2008–09 Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. season

Wolverhampton Wanderers
2008–09 season
Chairman Steve Morgan OBE
Manager Mick McCarthy
Football League Championship 1st
(3rd divisional title)
FA Cup 4th Round
League Cup 2nd Round
Top goalscorer League: Sylvan Ebanks-Blake (25)
All: Sylvan Ebanks-Blake (25)
Highest home attendance 28,252 (vs Doncaster, 3 May 2009)
Lowest home attendance 9,424 (vs Accrington Stanley, 12 August 2008)
Average home league attendance 24,153
Home colours
Away colours
← 2007-08 2009-10 →

The 2008–09 season was the 110th season of competitive league football in the history of English football club Wolverhampton Wanderers. They played the season in the second tier of the English football system, the Football League Championship. The season turned out to be a major success as the club finished top of the division and were therefore promoted back to the Premier League after a five-year absence.

The team enjoyed their best start to the season for almost fifty years, winning seven of their opening eight games and scoring 23 goals in the process. They led the table continuously from October until the season's end, when they were crowned champions, winning their first silverware in 20 years. Leading goalscorer Sylvan Ebanks-Blake also finished as the division's top scorer for a second consecutive season.

Season review

The close season saw the club continue their policy of signing young players with potential from the lower leagues, rather than pursuing their heavy investment strategy of early times. The close season saw the likes of Richard Stearman,[1] David Jones[2] and Sam Vokes[3] arrive, along with the experience of Chris Iwelumo,[4] while making a transfer profit with the sale of players such as Seyi Olofinjana,[5] Jay Bothroyd[6] and Freddy Eastwood.[7] The squad was also boosted by retaining their most valuable assets in Wayne Hennessey, Michael Kightly and the division's top goalscorer of last season, Sylvan Ebanks-Blake.

The season saw the club's strongest start since 1949–50, as a draw away to Plymouth preceded two runs of seven consecutive wins — scoring 23 goals and conceding only seven goals in the first eight games. Transfer deadline day saw the club add further defensive strength as three new defenders joined the ranks — George Friend,[8] Matt Hill[9] and Jason Shackell.[10] Although their winning streak was ended by a 3–0 home defeat to promotion rivals Reading, as well as a 5–2 defeat at Norwich, which saw Wolves surrender top spot to Birmingham City, Wolves rediscovered their winning form for the second run of seven consecutive wins to lead the table at Christmas.

After drawing their final two fixtures of 2008, Wolves endured a dismal start to 2009, winning just once in eleven league fixtures. Trying to arrest this slump, the January transfer window saw the arrival of three new faces: Kyel Reid[11] and Nigel Quashie[12] on loan for the remainder of the season from West Ham United; defender Christophe Berra also joined from Scottish club Hearts for £2.3million.[13] The FA Cup had brought some cheer with a fringe squad winning 2–0 at local rivals Birmingham in the 3rd Round, before the club exited the competition with a 2–1 home defeat to Premier League side Middlesbrough.

Weathering their bad run of league form, Wolves managed to regain an air of consistency, reinventing their game from the free-flowing, free-scoring football of the first third of the season to hold down a string of clean sheets and one goal margin victories against Crystal Palace and Sheffield Wednesday. With promotion rivals Birmingham City and Reading unable to take advantage of their poor run, March saw an upturn in Wolves' league form as the club took 13 points from a possible 15, strengthening their position at the top of the table that they had led since October.

With just seven games left on the Championship calendar, Aston Villa striker Marlon Harewood was loaned for the run-in,[14] though the team were also hit by the news that key midfielder Michael Kightly would miss the remainder of the season after suffering a broken metatarsal in his foot.[15] Further injury woe struck when Chris Iwelumo suffered medial ligament damage in a loss to local rivals Birmingham in April that ended a five-game unbeaten run.[16]

Championship trophy presentation at Molineux on the final day of the 2008-09 season.

However, Easter weekend brought 3–0 home win against struggling Southampton, followed by a 3–2 away victory at Derby County that gave Wolves a seven-point lead over third-placed Sheffield United. Promotion to the Premier League was confirmed on 18 April 2009 when a goal from Ebanks-Blake gave Wolves a 1–0 win over Queens Park Rangers. Seven days later, Wolves clinched their first league title since the 1988–89 season — and their first championship at Championship/Second Division level since 1976–77 — after a 1–1 draw at Barnsley brought the point they required for the title.

Wolves completed their season with a 1–0 home win over Doncaster Rovers, after which they were presented with the Championship trophy to crown their most successful season in decades as they returned to the top flight after a five-year absence.

Results

Pre season

Wolves conducted a short three-match tour of Scotland, their first visit in three years. As had become common in recent years, only their final game was held at their Molineux home. A second "Wolves XI" team largely comprising academy prospects and out of favour senior players also played a series of matches during this period.

"Wolves XI" pre season results (all away): 4–1 v Chasetown (18 July), 1–2 v Rhyl (26 July), 2–0 v Stafford Rangers (5 August)

Football League Championship

A total of 24 teams competed in the Championship in the 2008–09 season. Each team would play every other team twice, once at their stadium, and once at the opposition's. Three points were awarded to teams for each win, one point per draw, and none for defeats. The provisional fixture list was released on 16 June 2008, but was subject to change in the event of matches being selected for television coverage.[17]

Final table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Wolverhampton Wanderers 46 27 9 10 80 52 +28 90
2 Birmingham City 46 23 14 9 54 37 +17 83
3 Sheffield United 46 22 14 10 64 39 +25 80

Results summary

OverallHomeAway
PldWDLGFGAGDPtsWDLGFGAGDWDLGFGAGD
46 27 9 10 80 52 +28 90 15 5 3 44 21 +23 12 4 7 36 31 +5

Source: Statto.com

Results by round

Round12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031323334353637383940414243444546
Result D W W W W W W W L L W L W W W W W W W D L W W W D D L D L W D L L D L W W D W W L W W W D W
Position 10 4 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

Source: Statto.com

FA Cup

League Cup

Players

Statistics

Key

      ‡ On loan from another club       * First appearance(s) for the club

# = Squad number

Pos = Playing position

P = Number of games played

G = Number of goals scored

GK = Goalkeeper

DF = Defender

MF = Midfielder

FW = Forward

A yellow card = Yellow cards

A red card = Red cards

† Permanent player left club during the season

¤ Loaned to another club for part or all of season

Correct as of end of season. Starting appearances are listed first, followed by substitute appearances in parentheses where applicable.

No. Pos Name P G P G P G P G A yellow card A red card Notes
League FA Cup League Cup Total Discipline
1GKWales Hennessey, WayneWayne Hennessey 34(1)0201037(1)001
2DFScotland Collins, NeillNeill Collins 20(3)4202024(3)421
3DFCameroon Elokobi, GeorgeGeorge Elokobi 3(1)000104(1)000
4MFWales Edwards, DavidDavid Edwards 23(21)3202027(21)330
5DFEngland Stearman, RichardRichard Stearman 32(5)1102035(5)161
6DFEngland Craddock, JodyJody Craddock (c) 171000017120
7MFEngland Kightly, MichaelMichael Kightly 37(1)81(1)01039(2)870
8MFEngland Henry, KarlKarl Henry 42(1)0202044(1)0120
9FWEngland Ebanks-Blake, SylvanSylvan Ebanks-Blake 41250(2)00(1)041(3)2520
10FWRepublic of Ireland Keogh, AndyAndy Keogh 21(21)51(1)11(1)023(23)630
11DFRepublic of Ireland Ward, StephenStephen Ward 38(4)0101040(4)030
12GKEngland Higgs, ShaneShane Higgs 0000000000
13GKEngland Ward, DarrenDarren Ward 0000000000
14MFEngland Jones, DavidDavid Jones 31(3)4200(1)033(4)450
15DFEngland Little, MarkMark Little ¤ 0000000000
16MFEngland Davies, MarkMark Davies ¤ † 00000(1)10(1)100[nb 1]
16DFScotland Berra, ChristopheChristophe Berra 150000015040
17MFEngland Jarvis, MattMatt Jarvis 21(7)3100022(7)300
18FWWales Vokes, SamSam Vokes 4(32)622107(32)800
19FWScotland Iwelumo, ChrisChris Iwelumo 25(6)141(1)01(1)227(8)1641
20GKEngland Murray, MattMatt Murray ¤ 0000000000
21DFEngland Jones, DanielDaniel Jones ¤ 0000101000
22DFEngland Shackell, JasonJason Shackell ¤ 3(9)010004(9)000
23DFEngland Ward, DarrenDarren Ward ¤ 0(1)000101(1)000
24DFWales Edwards, RobRob Edwards † 0000000000[nb 2]
24MFTrinidad and Tobago Edwards, CarlosCarlos Edwards 5(1)000005(1)000
24MFEngland Reid, KyelKyel Reid 3(5)110004(5)100
25MFRepublic of Ireland Potter, DarrenDarren Potter ¤ 0000000000
26FWRepublic of Ireland Elliott, StephenStephen Elliott † 00000(1)00(1)000[nb 3]
26DFEngland Hill, MattMatt Hill 130100014020
27DFEngland Mancienne, MichaelMichael Mancienne 8(2)000008(2)020
27FWEngland Harewood, MarlonMarlon Harewood 2(3)000002(3)000
28MFEngland Friend, GeorgeGeorge Friend 4(2)010005(2)000
29MFRepublic of Ireland Gleeson, StephenStephen Gleeson ¤ 0000000000
30GKNigeria Ikeme, CarlCarl Ikeme 120001013000
31MFRepublic of Ireland Salmon, MarkMark Salmon 0000000000[nb 4]
31GKRepublic of Ireland Stack, GrahamGraham Stack 0000000000
32DFRepublic of Ireland Foley, KevinKevin Foley 451002047130
33MFEngland Gray, MichaelMichael Gray ¤ † 4(4)100206(4)100[nb 5]
34MFEngland Bailey, MattMatt Bailey ¤ 0000000000
35MFEngland Bennett, ElliottElliott Bennett ¤ 0000000000
36DFEngland Collins, LeeLee Collins ¤ † 0000000000[nb 6]
36MFScotland Quashie, NigelNigel Quashie 3000003000
37FWEngland Hughes, LiamLiam Hughes ¤ 0000000000[nb 7]
38MFEngland Gobern, LewisLewis Gobern ¤ 0000000000
39MFEngland Melbourne, AlexAlex Melbourne 0000000000
40DFEngland Williams, PeterPeter Williams ¤ 0000000000
41FWEngland Hemmings, AshleyAshley Hemmings ¤ 0(2)000000(2)000
43MFEngland Bennett, KyleKyle Bennett 0000000000
44DFEngland Batth, DannyDanny Batth 0000000000
45DFEngland Malone, ScottScott Malone ¤ 0000000000
  1. ↑ Davies was transferred during the season to Bolton Wanderers.
  2. ↑ Edwards was transferred before the season began to Blackpool.
  3. ↑ Elliott was transferred during the season to Preston North End.
  4. ↑ Salmon was released during the season.
  5. ↑ Gray was initially loaned to Sheffield Wednesday, and later transferred there permanently.
  6. ↑ Collins was initially loaned to Port Vale, and later transferred there permanently.
  7. ↑ Hughes was released during the season.

Awards

Award Winner[18]
Fans' Player of the Season Kevin Foley
Players' Player of the Season Sylvan Ebanks-Blake
Young Player of the Season Sam Vokes
Academy Player of the Season Scott Malone
Goal of the Season Andy Keogh (vs Derby County, 13 April 2009)

Transfers

In

Date Player From Fee
23 May 2008 Wales Sam Vokes Bournemouth Undisclosed[3]
25 June 2008 England Richard Stearman Leicester City £1.6 million[1]
27 June 2008 England David Jones Derby County £1.2 million[2]
14 July 2008 Scotland Chris Iwelumo Charlton Athletic £400,000[4]
1 September 2008 England Jason Shackell Norwich City £1 million[10]
1 September 2008 England Matt Hill Preston North EndUndisclosed[9]
1 September 2008 England George Friend Exeter City £350,000[8]
2 February 2009 Scotland Christophe Berra Hearts £2.3 million[13]

Out

Date Player To Fee
June 2008 Republic of Ireland Gary Breen ReleasedFree[19]
June 2008 England Keith Lowe ReleasedFree[19]
12 July 2008 Wales Freddy Eastwood Coventry City£1.2 million[7]
15 July 2008 Scotland Charlie Mulgrew Aberdeen£150,000[20]
26 July 2008 Nigeria Seyi Olofinjana Stoke City£3 million[5]
4 August 2008 England Jay Bothroyd Cardiff City£350,000[6]
6 August 2008 Wales Rob Edwards BlackpoolUndisclosed[21]
1 September 2008 Republic of Ireland Stephen Elliott Preston North EndUndisclosed[22]
January 2009 England Liam Hughes ReleasedFree
January 2009 Republic of Ireland Mark Salmon ReleasedFree
13 January 2009 Hungary Dénes Rósa ReleasedFree[23]
16 January 2009 England Lee Collins Port ValeFree[24]
26 January 2009 England Mark Davies Bolton WanderersUndisclosed[25]
2 February 2009 England Michael Gray Sheffield WednesdayFree[26]

Loans in

Start date Player From End date
2 October 2008 Trinidad and Tobago Carlos Edwards Sunderland 20 November 2008[27]
27 October 2008 England Michael Mancienne Chelsea 2 January 2009[28]
27 November 2008 England Shane Higgs Cheltenham Town End of season[29]
15 January 2009 England Kyel Reid West Ham United End of season[11]
22 January 2009 Scotland Nigel Quashie West Ham United End of season[12]
2 March 2009 Wales Darren Ward Sunderland End of season[30]
23 March 2009 England Marlon Harewood Aston Villa End of season[14]
26 March 2009 England Graham Stack Plymouth Argyle End of season[31]

Loans out

Start date Player To End date
23 July 2008 England Matt Bailey Burton Albion January 2009[32]
29 July 2008 England Elliott Bennett Bury End of season[33]
31 July 2008 England Lee Collins Port Vale 15 January 2009[34]
8 August 2008 Republic of Ireland Stephen Gleeson Stockport County January 2009[35]
22 August 2008 England Mark Little Northampton Town 22 October 2008[36]
18 September 2008 England Darren Ward Watford 29 November 2008 [37]
3 October 2009 England Daniel Jones Oldham Athletic 20 December 2008[38]
7 November 2008 England Peter Williams Kettering Town 30 November 2008
12 November 2008 England Matt Murray Hereford United 12 December 2008[39]
27 November 2008 England Mark Davies Leicester City 24 January 2009[40]
9 January 2009 England Michael Gray Sheffield Wednesday 2 February 2009[41]
15 January 2009 Republic of Ireland Darren Potter Sheffield Wednesday End of season[42]
15 January 2009 England Lewis Gobern Colchester United End of season[43]
30 January 2009 England Darren Ward Charlton Athletic End of season[44]
2 February 2009 England Daniel Jones Oldham Athletic End of season[45]
10 February 2009 England Jason Shackell Norwich City End of season[46]
23 February 2009 England Ashley Hemmings Cheltenham Town 23 March 2009
25 March 2009 Republic of Ireland Stephen Gleeson Milton Keynes Dons End of season[47]

Management and coaching staff

Position Name
Manager Mick McCarthy
Assistant Manager Terry Connor
Fitness Coach Tony Daley
Goalkeeping Coach Pat Mountain
Development Coach, 18–21's Steve Weaver
Academy Manager Kevin Thelwell
Assistant Academy Manager / Under-18's Coach John Perkins
Club Doctor Dr Matthew Perry
Head of Medical Department Steve Kemp
Club Physio Alan Peacham

Kit

The season saw a new home and away kit, both manufactured by Le Coq Sportif.[48] The away kit was all black with minor neon green piping.[49] Chaucer Consulting sponsored the club for a fifth and final season.

References

  1. 1 2 "Stearman swaps Foxes for Wolves". BBC Sport. 25 June 2008. Retrieved 20 April 2010.
  2. 1 2 "Wolves complete deal for Jones". BBC Sport. 27 June 2008. Retrieved 20 April 2010.
  3. 1 2 "Vokes joins Wolves from Cherries". BBC Sport. 23 May 2008. Retrieved 20 April 2010.
  4. 1 2 "Iwelumo completes Wolves switch". BBC Sport. 14 July 2008. Retrieved 20 April 2010.
  5. 1 2 "Stoke sign midfielder Olofinjana". BBC Sport. 26 July 2008. Retrieved 20 April 2010.
  6. 1 2 "Bothroyd completes Cardiff move". BBC Sport. 4 August 2008. Retrieved 20 April 2010.
  7. 1 2 "Eastwood seals switch to Coventry". BBC Sport. 12 July 2008. Retrieved 20 April 2010.
  8. 1 2 "Wolves capture Friend from Exeter". BBC Sport. 2 September 2008. Retrieved 20 April 2010.
  9. 1 2 "Hill surprised to leave Preston". BBC Sport. 2 September 2008. Retrieved 20 April 2010.
  10. 1 2 "Wolves capture defender Shackell". BBC Sport. 1 September 2008. Retrieved 20 April 2010.
  11. 1 2 "West Ham's Reid loaned to Wolves". BBC Sport. 15 January 2009. Retrieved 21 April 2010.
  12. 1 2 "Quashie makes loan move to Wolves". BBC Sport. 22 January 2009. Retrieved 21 April 2010.
  13. 1 2 "Berra completes Wolves transfer". BBC Sport. 2 February 2009. Retrieved 20 April 2010.
  14. 1 2 "Harewood signs for Wolves on loan". BBC Sport. 23 March 2009. Retrieved 23 April 2010.
  15. ↑ "Kightly's season ended by injury". BBC Sport. 1 April 2009. Retrieved 3 July 2010.
  16. ↑ "Birmingham 2–0 Wolves". BBC Sport. 6 April 2009. Retrieved 13 April 2010.
  17. ↑ "Relegated Reading start at Forest". BBC Sport. 16 June 2009. Retrieved 13 May 2010.
  18. ↑ "Live From The Awards Dinner!". wolves.co.uk. 30 April 2009. Archived from the original on 13 April 2010. Retrieved 23 April 2010.
  19. 1 2 "Wolves have end-of-term clear-out". BBC Sport. 9 May 2009. Retrieved 20 April 2010.
  20. ↑ "Aberdeen take Mulgrew from Wolves". BBC Sport. 15 July 2008. Retrieved 20 April 2010.
  21. ↑ "Blackpool sign defender Edwards". BBC Sport. 7 August 2008. Retrieved 20 April 2010.
  22. ↑ "Preston sign Elliott from Wolves". BBC Sport. 1 September 2008. Retrieved 20 April 2010.
  23. ↑ "Denes Departs". wolves.co.uk. 13 January 2009. Archived from the original on 7 April 2010. Retrieved 22 April 2010.
  24. ↑ "Collins and Brammer sign for Vale". BBC Sport. 16 January 2009. Retrieved 20 April 2010.
  25. ↑ "Davies Joins Bolton from Wolves". BBC Sport. 26 January 2009. Retrieved 20 April 2010.
  26. ↑ "Gray makes permanent Owls switch". BBC Sport. 2 February 2009. Retrieved 20 April 2010.
  27. ↑ "Wolves complete Edwards loan deal". BBC Sport. 2 October 2008. Retrieved 21 April 2010.
  28. ↑ "Chelsea loan Mancienne to Wolves". BBC Sport. 27 October 2008. Retrieved 21 April 2010.
  29. ↑ "Higgs in, Davies out for Wolves". BBC Sport. 28 November 2008. Retrieved 21 April 2010.
  30. ↑ "Wolves sign keeper Ward on loan". BBC Sport. 2 March 2009. Retrieved 21 April 2010.
  31. ↑ "Stacky's Back!". wolves.co.uk. 26 March 2009. Archived from the original on 20 April 2010. Retrieved 21 April 2010.
  32. ↑ "Burton bring in Wolves midfielder". BBC Sport. 23 July 2008. Retrieved 4 May 2010.
  33. ↑ "Bury keep Bennett for the season". BBC Sport. 18 December 2008. Retrieved 22 April 2010.
  34. ↑ "Collins makes Valiants loan move". BBC Sport. 31 July 2008. Retrieved 21 April 2010.
  35. ↑ "Hatters bring in Gleeson on loan". BBC Sport. 8 August 2008. Retrieved 21 April 2010.
  36. ↑ "Little leaves Wolves for Cobblers". BBC Sport. 22 August 2008. Retrieved 21 April 2010.
  37. ↑ "Loan pair to extend Watford stay". BBC Sport. 29 October 2008. Retrieved 21 April 2010.
  38. ↑ "Oldham sign Wolves' Jones on loan". BBC Sport. 3 October 2008. Retrieved 21 April 2010.
  39. ↑ "Murray heads for Hereford on loan". BBC Sport. 12 November 2008. Retrieved 21 April 2010.
  40. ↑ "Davies Deadline Day Deal Done". LCFC.co.uk. 27 November 2008. Retrieved 21 April 2010.
  41. ↑ "Owls sign Gray on short-term loan". BBC Sport. 9 January 2009. Retrieved 22 April 2010.
  42. ↑ "Owls sign Wolves' Potter on loan". BBC Sport. 15 January 2009. Retrieved 22 April 2010.
  43. ↑ "Winger Gobern moves to Colchester". BBC Sport. 15 January 2009. Retrieved 22 April 2010.
  44. ↑ "Charlton capture Kandol and Ward". BBC Sport. 30 January 2009. Retrieved 22 April 2010.
  45. ↑ "Wolves' Jones returns to Oldham". BBC Sport. 2 February 2009. Retrieved 22 April 2010.
  46. ↑ "Shackell Returns To Norwich On Loan". wolves.co.uk. 10 February 2009. Archived from the original on 14 March 2010. Retrieved 21 April 2010.
  47. ↑ "MK Dons snap up Wolves midfielder". BBC Sport. 25 March 2009. Retrieved 21 April 2010.
  48. ↑ "New home kit unveiled". wolves.co.uk. 2 May 2008. Retrieved 23 April 2010.
  49. ↑ "Away kit". wolves.co.uk. 24 June 2008. Retrieved 23 April 2010.
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