Wikipedia

1982–83 Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. season

The 1982–83 season was the 84th of competitive league football in the history of Wolverhampton Wanderers. They finished runners-up in the Second Division to win promotion back to the First Division after one season away.

Wolverhampton Wanderers
1982–83 season
ChairmanDerek Dougan
ManagerEngland Graham Hawkins
StadiumMolineux
Football League Second Division2nd (promoted)
Milk CupSecond round
FA CupFourth round
Top goalscorerLeague:
Mel Eves (18)
All:
Mel Eves (19)
Highest home attendance22,567 v Leeds United (Division Two, 3 January 1983)
Lowest home attendance11,856 v Middlesbrough (Division Two, 4 December 1982)
Average home league attendance15,683

Season summary

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Wolves were relegated from the First Division at the end of the 1981–82 season and went into receivership as financial difficulties following construction of the new John Ireland stand caught up with them. They came close to liquidation but were saved at the eleventh hour by a consortium fronted by former player Derek Dougan.[1]

Dougan sacked manager Ian Greaves and replaced him with former Wolves teammate Graham Hawkins.[2] Hawkins named Jim Barron as his assistant and put Frank Upton in charge of the youth team with a brief that young players would be important to the first team due to the club's tight budget.[3] Indeed, three teenagers – Dave Wintersgill, Billy Livingstone and Paul Butler – made their debuts against Blackburn Rovers on the opening day of the new season.[4]

Wolves were unbeaten for the first 10 matches and also went 817 minutes without conceding a league goal. Both runs were ended by Leicester City on 16 October,[5] the first of five defeats in seven matches, but an 11-match unbeaten run followed and a 3–0 win over Leeds United on 3 January took Wolves six points clear at the top of the division. Promotion was secured by a 3–3 draw at Charlton Athletic on 2 May, despite Wolves struggling for form in the latter half of the campaign and eventually finishing 10 points behind champions Queens Park Rangers.[6]

Squad

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Substitute appearances indicated in brackets
Pos. Nat. Name League Milk Cup FA Cup Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
GK   ENG Paul Bradshaw 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
GK   ENG John Burridge 42 0 2 0 2 0 46 0
DF   IRE Hugh Atkinson 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
DF   ENG Bobby Coy 15(3) 0 2 0 0 0 17(3) 0
DF   ENG Alan Dodd 27 3 0 0 2 0 29 3
DF   ENG Joe Gallagher 3 0 0 0 0 0 3 0
DF   ENG Mike Hollifield 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
DF   ENG John Humphrey 42 3 2 0 2 0 46 3
DF   ENG Geoff Palmer 40(1) 5 2 0 2 0 44(1) 5
DF   IRE John Pender 39 1 2 0 2 0 43 1
DF   SCO Gordon Smith 24(3) 2 1 0 2 0 27(3) 2
MF   ENG Paul Butler 1(7) 0 0(2) 0 0 0 1(9) 0
MF   ENG Ian Cartwright 7(2) 1 0 0 0 0 7(2) 1
MF   ENG Peter Daniel 13 0 2 0 0 0 15 0
MF   ENG Kenny Hibbitt 27(4) 2 1 0 2 1 30(4) 3
MF   SCO Billy Kellock 9 3 0 0 0 0 9 3
MF   IRE Anthony Kernan 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
MF   ENG Mick Matthews 40 5 2 0 2 0 44 5
MF   ENG Dale Rudge 8 0 0 0 1 0 9 0
MF   ENG Dave Wintersgill 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 0
FW   ENG Wayne Clarke 38(1) 12 2 0 1 0 41(1) 12
FW   IRE John Croke 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
FW   ENG Mel Eves 40 18 2 1 2 0 44 19
FW   SCO Andy Gray 33 10 1 0 2 0 36 10
FW   ENG Billy Livingstone 10(1) 3 1 0 0 0 11(1) 3
FW   ENG John Richards 2(2) 0 0 0 0 0 2(2) 0

[7]

Second Division

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Pos Team
 Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Relegation
1 Queens Park Rangers (C, P) 42 26 7 9 77 36 +41 85 Promotion to the First Division
2 Wolverhampton Wanderers (P) 42 20 15 7 68 44 +24 75
3 Leicester City (P) 42 20 10 12 72 44 +28 70
4 Fulham 42 20 9 13 64 47 +17 69
5 Newcastle United 42 18 13 11 75 53 +22 67
Source: [citation needed]
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored
(C) Champions; (P) Promoted

Results

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Second Division

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Main article: 1982–83 Football League
28 August 1982 1 Wolverhampton Wanderers 2–1 Blackburn Rovers Wolverhampton
Eves   48', 77' Garner   23' Stadium: Molineux
Attendance: 15,605
31 August 1982 2 Chelsea 0–0 Wolverhampton Wanderers London
Stadium: Stamford Bridge
Attendance: 14,192
4 September 1982 3 Leeds United 0–0 Wolverhampton Wanderers Leeds
Stadium: Elland Road
Attendance: 16,462
7 September 1982 4 Wolverhampton Wanderers 5–0 Charlton Athletic Wolverhampton
Eves   5'
Gray   41'
Palmer   50' (pen.)
Clarke   80'
Matthews   85'		 Stadium: Molineux
Attendance: 13,063
11 September 1982 5 Wolverhampton Wanderers 2–0 Barnsley Wolverhampton
Humphrey   60'
Eves   65'		 Stadium: Molineux
Attendance: 15,065
18 September 1982 6 Bolton Wanderers 0–1 Wolverhampton Wanderers Bolton
Livingstone   85' Stadium: Burnden Park
Attendance: 9264
25 September 1982 7 Wolverhampton Wanderers 2–0 Rotherham United Wolverhampton
Clarke   3'
Humphrey   69'		 Stadium: Molineux
Attendance: 16,377
2 October 1982 8 Carlisle United 0–2 Wolverhampton Wanderers Carlisle
Smith   4'
Livingstone   36'		 Stadium: Brunton Park
Attendance: 7723
9 October 1982 9 Sheffield Wednesday 0–0 Wolverhampton Wanderers Sheffield
Stadium: Hillsborough
Attendance: 21,519
16 October 1982 10 Wolverhampton Wanderers 0–3 Leicester City Wolverhampton
Wilson   29'
Lineker   34'
English   89'		 Stadium: Molineux
Attendance: 15,782
30 October 1982 11 Wolverhampton Wanderers 2–1 Derby County Wolverhampton
Palmer   41' (pen.)
Gray   55'		 Wilson   61' Stadium: Molineux
Attendance: 13,802
2 November 1982 12 Cambridge United 2–1 Wolverhampton Wanderers Cambridge
Lockhart   34'
Reilly   76'		 Eves   89' Stadium: Abbey Stadium
Attendance: 4571
6 November 1982 13 Wolverhampton Wanderers 3–0 Grimsby Town Wolverhampton
Gray   15'
Eves   46'
Clarke   62'		 Stadium: Molineux
Attendance: 12,701
13 November 1982 14 Oldham Athletic 4–1 Wolverhampton Wanderers Oldham
Ryan   15'
Wylde   50', 77', 86'		 Hibbitt   65' Stadium: Boundary Park
Attendance: 7962
20 November 1982 15 Wolverhampton Wanderers 2–4 Fulham Wolverhampton
Clarke   10'
Gray   41'		 Lewington   26'
Davies   59', 73'
Wilson   85'		 Stadium: Molineux
Attendance: 14,447
27 November 1982 16 Crystal Palace 3–4 Wolverhampton Wanderers London
Cannon   2'
Jones   4'
Hinshelwood   55'		 Matthews   6', 72'
Clarke   33'
Gray   42'		 Stadium: Selhurst Park
Attendance: 10,225
4 December 1982 17 Wolverhampton Wanderers 4–0 Middlesbrough Wolverhampton
Eves   2', 31'
Cartwright   20'
Dodd   83'		 Stadium: Molineux
Attendance: 11,854
11 December 1982 18 Newcastle United 1–1 Wolverhampton Wanderers Newcastle upon Tyne
Wharton   6' Eves   16' Stadium: St James' Park
Attendance: 19,485
18 December 1982 19 Wolverhampton Wanderers 4–0 Queens Park Rangers Wolverhampton
Humphrey   51'
Clarke   74'
Palmer   78' (pen.)
Dodd   89'		 Stadium: Molineux
Attendance: 15,423
27 December 1982 20 Shrewsbury Town 0–2 Wolverhampton Wanderers Shrewsbury
Clarke   34', 55' Stadium: Gay Meadow
Attendance: 13,336
28 December 1982 21 Wolverhampton Wanderers 2–0 Burnley Wolverhampton
Eves   70'
Gray   89'		 Stadium: Molineux
Attendance: 21,961
1 January 1983 22 Fulham 1–3 Wolverhampton Wanderers London
Lewington   38' Pender   26'
Clarke   45'
Eves   76'		 Stadium: Craven Cottage
Attendance: 17,196
3 January 1983 23 Wolverhampton Wanderers 3–0 Leeds United Wolverhampton
Clarke   32'
Gray   70'
Eves   84'		 Stadium: Molineux
Attendance: 22,567
15 January 1983 24 Blackburn Rovers 2–2 Wolverhampton Wanderers Blackburn
Branagan   31'
Keeley   44'		 Matthews   55'
Dodd   62'		 Stadium: Ewood Park
Attendance: 7441
22 January 1983 25 Wolverhampton Wanderers 2–1 Chelsea Wolverhampton
Eves   5'
Clarke   72'		 Pates   38' Stadium: Molineux
Attendance: 19,533
5 February 1983 26 Barnsley 2–1 Wolverhampton Wanderers Barnsley
Banks   15'
Parker   88'		 Smith   12' Stadium: Oakwell
Attendance: 13,575
12 February 1983 27 Wolverhampton Wanderers 2–1 Carlisle United Wolverhampton
Eves   45'
Livingstone   89'		 Bannon   15' Stadium: Molineux
Attendance: 13,171
26 February 1983 28 Leicester City 5–0 Wolverhampton Wanderers Leicester
Lynex   15', 39'
A. Smith   29'
Lineker   59'
Daly   74'		 Stadium: Filbert Street
Attendance: 13,530
1 March 1983 29 Wolverhampton Wanderers 1–0 Sheffield Wednesday Wolverhampton
Clarke   25' (pen.) Stadium: Molineux
Attendance: 16,656
5 March 1983 30 Wolverhampton Wanderers 1–1 Cambridge United Wolverhampton
Eves   76' Mayo   87' Stadium: Molineux
Attendance: 13,204
12 March 1983 31 Derby County 1–1 Wolverhampton Wanderers Derby
Swindlehurst   33' Kellock   77' Stadium: Baseball Ground
Attendance: 17,644
19 March 1983 32 Grimsby Town 1–1 Wolverhampton Wanderers Cleethorpes
Waters   21' (pen.) Eves   50' Stadium: Blundell Park
Attendance: 7624
26 March 1983 33 Wolverhampton Wanderers 0–0 Oldham Athletic Wolverhampton
Stadium: Molineux
Attendance: 12,940
2 April 1983 34 Burnley 0–1 Wolverhampton Wanderers Burnley
Palmer   7' Stadium: Turf Moor
Attendance: 9593
4 April 1983 35 Wolverhampton Wanderers 2–2 Shrewsbury Town Wolverhampton
Palmer   13' (pen.)
Eves   16'		 Bates   36', 82' Stadium: Molineux
Attendance: 17,509
9 April 1983 36 Rotherham United 1–1 Wolverhampton Wanderers Rotherham
Seasman   59' Hibbitt   6' Stadium: Millmoor
Attendance: 7286
16 April 1983 37 Wolverhampton Wanderers 0–0 Bolton Wanderers Wolverhampton
Stadium: Molineux
Attendance: 12,723
23 April 1983 38 Middlesbrough 0–0 Wolverhampton Wanderers Middlesbrough
Stadium: Ayresome Park
Attendance: 10,314
30 April 1983 39 Wolverhampton Wanderers 1–0 Crystal Palace Wolverhampton
Gray   52' Stadium: Molineux
Attendance: 12,523
2 May 1983 40 Charlton Athletic 3–3 Wolverhampton Wanderers London
Smith   55'
White   57'
Hales   67'		 Kellock   10', 23'
Eves   33'		 Stadium: The Valley
Attendance: 7935
7 May 1983 41 Queens Park Rangers 2–1 Wolverhampton Wanderers London
Flanagan   21'
Hazell   85'		 Gray   42' Stadium: Loftus Road
Attendance: 19,854
14 May 1983 42 Wolverhampton Wanderers 2–2 Newcastle United Wolverhampton
Matthews   25'
Gray   39'		 McDonald   40'
Varadi   44'		 Stadium: Molineux
Attendance: 22,446

[8]

Milk Cup

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Main article: 1982–83 Football League Cup
5 October 1982 2nd Round 1st Leg Wolverhampton Wanderers 1–1 Sunderland Wolverhampton
Eves   40' Rowell   6' (pen.) Stadium: Molineux
Attendance: 13,662
27 October 1982 2nd Round 2nd Leg Sunderland 5–0 Wolverhampton Wanderers Sunderland
Chisholm   1', 10'
Hindmarch   9'
Rowell   16'
McCoist   55'		 Stadium: Roker Park
Attendance: 11,091

[8]

FA Cup

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Main article: 1982–83 FA Cup
8 January 1983 3rd Round Tranmere Rovers 0–1 Wolverhampton Wanderers Birkenhead
Hibbitt   69' Stadium: Prenton Park
Attendance: 10,803
29 January 1983 4th Round Aston Villa 1–0 Wolverhampton Wanderers Birmingham
Withe   20' Stadium: Villa Park
Attendance: 43,121

[8]

References

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  1. ^ "Wolves are saved by last-minute deal". The Times. London. 31 July 1982. p. 17.
  2. ^ Tossell 2012, p. 229
  3. ^ Hawkins 2022, p. 103
  4. ^ Hawkins 2022, p. 107
  5. ^ Hawkins 2022, p. 109
  6. ^ Hawkins 2022, p. 111
  7. ^ Rothmans 1983-84, pp. 396–398
  8. ^ a b c wolvescompletehistory.co.uk - 1982/83 Second Division
Bibliography
  • Tossell, David (2012). In Sunshine Or In Shadow: A Journey Through the Life of Derek Dougan. Pitch. ISBN 978-1-908051-39-4.
  • Hawkins, Kirstie (2022). A Marriage Made In Football. Amazon. ISBN 9798839490499.
  • Rothmans Football Yearbook 1983-84 (Editor: Tony Williams). London: Queen Anne Press. ISBN 0-356-09727-7.
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