With the season starting tomorrow, we asked the writers what their favourite first Wolves game of the season in years gone by.
David Evans
It was Blackburn away in 2011. Now, I wasn’t there. I was in London visiting my sister and husband for the weekend. I remember constantly checking the score on my phone. When we won 2-1, I had this instant feeling of ‘We’re in the Premier League and we’re becoming established.’ It was a great to know we kicked off the season with a win, especially away from home. I remember going to the pub that evening and talking to fellow Londoners who were Arsenal and Man Utd fans about the weekend’s action. Their reaction to Wolves wasn’t of a struggling relegation candidate, but that of a respected mid-table side, which was a great to see our club finally at this point.
Obviously we know what started to happen just weeks after. However, it was an opening day which will always stick in my mind.
Tom Tracey
An away day opener at Plymouth back in 2008 was my favourite opening game. We travelled down by coach, arriving just before kick off in the pouring rain and Wolves went behind twice before bringing on Chris Iwelumo and Sam Vokes for their debuts. The latter, an exciting signing from Bournemouth, hit in the equaliser.Maybe not the best game but it was certainly a great day out and things only improved for us that season as we ended as champions.
Dan Sherriff
I’m going to give an answer out of left field. Preston away, the first game of the League One season. The game was a drab and deary affair but it symbolised something far more significant. Wolves had just suffered the indignation of successive relegations, for many clubs that would be enough to decimate their fanbase, not Wolves. The fans turned out in their droves and 5,000 people went on that trip up north to show that the club was on the brink of a new beginning. Inspiring stuff.
Craig Talbot
My favourite opening game took place just five years ago with Wolves defeating Stoke City 2-1 in Mick McCarthy’s second Premier League season with the club. David Jones opened the scoring with a spectacular free kick volley rolled to him by Karl Henry, while new signing Steven Fletcher got the second for Wolves on his full debut for the club. There was a buzz around the club like never before after last year’s solid 15th place finish and there was real hope that Wolves could kick on even further this time around. The game started what was to be an extremely memorable season with victories over Manchester City, Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester United and West Brom and culminated in the unforgettable last day survival against Blackburn.
Ryan Plant
Wolves had a lot of doubters this time last year, and in front of the Sky cameras we thoroughly outplayed an impressive Norwich team.
RVLP, a new signing at the time getting Man of the Match and one of my favourite players, Dave Edwards, scoring the only goal were just added bonuses.
Let us know you favourite opening fixture on twitter facebook and in the comments below.
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