My Dad sat under the Molineux Street clock throughout the Golden Fifties. I find it hard to describe the enjoyment that watching Billy gave to him. Whenever we discussed football, Dad always spoke of him with fondness, admiration and wonder. "A real footballer," he said. And he meant it. One day, after Billy joined the Wolves board, I waited before a first team match with my then 10 year old son to speak with him between the car park and the ground. I thanked him on behalf of my late father for all the happiness he had given, and for coming back to Molineux. He spent time chatting to me and to my son, he signed our matchday programme, and he said - almost in confidence - "There's only ever been one team for me, you know." He posed for a photograph with Nick, putting his arm round the little lad's shoulders. With Billy for just a few minutes, we knew we had met a gentleman, and we knew he was a man amongst men. Or as my young son put it, "He's a nice man". How I wished I had seen him play. Dad's life was happier because of Billy.

PAUL and NICK RICHARDS ex-Finchfield, Now Christchurch, Dorset.


My mother, Joyce Green, nee Matthews, was a supervisor at the home laundry used by Wolves and then at the steam laundry, and she remembers very well playing footie with Billy Wright's socks on and donning the rest of his strip before it was returned to Molineux. She is 72 now and still likes to play football at every chance! Mum is still an ardent Wolves fan and recalls Billy and a few of the other young players lodging in Whitmore Reans. They took in the footballer lodgers to help with the upkeep of the big houses in that area. She lived at 190 Staveley Road then, and recalls some great times. This was before Billy moved in with Mrs. Colley as his landlady. For the record, Mom used to sit in the 'Cow Shed' and would have sixpenny bets with the older men at the matches on Saturdays. Great days, great memories.

SUSAN DUFFELL Perton


I was lucky to meet the great man in the early 1990s. My favourite team Wolves were playing my local team Hull City at Boothferry Park. My hero was Steve Bull and I was hoping to get him to sign a photograph that I had. I approached a steward on the gate and asked if I could pass my photograph into the visitors' dressing room to get my treasured signature. He duly obliged and Steve kindly signed my photograph. As I turned away, the steward tapped me on the shoulder and pointed. "Now there's a signature you have to get," he said, and he pointed out a man I recognised instantly – yes, the great Billy Wright. I wandered over and asked him for his autograph. He smiled and, turning to a lady by his side, he said to me, "You want her autograph not mine – she is far more famous than me." Of course it was his wife, Joy of the Beverley Sisters. Billy was such a modest and unassuming man - a true Great.

JEFF LYONS Hull, Yorkshire


In the 1980's I wrote a book on Wolves' history. In those days clubs did not have much information available, and my research took me to libraries, bookshops, the Football League HQ, the Football Association HQ and many other places. I never once heard or read a bad word about Billy Wright, either as a footballer or a man. One fact that not too many people know is that among Billy's collection of goals for Wolves was one in just twenty seconds in the 1946-47 First Division match against Everton. The ball was in the net before an opponent had even touched the ball. So the legend of Billy Wright is not just about preventing goals!

MICHAEL J. SLATER Wolverhampton

 

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