group of fans from the Black Country. Along with my daughter Emily, her partner Matt and my son Tom, I travelled down on one of the Daventry Dun Cow Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club Supporters Club coaches, run by Chris Cox.
We were picked up on Stourbridge Ring Road at 7.45 am. Tom brought with him a ‘promotion pig’ that was passed around the bus, and he also had his lucky Wolves bear, Steve, knitted by his nan. Richard
Chell was also on the bus, along with other friends Clive, Julia and Liam Roseblade.
Having crossed the Severn into Wales our first stop, at around ten o’clock, was Tutshill near Chepstow and the Cross Keys pub where a breakfast was eaten, drink was consumed and pool played. It was then a relatively short journey to Newport where we took the 12.20 or 12.50 train (I can’t recall which) to Cardiff.
The capital city was already bouncing with expectant fans, but after so many near misses those of us following the gold and black were far from confident of success.
Outside the ground we took photographs to mark the occasion – as attached. We also met up with Gerry, Thelma, Laura and Matt Collins, with whom Emily would be sitting, to the right-hand side of the goal that Wolves defended in the first half. Matt sat above them, and Tom, Richard and I were sitting opposite the tunnel.
The game was really a dream and effectively over by halftime – so of course the postmatch celebrations were long and joyous.
On the way back we stopped off for food and drinks at the Royal Oak in Gretton, Gloucestershire, a pub that overlooks Winchcombe and its glorious surroundings as well as the Gloucestershire-warwickshire steam railway.
Having wolfed down an excellent chilli con carne, we listened as Coxy gave a stirring speech to remind us that the victory ended 19 years, 13 days, 22 hours and 20 minutes of hurt – a time frame subsequently immortalised in the first of the ‘toaster’ banners. This of course relates to the time elapsed since Wolves’ previous appearance in a topflight match – 12th May 1984. Our trip cost a ridiculously cheap £17 each (including coach, breakfast, train and chilli).
Sadly, our stay in the Premier League was short and it would be another six years before Mick Mccarthy would take us back.
But at Cardiff twenty years ago the football was great and the family memories even more special.