HiQ launches Magnum Moment!

After thousands of British Touring Car Championship fans made HiQ’s Champagne Moment awards a resounding success, a new interactive accolade has been launched to crown a remarkable season.

HiQ is unveiling its first ever Magnum Moment award for 2009, where fans of Britain’s premier motor racing series are invited to vote for their favourite champagne moment from 2009.

So whether it was Paul O’ Neill’s podium finish at Snetterton, or Jason Plato’s stunning drive at Knockhill, supporters are invited to log onto http://www.hiqonline.co.uk/btcc/champagneMoments/ and vote for the best performance.

Fans can vote for:
Rob Collard’s back of the grid to finish 4th at Oulton Park
Stephen Jelley’s three podium placings at Croft
Paul O’Neill’s emotional third place at Snetterton
Jason Plato’s drive from the back of the grid to second at Knockhill
Mat Jackson’s two first places and second at Silverstone
Stephen Jelley’s maiden wins at Rockingham
The winning champagne moment from Brands Hatch



The man that receives the most plaudits overall will be crowned with HiQ’s Magnum Moment award and presented with a special award at The TOCA Night of Champions on November 7. The deadline for entries is 12 noon, Tuesday November 3.

One lucky fan who has logged his or her details onto the website will win two tickets to the evening, will present the prize to the driver and complimentary race tickets will also be provided for the first race of 2010, along with a grid walk of the track before one of the races.

HiQ’s BTCC marketing manager Geraldine McGovern said: “Our champagne moment awards have been extremely successful and we thought an overall Magnum Moment would be the perfect way to end the season.

“It has been another tremendous year both on and off the track for HiQ, and we would like to give fans another opportunity to win a great prize with us.”

For your nearest HiQ centre click on www.hiqonline.co.uk

HiQ treading a path to eliminate illegal tyres

If you’re driving on illegal tyres, then HiQ, the nationwide fast fit network, has come up with three hard hitting reasons to take immediate action.

HiQ’s 1-2-3 campaign is about to grab the headlines as the network treads a path to eliminate illegal tyre usage across the UK.

For some drivers, highlighting the danger of bare, worn tyres is not enough. Some tangible reasons to regularly check tread depths and replace where necessary is needed.

This is why HiQ, the nationwide fast fit network, has come up with a no-nonsense, three pronged approach to tyre safety in a bid to rid the roads of an unnecessary danger.

1. One worn or defective tyre could cost you £2,5001
2. Worn tyres add two lengths to your stopping distance at 50mph in wet conditions2
3. Each tyre with a tread depth less than 1.6mm could add 3 penalty points to your licence1

HiQ British Touring Car Championship stars Fabrizio Giovanardi and Andrew Jordan (pictured) are backing the campaign, which will coincide with free tyre safety checks at all of its 140 centres.

Marketing manager Geraldine McGovern explained: “We wanted to generate some hard hitting messages that motorists will take note of.

“The prospect of penalty points to your licence, let alone the cost implications and safety element, is particularly strong and a fact that we hope will resonate with a number of people.

“The aim of this campaign is more than just getting people to change illegal tyres. We want it to have far more longevity than that, with messages that will stay with drivers for a long, long time.”

To supplement the campaign, every HiQ centre will be offering free tyre safety checks for the rest of the year.

Recent research suggests that up to 3.5 million motorists in the UK are driving on illegal tyres3, which further supports HiQ’s case that a worrying ignorance exists amongst drivers when it comes to road safety.

To make the most of HiQ’s free tyre safety checks, please click on www.hiqonline.co.uk/123 for your nearest centre.

1 The penalties for having illegal tyres are currently a fine of up to £2,500 and 3 penalty points per tyre. This relates to the law as defined in Regulation 27 of the Road Vehicle (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986.
2 Stopping distances: Tests carried out by the Motor Industry Research Association (MIRA) involving four different vehicles travelling on wet roads on four different tread depths. At 50 mph on 3mm tread depth stopping distance = 31.7 m. On 1.6 mm tread depth stopping distance was increased 39.5 metres.
3 Source: National Tyre Distributors Association figures show that of nearly 60,000 cars checked, 7,000 were being driven on at least one illegal tyre. The findings suggest that as many as 3.6 million cars in the UK could also be running on illegal tyres, if the figures were extrapolated across the population. (http://www.tyresafe.org/news-and-events/detail/drivers-risk-death-by-driving-on-illegal-tyres/)

that was the week that was

Seeing Kevin Doyle in a Wolves shirt seems to have changed my whole outlook on life, and with a glut of signings following the Irishman, things just get better and better...

...To read my latest Wolves ramblings, please click on www.wolvesblog.com The best blog in the west

Wolves, Eastenders and a tub of vaseline...

...And so, just like Max Branning’s epic dalliance with Stacy Slater last year, things are really starting to hot up at Molineux. And I’m not talking about the weather around Wolverhampton.

For more fascinating insight on all things Wolves, click on www.wolvesblog.com

Eat my goal (and some humble pie!!)

What a night! Not only did I watch that epic Murray Wimbledone match, but I flick onto Sky Sports News (every footie fan's fix for long summer months) and there it was, on the yellow scroll bar at the bottom of the screen:

"Wolves to oficially announce signing of Kevin Doyle tomorrow morning"

Fantastic! The same scroll bar that announced Ronaldo's switch to Madrid, Man City's interest in E'to and most probably Michael Jackson's death, featured the Wolves and a club record buy.

It's official folks. We have now arrived! So I take back all my misgivings and doff my cap to
Emineminem (McCarthy, Moxey and Morgan)

Right then, onto even more exciting transfer news!!!! I myself have been approached by a Premier outfit, who is on the lookout for a bit of young and hugry talent to compete in the Big League. (well, being 30 on Sunday does make me applicable, no?!)
This impending news may well make it onto the famed Sky Sports yellow scroll bar, so take a deep breath...

After a string of impressive performances in the league of Blog, Ben Smallman has agreed to ply his trade for a high flying ambitious new cyber club.
Smallman, owner of the 'everywhere we go' site, has verbally agreed to join http://www.wolvesblog.com/ for an undisclosed fee.
The sum, thought to be in the region of a pint of beer at the Clarendon, will see the award winning journalist write stories on the state-of-the art site, which can offer video links, goal footage, and technology never seen on blogs before.
Creator Thomas Baugh said today: "I am looking to become the bastion of blog, and Smallman's wise words, infectious wit and depth of knowledge was impossible to ignore.
"I have got my man and we are looking forward to working together, after I have paid him his pint."
Smallman is hopefuly that his legions of followers will make the switch to the modern, purpose build environment.


So seriously lads and lasses, I will move all my future copy to http://www.wolvesblog.com/ as of Monday, and will keep blogging on here until then. Have a look, let me know what you think.

Will you keep on following me there? I honestly reckon this could be the start of something exciting.

The lad Thomas, who contacted me through Twitter (you see, it does work!!) has some big plans afoot, so hope you will read me on there.

Up the Wolves,

Ben

What do you reckon chaps?

Three times lucky?

I have tried to update this blog twice now, and both times I have lost all the words. I have spend the best part of an hour on it before I came to work, and for what?

At least you don't have to read the first post, which was particularly angry, downbeat and moody.

I have been in a lousy mood for a number of reasons. The French referee bottling the game agains the Lions didn't set me off on the best foot.
And last night, after finally conceding that the Beeb were right to broadcast over 100 hours of coverage on Glastonbury, the morons decided to pull the live coverage of Blur (one of the last important bands of our generation - ON THEIR COMEBACK) to show some tin whistler in Jo Wiley's wooden garden.
None of the red button coverage showed it, despite millions of people wanting to see Blur. So I missed it, along with millions of others. Oh, don't worry, you can press the red button later (24 hours after the seminal moment happened). No I can't, as I ripped the f**king red button out of the remote control in rage last night.

As for Wolves, I will keep it brief as I will doubtless lose this copy as well.

Questions:

1. Why renew Craddock's contract when we admit to not being able to meet Scott Dann's wage demands? If we are prepared to make a club record bid for him, and he had a medical, surely Craddock's freed up wages would have been better spent spread around Dann and others?
Maybe Jez is right - we didn't want him anyway.

2. Why can Sheff Utd be in the driving seat to sign Andrew Surman as they can afford the £1 million sum up front and we can't? (if media is to be believed)

3. Why tell Lita to bugger off because he is hedging his bets, when Kevin Doyle is also doing this? (if Mick really wanted Lita, would he be that flippant - I aint bothered about him to be honest)

4. Why are we linked with Andrew Surman and Tommy Smith in the first place? Surely 'plan C' signings, and plan A and B have gone to pot?

5. Why have we made virtually no progress in the transfer market so far, despite not having the play offs to blame for lack of preparation?

I think the answer to question 5 may well lie in the explanations for questions 1,2,3,4.

But yet, despite this, I believe Morgan when he says he wants to do better than a 4th bottom finish. So I'll give it another week before I completely blow my top.

(better not watch the Lions and Glastonbury coverage again or I will kill someone)

Why a good transfer is like pulling a fit bird

This Doyle saga is starting to do my head in, and it's only been a day since the news officially broke.

I don't know about you guys, but it feels like securing a good quality transfer has much in common with pulling a fit bird.
My rationale for this? You put in lots of groundwork, pay the girl lots of compliments, and lavish her with the things she wants to hear.
It can be a patient game, waiting for the one you want, (as I can testify personally as I waited 3 years to finally grind down my wife-to-be back at uni.)
So with all that effort, you are still never guaranteed to get the girl, as you can't read her damned mind. And then, at the crucial moment, some fat headed, considerably more handsome man comes in and stamps on your erection.
He is generally loathsome, but has some aesthetic qualities that you struggle to compete with.

And here we have Kevin Doyle, being chased by Wolves, a club with moderate to good appearance, medium build, with a lovely thatch and a great social circle.
But alas, Everton, Villa et al, prowl the dancefloor, and offer a better time with fatter cocks, deeper wallets and the promise of passionate weekends away in Europe.

Hmm, time will tell.

From my experience, getting the girl hammered is the best bet. She doesn't know what's happening and would hardly feel a thing.
With that in mind, get Super Kev into Waggy's bar (or whatever it's now called), get him hammered on potcheen and Guinness (or whatever the Irish fella drinks) and get him to sign on the line before its too late.

Come on Jez, get the round in!

Come in number nine

What's the odds of us having our very own Super Kev by the end of the week? The rumour mill is in overdrive, with all the talk of Reading's number nine coming into Molineux.

Yep, the flaxen haired Irishman is rumoured to have been spotted at our lavish training ground, and some less-reputable websites have us activating a £6.5 million clause in his Royals contract.

But let's put a bit of context into all this...Denis Berkamp was rumoured to be looking at houses in Perton back in 2003, was he not?! I love that rumour, as it always brings a smile to people's faces!

Were he to sign, I would be delighted. It would send out a statement of intent and would really generate some fervour around the place.
Doyle's detractors would point to a lousy goal tally after Christmas, one that the much maligned Keogh matched in one single game at Pride Park.
But I would counter that by using the 'form is temporary' line. He looked class at Molineux back in September, held the ball up well, had a great turn of pace and was great in the air.
What's more, who else could we pick up at that price? Certainly not Darren Bent, who is another striker we are linked with.

And also, didn't Bully and Mutchy have the odd goal drought?! I remember them having one or two. Blimey, my hero Iwelumo went a few without a game!

Were we to buy him, I'd be looking at a couple of centre backs and a left back. Still not convinced about Elokobi there, Ward certainly shouldn't be there, and I maintain that Matty Hill is our best bet. He is a bit more conservative, less gung ho, and that might just be the order of the day come August.

So my thought for the next couple of days is: Our best bit of business and worst (from 89 - 2009)

Mine is pretty easy:
1. Steve Bull - £60 odd thousand from WBA - the rest is history
2. Michael Kightly - £25k from Grays - one of the best bargains ever
3. SEB - £1.5mill - 34 in 60 games (or something like that) - what price now?
4. Andy Thompson - came in the same package as Bully. A cult hero, and never missed a pen (apart from Stoke at home in a 0-0 draw)
5. Micky Stowell - £275,000 from Everton stiffs - great servant.

Worst:
Take your pick from:
Tony Daley, Geoff Thomas, Adie Williams, Robbie Slater, Mark Atkins, Mark Williams (remember the South African chap who was meant to be prolific?!), Sami Al Jaber, Darren Peacock, Paul Stancliffe, etc etc etc.

But my worst of all time:
Zelco Kalak now of AC Milan fame! Paid about £500k for the 'Spider' and he never kicked a ball for us!!!!!!

Speak again soon sports fans

Ben

Slap head signs and the fixtures are in

Right then. What does everyone think of the first 4 games? I'm looking at 10 points from 12.

We'll do West Ham, Wigan will be beaten at a JJB swamped with Wolves fans. Then there's Man City. Hmm, don't fancy that so I'll go for a draw. And finally, Hull City and that tit Phil Brown.

I sincerely hope its us singing songs to him with delight, in a mock response to his irksome sing song last season. Pillock. I'd love it if we beat them, and we will! So that's 10 nice points. Europe beckons.

Seriously, I'd be happy with 7 points, but I'm sure its not just my mind that works in such cheerful ways. Hope has always sprung eternal at this time of year, so I'm positvely buzzing as CocaCola champions! I'm sure there's footie fans at every other club up and down the land thinking "why not, lets piss it." Why not indeed!

I am still concerned with our centre half situation. The fact we pursued Dann was encouraging, in so much as it showed Mick was looking at this area. And still early days in the transfer market.

Speaking of which, the slap head Hahnemann has signed. Not too unhappy with that. I'd wager that he will be between the sticks come August as well, despite all the talk of 'squad signing.'
Anyone else raise an eyebrow at him being described as 6ft 3in?! He barely towers over Jez, so I don't think that can be true? He always looked short in goalkeeper terms to me (of a Jimmy Walker ilk). Mind you, the club did also say Stefan Postma was 6ft 6in, which was quite laughably incorrect. Were we to sign Peter Crouch, we would have bagged Pompey's 8ft 10in hitman, surely?!

Been doing a bit of gardening of late, a potential new hobby. I was looking at plants the other day, and likening them to some of our players.
Kites is an azalea...blossoms beautifully and catches the eye (as well as cheap!); Henry is a clematis. He covers shit loads of ground, and is very effective; Jarvis is a busy Lizzie - a mental little thing that impresses for long periods.
Matty Murray is my rose. When he blooms he's quite jaw droppingly amazing, but prone to illness, needs lots of attention and can't be relied on for results.

Anyway, I'm off to watch an 'insightful documentary' on ITV about freak 8ft tall teenagers (or 15ft if they signed for the Wolves).

Speak again over the weekend. All comments welcome!

First new signing! (i think)

So Nened Milijas has signed on the dotted line then! Good news, happy with that.

He does look a little bit like an illegal immigrant, but as long as he doesn't play like one, I'll be happy. Mind you, he'd be good at escaping the attentions of close markers if he was one.

Right, on to the next one. Don't think Dann was a massive blow. The good thing about this signing is the feel good effect that it will hopefully have on the fans, and it might lead to one or two more.

I hear Jordi Gomez is a target of Blues for £1.5 mill. If that is true, we have to get in there and buy him. He is class. People keep reminding me of Jarvis and Kightly out wide, and I'm huge fans of the pair of them. But we need strenght in depth. Kites and Jarvo won't play every game this season, and when they don't, i really don't want to see Wardy filling the breach. Gomez can also play in a 4-5-1 a bit narrower, so I think its a no brainer - get the man in.

I watched a bit of the Midland Masters on Saturday. Nice to see us win that again.
Benito Carbone looked a bit tasty. I am wondering if he is our 'plan c' signing?!
I did watch it live the once. Happened to be the one time in 6 years we didn't win it and got utterly smashed. But I consoled myself with the knowledge that they were a bunch of over-the-hill fat boys.
With that in mind, I can't get too excited with Micky Gooding and the boys.

Nice to see Andy de Bont between the sticks. I once had a half time penalty shoot out competition in the early 90s at home to Oxford, against Andy de Bont. Trouble was, that the goal was a temporary 7-a-side size one on the halfway line (we werent allowed in the real goal) and he was a fully grown reserve keeper. I creamed my first two pens in the top left and top right corners. Andy De Bont stood there looking bemused, (presumably wishing he wasn't facing a spotty kid from 8 yards, and was in the changing rooms) and just stuck his arms out and pawed the balls away without moving, like a distracted, irritable bear.

Quite a demoralising experience in front of 25,000 fans. I did score my third though, albeit due to sympathy rather than skill.
So it was nice to see the bloke extend his skills to old fatties as well as young spotties.

Right then, off to do some work.

Laters all.

Wolves miss out on another target...Dann!

Looks like we have lost out on another transfer target, as Scott Dann, a player we could have bought from Walsall for a minimal fee in 2007/08, opts for Birmingham instead.

http://www.expressandstar.com/2009/06/12/wolves-target-dann-opts-for-blues/

I'm more alarmed that we ignored so many people's pleas (not to mention scouts' reports) to buy the player when at Bescott. At the time, we were toiling away with Breen and D Ward (bit of Collins too) yet Coventry nipped in, instead.

It aluses me how the £6,000 per week figure is magically banded about, when our transfer dealings are always for an 'undisclosed sum.' (see Berra, Shackell and Vokes as examples). Is this the agent's admission? Wouldn't think he would want to cast his client as a moneygrabber.

More likely our esteemed CEO has put the figure out to the press, in order to make us look like a strong club, unwilling to waver in the face of such mercenary cheek.

The worry for me is that our golden, goal laden season just gone will feel like a hell of a long time ago for some, as the feel-good factor begins to dissipate. This need not be the case...

...Still only June!

Entente cordiale and all that...

Wouldn't it be nice if one of our many unprenounceable European / French transfer targets actually hopped on a plane and sat down at the Molineux table for a chat, before their agents start reaching for their moneybags and Motorolas.

They might actually take a step inside our Golden Palace for a bowl of frog's legs with Big Mick and Uncle Jez.
They could have a look around our famous museum, which dazzles in floodlit 50s fame (not to mention an 09 era). They could have a glance at Sir Billy, whose warm and wonderful presence endears.
Heck, they could even take a peek at our very own revolutionary Stan, who towers under the North Bank roof.
Then they would turn to our Yorkshire yoda, and say: "Ohh hee horr ee horr, zis is ze good place to play ze Beautiful Game non? Give me ze piss of papeur to sign."

And just when this dream starts to excite, it quickly turns into a nightmare, as the players' agents leg it down the Molineux corridoors in garish white trainers (complete with white socks), punching holes in the walls as they scream blue murder at their once awestruck client.

"Bent Harry has been on the phone. We'll beat the M25 traffic if you hurry up."

Keep on blogging...

...I have an audience on a par with the Bescot, I have less followers than the Bradford branch of the KKK, but undaunted, I am here to crack off another week of blogging.

This bloody idea wasn't too well thought through was it?! What I expected was that we'd have signed a player by now, we can all talk about it, and we can eulogise over Super Mick and his reinforced squad ahead of the new campaign.

What we have in reality is a bit of a stalemate. Bit like an episode of Neighbours...You ignore it for a few weeks, stick the TV bac on at 5.30pm, and Harold Bishop is still fighting with Lou Carpenter over some parochial dispute at the Watering Hole (Chez Chez, Lou's Place, or whatever it is now called).
Basically, it's like my blog because you ignore me for a while, come back, and it's the same old crap!

Has anyone got any ideas of getting this out to a wider audience? I do stick an alert on my facebook page, and I also twitter it, but I do struggle. Any help gratefully received.

I blame Jez Moxey for this. I blame him for most evils in my life actually. If he really worked hard for his 350k salary (basic) then we would be talking about some high profile signings instead of bloody Neighbours.

Bit random today. On the Wolves front, there is no likely incomings from what I have read. Oh, the E & S 'gossip' column has just announced that Shane Higgs may leave us for a League One side. Excuse me while I run naked around Queen's Square in a fit of spontanious celebration. I've just creamed myself. Not.

We always keep our cards close to our chests anyway, so I'm still hopeful of a fresh face soon.

Tell you what though, we are actually victims of our own success. If we weren't so damn efficient in sealing promotion and did it in a Blues timeframe, it wouldn't feel like such a long time for a bit of action.

I will move on to other subjects then...

In recent days, I have been looking on YouTube a fair bit. My favourite clips at the moment are old episodes of Stella Street. Do you remember that classic late 90s comedy?

Here's a link... I love it! As you know, I do like my impressions, so it might just be me that loves this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zkD6bjia0bY&NR=1

My top 5 You Tube viewing subjects at the moment are:

1: Steve Bull (nice bit of rare footage from 88 up there at the mo - very good)
2: Stella Street (see reasons above)
3: Shooting Stars (timeless comedy gold)
4: Ultimate Warrior (just a funny wrestler I love to watch when I get a bit nostalgic)
5: Jerry Springer audience put-downs. (there's an old guy who 'owns' a fat obese woman - look it up)

Let me know your thoughts

Bye for now

Ben

strawberry fields forever...

Morning all. A new week but a familiar old weary feeling I'm afraid.

I was at Oulton Park for the British Touring Car Championship, and spent the day trying to flog as many strawberries as possible, all in aid of Breast Cancer Care.
Clad in garish pink t-shirt, I wandered near and far with crates of strawberries, in the hope of selling fruit upon fruit.
Only problem was, we had 5,000 punnets to get through, so as the legs got gradually heavier, so too did my heart, as we ended up giving the damn things away.

Picture the scene...25 degree heat, long and winding footpaths, and the Apprentice theme tune in my head as I prepare to get my excuses in ahead of the board room this week!

Sunburnt and stressed? Yep! But just need a new signing to take the blues away.

The more I think about it, the more I think we don't actually think we need many more players to supplement the squad. Two centre halves, a centre mid, and a striker. Maybe a wide man / versatile player to give Jarvis and Kites a good push.

This Polish skipper we are linked with sounds a decent bet with a bit of pedigree. We'll wait and see on that one.

So I have decided we should get Jordi Gomez, particularly as he was only ever on loan at Swansea - didn't realise that.
Centre backs? Hmm. I'm sure they are a damn sight easier to get than a goalscorer. There must be loads of Vidic clones in the Eastern Block, waiting to come and join the gravy train now the EU is so embracing.

Don't I make it sound easy.

So it's Jordi Gomez, Aarron Ramsay, Sean Davis for me at present. Dont ask about the centre halves!

Bye for now

Phil Brown...What an idiot

Hello all.

Having spent a fair bit of time sat on my backside of late (all in aid of my recovering knee!) I have concluded that while the world does indeed turn rather quickly, not a great deal actually happens!

Granted, North Korea are pretty busy at the moment, and MPs are working damn hard, but when it comes to a bit of juicy transfer gossip, I have been left unfulfilled.

We are linked with more players, but the only constant theme seems to be us not being prepared to be held to ransom. I don't mind this stance and harp back to the days of old, when the likes of Zelco Kalak grabbed the headlines. (another fine mess Mr McGhee!!)
Nope, no more golden tits.

Tom Huddlestone, a player mentioned on here recently, is never worth £8million. And I keep telling myself that we're not even in June yet, so no time to start panic buying.

We will wait and see I guess! Watch this space...

Now then, in the absence of any new faces at the Compton training ground, I have been thinking of people that really get under my skin (football orientated of course!).
Phil Brown, manager of Hull, is top of my hate list, thanks in part to:
a) a ridiculous perma-tan and David Brent 'styled' goatee.
b) Stupid gay headset that no other self respecting manage wears.
c)an ever beurgeoning obsession with himself, as first seen at Man City when he decided to up his street-cred with a half time team talk ON THE PITCH!! Prat.
d) And now, to cap it all, his ridiculous, cringeworthy Delia Smith moment, when he went completely doolally and celebrated his side's awful season with a rendition of the Beach Boys. It made me nauseous watching it.

Whatever must Sir Alex have thought of such crass, 'in your face' over reaction to a side that finished 4th bottom.
Is this what the world has come to...Celebrating a pitiful points total, home defeat to a 'C' team and another stay of execution due to others' ineptitude!!
Sir Alex would never react like that if his side duly wins the Champions League tonight for crying out loud.
While on my soapbox, Brown's incessant references to Sir Alex in the run up to the game, as if some close friend who he shares pino grigio with, also grated immensely. It was as if the two were old sparring partners, inseperable but for a charity shield or two.
One way of getting close to the rich and famous though eh?!

Here's a revolutionary idea...How about, a bit of humility, a bit of modesty and some tact. Throw in a touch of praise for your players (instead of the vulgar sing-a-long) and a recognition that yes, you have achieved something impressive and noteworthy.

Fourth bottom is a great effort and deserves respect. Heck, we'd all settle for it wouldn't we?! (although Steve Morgan begs to differ apparently!)
What it doesn't warrant is an excessive, sickly show of self gratitude from a man whose ego really shouldn't get any bigger.

Rant over! Other football people to get my goat up...Barry Davies (commentator), Andy Gray (co-commentator) and that idiot off BBC Breakfast sport, whose ego is almost as big as Brown's.

Bye for now, enjoy the Champions League finale!

I don't like cricket...

...I love it! Not as much as footy though. Sat here with my leg in the air (akin to Katie Price by the sounds) watching the Friends Provident Trophy. It's okay, but not doing much for me. The vast empty seats at Edgbaston tell me that if Warwickshire members can't be arsed then I really am a sad twat for watching it. Bring on the Ashes!

I'm more interested with Sky News, as our old fast bowler Chris Lewis has got convicted for smuggling cocaine. What a prat! If you're going to smuggle the stuff, don't shove it in your cricket bag!!!! That's a schoolboy error I would do. It's brightened my day though. so fair play Chris.

Whatever would dear old Fred Trueman say?

Anyhow, this is a Wolves blog! So all seems quiet on the Molineux front. I do sense far more urgency this season that in close season 03, when Moxey and co went on holiday for a month. Seems like the club has learnt its lesson from that ill fated Premier attempt.
My one brush with one of our close season signing disasters was when Issac Okoronkwo almost mowed me down on the Merridale Road as I was at a pedestria crossing. I was almost angry until I saw it was him, and I then felt sorry for him...He was obviously on his way back from the training ground.

Right then, I keep hearing this Ramsay rumour so I am convinced that deal is in the bag! I also hear a cheeky bid on the cards for Darren Bent. Yes yes, you will all laugh, but what a statement of intent that would be! I'd fancy us with him and SEB in the team.
But highly unlikely.

Mind you, if Stevie Morgan is serious, and I am sure he is, when he says we will not be happy with a bottom 4 finish, then why not?

Arron Mokoena at Blackburn is another to be linked with us. Any other Arron's we could shoehorn into the side? Arron McClean? Not any more!

Then there are some 'difficult-to-spell' centre halves in the frame.

I do like the sound of Sean Davis, he'd do a job and wouldn't be unhappy with him around the first team. No thanks to Nicky Butt. aside from the fact he is old past it and slow, how would he react when we start singing 'Baby Give it Up' with Sylvan lyrics? That was his song at the Theatre of Dreams was it not?

Anyway, I digress until Thursday or Friday. (probably Thursday night as we are off to Barmouth for a wet Bank Holiday Friday!)

A quiz question to leave you with...What is the only club out of 92 Football League Clubs NOT to be named after a place?
Quite an easy one this. No beer as a prize this time!

Ciao folks.

Here's one to test your grey matter

Morning all.

Juast about to pop off into a hospital to get this knee sorted once and for all! I hear they have cloned Ebanks-Blakes' right knee especially for me, so I'll come out with a funny coloured leg full of goals!

I'd have preferred it if they had cloned Michael Oakes' schlong. I'd be hung like a rutting bull elephant come 3pm!

Anyway, I read this and thought it might make something for the blog, so here goes.

Sunderland did it in 79; Villa did it in 81; who did it in 80?

I will think of some kind of present for anyone who knows this!

I'll update mid to late week, when we have signed Arron Ramsay and Tuncay! (I hear the latter might actually be happening on loan, but probably some spurious rumour!)

Knee operations...

Morning all,

Knee injuries seem to be in fashion recently. I am booked in for one at New Cross on Monday (torn cartilege), while Matt Murray's latest woes continued with another knee problem, poor sod.

With that in mind, I was thinking of players that have come back after knee operations all the worse for them, looking a shadow of their former selves.

From a Wolves perspective I would have to say: Michael Gilkes. I loved Gilksie when he first came, but after a knee problem, he was never the same IMO, and ultimately forgetful as a consequence. (think it was his knee)

Also, didn't Geoff Thomas have a bad one? Mind you, you could never tell if he was better or worse, as he was plagued by injuries throughout his time at the Mol.

John de Wolf? He was bloody brilliant in my eyes. Took a while to get into the speed of things but boy, when he did, he was phenomenal. Seem to recall Sunderland game at home when he was polaxed. (dirty Mackems)

And then there was Ade Williams. Shame he was crippled from the moment he joined, pretty much, only to move on to Reading and star for them for many seasons. Typical.

Any other players spring to mind? Other general injuries to hit us hard were: Daley, Froggy, Dean Richards, Chris Marsden.

On a national level, Shearer came back as good, if not better, and so too Roy Keane.

Wish me luck at New Cross on Monday!!

Anyone think WBA can stay up then?

I don't. But the fact they are being so brave and plucky will make it all the sweeter when they finally succumb to the inevitable! I love it when a plan comes together!!!

Calum Davenport...

Afternoon all.

Having watched a couple of awesome Champions League games in the week, the thought of playing Arsenal, Man Utd and Chelsea genuinely scares me...Not as much as it scares me playing at Peterborough or Cardiff on a Tuesday night though, so I am not upset by these prospects!

I have decided that any player we are linked with is largely irrelevant when playing these Premier League heavyweights. So with that in mind, maybe the latest player to be linked, Calum Davenport, wouldn't be all bad.

We just need to get enough points off the poorer teams. Birmingham, one of the play off teams, Stoke, Hull, Pompey, are all beatable aren't they?!

Have a good weekend

Ben

Marc Antoine-Fortune?

As the reality of being champions of the fizzy pop league now finally dawns (took me weeks to believe we had done it!!), one question burns as bright as our old gold shirts...Who to buy?! Personally, I fancy a bit of Sean Davis, but not at the detriment of Karl Henry, who I'm in love with!!!
Not sure about Fortune!

Also, can Jarvis AND Kightly play in a 442 in the Big League? Leaves us a bit wide open, but the prospect genuinely excites me!

And how many of the boys who featured against Donny last Sunday will be on our starting line-up come August?

I would hazard:
Hennessey
Foley
Berra
Henry
Ebanks Blake

and of course, Kites to come back!

I make that 6. but oh for a fit Matt Murray

I am aiming to update this blog every day over the summer, so if you're bored, stay tuned!!