As Richard Stearman leaves Wolves for Fulham, David Evans look back at his time at Molineux and why the defender was liked both on and off the pitch.
It’s still baffling.
As I’m writing this, I still can’t think as to why Wolves have let Richard Stearman depart from the doors of Molineux.
Kenny Jackett cites ‘Footballing reasons’. I cannot think of a reason on and off the field that this would be for.
However, you never know the full story and so it is unexpectedly time to say goodbye to a great servant of seven years. One who has literally lived through the ups and downs of being a Wolves players in recent memory.
Stearman rose to cult fame at Wolves recently with his array of hair styles. Some fashionable, some questionable. Even getting the name tag of ‘Odin’ or ‘Miami Vice’ from the Fancastians.
Ok… I’m going off the point here. Let’s try that one again.
Signing for Wolves from Leicester City following their relegation to League One, Stearman made his debut in a 2-2 draw away to Plymouth.
He crowned off Wolves title winning campaign with his first goal for the club, a header in the dying moments in a 1-0 home win over Doncaster Rovers in the last game of the season.
After partnering up with Mancienne, he mixed up his defensive duties along the back four. Fans questioned McCarthy of his placement in right back but he eventually returned to the centre.
Here he partnered Jody Craddock in what would be a vital duo in Wolves safety from relegation in the Premier League in 2011.
After suffering relegation following season, Stearman fell out of favour with both Solbakken and Saunders and joined McCarthy’s Ipswich on loan.
You could say that this move, back with the man who signed him to Wolves, helped him to get his career back on track.
As Wolves were relegated to League One, you would not have been surprised if Stearman joined Mick and the Tractor Boys permanently.
However, Kenny Jackett brought him back into the Wolves fold to help the Molineux men get back into the Championship.
In Wolves League One title winning season, Stearman made an impressive partnership with the boy from Brierley Hill, Danny Batth. The defense as a whole became one of the best fortresses in all four leagues that season.
Despite a bumpy start back in the Championship, Batth and Stearman’s partnership once again flourished in the second act. Stearman’s pace and agility complimented Batth’s old school physique and style.
Batth was the captain, but you feel that he would be learning a lot from the young but experienced veteran Stearman alongside him.
Stearman’s never say die attitude, body on the line performances and passionate aggression on the pitch earned him accolades from fans and pundits alike.
These performances deservedly earned him two in-club house awards as the fans and players player of the season. As well as the Wolves Fancast Player of the Season Award of course.
Richard Stearman’s move away from Molineux came as a shock. A defender who you felt was still integral to Kenny Jackett’s plans for promotion. An experienced head needed in a youthful set-up who were still learning the graft of the Championship game.
The defender had courted mixed opinions in his first few years at Wolves. However, his development and maturity showed both on and off the field in the last two years has shown what an important player he had become.
As a fanzine, even with the instant access to players that social media brings, for a player to regularly interact with you is rare.
However, for the last few years, Stearman has interacted with the Fancast as if we were one of his mates.
He didn’t know us, we didn’t know him personally, but Stears tweeted and ‘bantered’ with us like you would do with one of your friends.
Stearman did not treat us as if we were beneath him, but in a world where we still look up to these players as our heroes, he made that gap between fan and player even closer.
Even when I was lucky enough to interview him at the start of this season, there was no aura of awkwardness and the unknown when a player and a interviewer meet for the first time. Each one quietly sizing each other up to see what might happen.
Stearman would laugh and joke and make the interview as comfortable from the get go. This relaxed but jovial vibe helped you to find out more about Richard as the person, not just the footballer.
That’s not to say that other players at Wolves won’t do this or would be difficult to talk to, far from it. Any player we have interacted with has been great.
Stearman however seemed to make it more personal. Something which struck a cord with many fans.
One glowing example is his offer of a refund for a fan who has printed his name on the back of his shirt in extravagant fashion.
This will still be a head scratcher, for many days I’m sure. It will be odd to see Stearman in the opposition line up, wearing a white shirt at Craven Cottage come our match in a few weeks time.
Richard Stearman became a loyal servant of Wolves and that is something fans will never forget.
All the best Stears! Just make sure you keep rocking the beard now and again.
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