Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club is an English football club based in Wolverhampton. The club was founded as St Luke's in 1877, soon becoming Wolverhampton Wanderers, before being a founder member of the Football League in 1888.[1] Since that time, the club has played in all four professional divisions of the English football pyramid, and been champions of all these levels.[2] They have also been involved in European football, having been one of the first English clubs to enter the European Cup, as well as reaching the final of the first staging of the UEFA Cup.[3]
This list encompasses all honours won by Wolverhampton Wanderers and records set by the club, their managers and their players. The player records section includes details of the club's leading goalscorers and those who have made most appearances in first-team competitions, as well as transfer fee records paid and received by the club. A list of streaks recording all elements of the game (wins, losses, clean sheets, etc.) is also presented.
Honours
editIn the all-time top flight league table since the league's inception in 1888, Wolves sit in the top fifteen, in terms of all-time English first level league position.[4]
Alternatively, they sit in the top four, behind only Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal in terms of all-time league position from points gained at any level of English professional football.[4]
Cumulatively, they are the joint 11th most successful club in domestic English football history, tied with Nottingham Forest. One place behind Blackburn Rovers, with nine major trophy wins, not including super cups. Alternatively they are joint 10th with Nottingham Forrest, in competitive honours with 13 trophy wins, behind Newcastle United.(see here).
Uniquely, they are the only club to have won titles in five different Football League divisions,[2] and, in 1988, became the first team to have been champions of all four professional leagues in English football; although this feat has since been matched by Burnley (in 1992) and Preston (in 1996). They remain the only club to have won all the main domestic cup competitions (FA Cup, League Cup and EFL Trophy) currently contested in English football.[5]
League
edit- Champions: 1987–88
Cup
edit- Runners-up: 1972
- Winners: 1988
- Winners: 1971
Minor honours
edit- Winners: 2019
- Winners: 2018
- Winners: 1942
- Champions 1967 – playing as Los Angeles Wolves
- Winners 1969 – playing as Kansas City Spurs
Premier League 2 Division 2
- Winners 2018-19
- Winners 1931–32, 1950–51, 1951–52, 1952–53, 1957–58, 1958–59
- Winners 1891–92, 1892–93, 1893–94, 1899–1900, 1901–02, 1923–24, 1986–87
- Runners-up 1888–89, 1896–97, 1897–98, 1903–04, 1906–07, 1908–09, 1912–13, 1998–99, 2003–04, 2016–17
Birmingham Football Combination
- Winners 1934–35
- Winners 1892–93, 1897–98, 1898–99, 1900–01, 1953–54, 1957–58, 1958–59
Worcestershire Football Combination
- Winners 1957–58
- Winners 1887–88, 1893–94, 1966–67
- Runners Up 1884–85
- Winners 2001
- Runners Up 1885–86
- Winners 1884 (First ever trophy)
Daily Express National Five-a-Sides
- Winners 1975, 1976
- Winners 2009
Players
editAppearances
edit- Most appearances[1]
Note: Competitive first-team games only; substitute appearances are included in total.
| Rank | Player | Years | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Other[C] | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Derek Parkin |
1968–1982 | 501 | 46 | 35 | 27 | 609 |
| 2 | Kenny Hibbitt |
1968–1984 | 466 | 47 | 36 | 25 | 574 |
| 3 | Steve Bull |
1986–1999 | 474 | 20 | 33 | 34 | 561 |
| 4 | Billy Wright |
1939–1959 | 490 | 48 | 0 | 3 | 541 |
| 5 | Ron Flowers |
1952–1967 | 467 | 31 | 0 | 14 | 512 |
| 6 | John McAlle |
1967–1981 | 406 | 44 | 27 | 31 | 508 |
| 7 | Peter Broadbent |
1951–1965 | 452 | 31 | 0 | 14 | 497 |
| 8 | Geoff Palmer |
1971–1984 | 416 | 38 | 33 | 8 | 495 |
| 9 | Jimmy Mullen |
1937–1960 | 445 | 38 | 0 | 3 | 486 |
| John Richards |
1969–1983 | 385 | 44 | 33 | 24 |
- Most League appearances: 501 – Derek Parkin (1968–1982)[1]
- Most FA Cup appearances: 48 – Harry Wood (1885–1898) and Billy Wright (1939–1959)[1]
- Most League Cup appearances: 36 – Kenny Hibbitt (1968–1984)[1]
- Most European appearances: 18 – Derek Dougan (1967–1975)[1]
- Most consecutive appearances: 171 – Phil Parkes (127 league), September 1970 to September 1973[1]
- Youngest player: Jimmy Mullen, 16 years 43 days (vs Leeds United, 18 February 1939)[1]
- Oldest player: Archie Goodall, 41 years 116 days (vs Everton, Division 1; 2 December 1905)[1]
Goalscorers
edit- Highest goalscorers[1]
Note: Goals scored in competitive first-team games only
| Rank | Player | Years | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Europe | Other[C] | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Steve Bull |
1986–1999 | 250 | 7 | 18 | 0 | 31 | 306 |
| 2 | John Richards |
1969–1983 | 144 | 24 | 18 | 4 | 4 | 194 |
| 3 | Billy Hartill |
1928–1935 | 162 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 170 |
| 4 | Johnny Hancocks |
1946–1957 | 157 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 167 |
| 5 | Jimmy Murray |
1955–1963 | 155 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 166 |
| 6 | Peter Broadbent |
1951–1965 | 127 | 10 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 145 |
| 7 | Harry Wood |
1887–1898 | 110 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 126 |
| 8 | Dennis Westcott |
1937–1948 | 105 | 19 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 124 |
| 9 |  Derek Dougan |
1967–1975 | 95 | 4 | 7 | 12 | 5 | 123 |
| 10 | Roy Swinbourne |
1945–1957 | 107 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 114 |
- Most goals in a season in all competitions: 52 – Steve Bull (1987–88, Division 4)[1]
- Most League goals in a season: 38 – Dennis Westcott (1946–47, Division 1)[1]
- Most top flight goals scored: 158 – Johnny Hancocks (1946–57)[1]
- Most Premier League goals scored: 36 – Raúl Jiménez (as of 3 November 2021)
- Most goals in European competition: 12 – Derek Dougan (1967–75)[1]
- Most hat-tricks scored: 18 – Steve Bull (1986–99)[1]
- Most goals scored in a match: 5[1]
- Joe Butcher vs Accrington, 19 November 1892 (Division 1)
- Tom Phillipson vs Bradford City, 25 December 1926 (Division 2)
- Billy Hartill vs Notts County, 12 October 1929 (Division 2)
- Billy Hartill vs Aston Villa, 3 September 1934 (Division 1)
- Fastest recorded goal: 15 seconds – John Richards vs Burnley, 15 November 1975[1]
Internationals
edit- First international: Charlie Mason for England vs Ireland, 17 March 1884[6]
- Most international caps received whilst signed to Wolves: Billy Wright – 105 for England (1939–59)[6]
- Most international goals scored whilst signed to Wolves: 10 – Ron Flowers and Dennis Wilshaw (both England)[6]
- Most World Cup Finals appearances whilst signed to Wolves: 10 – Billy Wright (England, 1950–58)[6]
Award winners
edit- Football Writers' Footballer of the Year
Billy Wright – 1952[6]- Bill Slater – 1960[6]
Transfers
editRecord paid
edit| No. | Name | Fee | Paid to | Date | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Matheus Cunha
|
£44,000,000 |  Atlético Madrid |
1 September 2023 | [7] |
| 2 |  Matheus Nunes
|
£38,000,000 | Sporting CP |
17 August 2022 | [8] |
| 3 | Fábio Silva
|
£35,000,000 | Porto |
5 September 2020 | [9] |
| 4 |  Raúl Jiménez
|
£32,000,000 | Benfica |
1 July 2019 | [10] |
| 5 | Gonçalo Guedes
|
£27,500,000 | Valencia |
8 August 2022 | [11] |
- Progression of record fee paid[6]
| Date | Player | Bought from | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| September 1963 | Ray Crawford |
Ipswich Town | £55,000 |
| February 1968 | Derek Parkin |
Huddersfield Town | £80,000 |
| July 1972 | Steve Kindon |
Burnley | £100,000 |
| September 1977 | Paul Bradshaw |
Blackburn Rovers | £150,000 |
| September 1979 |  Andy Gray |
Aston Villa | £1,500,000 |
| March 1995 | Dean Richards |
Bradford City | £1,850,000 |
| September 1999 |  Ade Akinbiyi |
Bristol City | £3,500,000 |
| June 2009 |  Kevin Doyle |
Reading | £6,500,000 |
| June 2010 | Steven Fletcher |
Burnley | £6,500,000 |
| August 2016 | Ivan Cavaleiro |
 Monaco |
£7,000,000 |
| January 2017 |  Hélder Costa |
Benfica |
£13,000,000 |
| July 2017 | Rúben Neves |
Porto |
£15,800,000 |
| August 2018 | Adama Traoré |
Middlesbrough | £18,000,000 |
| July 2019 | Raúl Jiménez |
Benfica |
£32,000,000 |
| September 2020 | Fábio Silva |
Porto |
£35,000,000 |
| August 2022 | Matheus Nunes |
Sporting CP |
£38,000,000 |
| August 2022 | Matheus Cunha |
Atlético Madrid |
£44,000,000 |
Record received
edit| No. | Name | Fee | Paid by | Date | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pedro Neto
|
£54,000,000 | Chelsea |
11 August 2024 | [12] |
| 2 | Matheus Nunes
|
£53,000,000 | Manchester City |
1 September 2023 | [13] |
| 3 | Rúben Neves
|
£47,000,000 |  Al-Hilal |
1 July 2023 | [14] |
| 4 | Diogo Jota
|
£41,000,000 | Liverpool |
19 September 2020 | [15] |
| 5 | Max Kilman
|
£40,000,000 | West Ham United |
6 July 2024 | [16] |
- Progression of record fee received
| Date | Player | Sold to | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| November 1961 | Eddie Clamp |
Arsenal | £45,000 |
| September 1967 | Ernie Hunt |
Everton | £81,000 |
| March 1974 | Jim McCalliog |
Manchester United | £81,000 |
| March 1975 | Peter Eastoe |
Swindon Town | £88,000 |
| November 1977 | Alan Sunderland |
Arsenal | £248,000 |
| September 1979 | Steve Daley |
Manchester City | £1,440,000 |
| July 1997 | Neil Emblen |
Crystal Palace | £2,250,000 |
| August 1999 | Robbie Keane |
Coventry City | £8,100,000 |
| August 2012 | Matt Jarvis |
West Ham United | £10,750,000 |
| August 2012 | Steven Fletcher |
Sunderland | £14,000,000 |
| July 2020 | Hélder Costa |
Leeds United | £15,600,000 |
| September 2020 | Diogo Jota |
Liverpool | £41,000,000 |
| July 2023 | Rúben Neves |
Al-Hilal |
£47,000,000 |
| September 2023 | Matheus Nunes |
Manchester City | £53,000,000 |
Managers
edit- Longest-serving manager: Jack Addenbrooke – 36 years, 10 months
- Shortest-serving manager: Bill McGarry (second spell) – 61 days
- Youngest manager when appointed: Jack Addenbrooke – 20 years old
- Oldest manager when appointed: Bill McGarry (second spell) – 58 years old
Team records
editMatches
edit- Firsts[1]
- First known match: St Luke's 0–8 Stafford Road, 13 January 1877
- First FA Cup match: Wolves 4–1 Long Eaton Rangers, 1st round, 27 October 1883
- First Football League match: Wolves 1–1 Aston Villa, 8 September 1888
- First match at Molineux: Wolves 1–0 Aston Villa, friendly, 2 September 1889
- First European match: Wolves 2–2 Schalke, European Cup 2nd round 1st leg, 12 November 1958
- First League Cup match: Wolves 2–1 Mansfield Town, 2nd round, 13 September 1966
- Record wins[17]
- Record win: 14–0 vs Crosswell's Brewery, FA Cup 2nd round, 13 November 1886
- Record League win: 10–1 vs Leicester City, Division 1, 15 April 1938
- Record FA Cup win: 14–0 vs Crosswell's Brewery, FA Cup 2nd round, 13 November 1886
- Record League Cup win: 6–1 vs Shrewsbury Town, 2nd round 1st leg, 24 September 1991
- Record European win: 5–0 vs Austria Vienna, European Cup Winners' Cup quarter-final 2nd leg, 30 November 1960
- Record home win (league): 10–1 vs Leicester City, Division 1, 15 April 1938
- Record home win (cup): 14–0 vs Crosswell's Brewery, FA Cup 2nd round, 13 November 1886
- Record away win (league): 9–1 vs Cardiff City, Division 1, 3 September 1955
- Record away win (cup): 5–0 vs Grimsby Town, FA Cup semi-final, 25 March 1939 (neutral venue)
- Record defeats[17]
- Record defeat: 1–10 vs Newton Heath, Division 1, 15 October 1892
- Record League defeat: 1–10 vs Newton Heath, Division 1, 15 October 1892
- Record FA Cup defeat: 0–6 vs Rotherham United, 1st round, 16 November 1985
- Record League Cup defeat: 0–6 vs Chelsea, 3rd round, 25 September 2012
- Record European defeat: 0–4 vs Barcelona, European Cup 2nd round first leg, 10 February 1960
- Record home defeat (league): 0–8 vs West Bromwich Albion, Division 1, 27 December 1897
- Record home defeat (cup): 3–6 vs Derby County, FA Cup 3rd round, 14 January 1933
- Record away defeat (league): 1–10 vs Newton Heath, Division 1, 15 October 1892
- Record away defeat (cup): 0–6 vs Rotherham United, FA Cup 1st round, 16 November 1985; and vs Chelsea, League Cup 3rd round, 25 September 2012
- Streaks[17]
Note: Applies to League games only
- Longest run of consecutive full seasons playing in Tier 1 of English football: 26 (1932 – 1965) [n.b. 1939–40 season was abandoned due to outbreak of World War II and there was no full league football between 1940 and 1946 due to the conflict]
- Longest run of consecutive full seasons playing in Tier 2 of English football: 14 (1989 – 2003)
- Longest unbeaten run: 21 games (January – August 2005)
- Longest unbeaten run in home games: 27 games (March 1923 – September 1924)
- Longest unbeaten run in away games: 11 games (September 1953 – January 1954)
- Longest winning run: 9 games (January – March 2014)
- Longest winning run in home games: 14 games (March – December 1953)
- Longest winning run in away games: 5 games (during 1938, 1962, 1980, 2001, 2013)
- Longest winless run: 19 games (December 1984 – April 1985)
- Longest winless run in home games: 13 games (November 1984 – May 1985)
- Longest winless run in away games: 32 games (March 1922 – October 1923)
- Longest scoring run: 41 games (December 1958 – December 1959)
- Longest scoreless run: 7 games (February – March 1985)
- Longest run of clean sheets: 8 games (August – October 1982)
- Longest run without a clean sheet: 30 games (September 2011 – April 2012)
Goals
edit- Most league goals scored in a season: 115 (Division 2; 1931–32)
- Fewest league goals scored in a season: 27 (Division 1; 1983–84)
- Most league goals conceded in a season: 99 (Division 1; 1905–06)
- Fewest league goals conceded in a season: 27 (Division 3; 1923–24)
- Most goals scored in a game (league): 10 (vs Leicester City, Division 1, 15 April 1938)
- Most goals scored in a game (cup): 14 (vs Crosswell's Brewery, FA Cup 2nd round, 13 November 1886)
Points
edit- Most points in a season:[1]
- Two points for a win: 64 (Division 1, 1957–58)
- Three points for a win: 103 (League One, 2013–14)
- Fewest points in a season:[1]
- Two points for a win: 21 (Division 1, 1895–96)
- Three points for a win: 25 (Premier League, 2011–12)
Attendances
edit- Highest home attendance: 61,315 vs Liverpool, FA Cup 4th Round, 11 February 1939[1]
- Highest league attendance: 58,661 vs West Bromwich Albion, Division 1, 15 October 1949[1]
- Highest average league attendance: 45,346 (1949–50 season)[1]
Season-by-season performance
editMiscellaneous feats
edit- Wolves were awarded, and scored from, the Football League's first ever penalty kick on 14 September 1891.[18]
- Wolves were the first (and as of 2014 only) English league team to pass the 100-goal mark for four seasons in succession, in the 1957–58, 1958–59, 1959–60 and 1960–61 seasons.
- In 2005 Wolves became the first team to have scored 7,000 league goals[19] and currently trail only Manchester United and Liverpool in terms of total league goals (as of the end of the 2016–17 season).[4]
References
edit- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w Matthews, Tony (2008). Wolverhampton Wanderers: The Complete Record. Derby: Breedon Books. ISBN 978-1-85983-632-3.
- ^ a b "Wolves: The only team to have won it all". The Guardian. 9 August 2001.
- ^ "Wolverhampton Wanderers". Football Club History Database.
- ^ a b c "a) England – First Level All-Time Tables". -—-—."b) England – Professional Football All-Time Tables". RSSSF.
- ^ "Wolves completed the set when they won the (then) Sherpa Van Trophy in 1988. Apart from four FA Cups (1893, 1908, 1949, 1960), three First Division championships (1953–54, 1957–58, 1958–59) and two League Cups (1974, 1980), the Wolves set also includes the Charity Shield (beating Forest in 1959), the FA Youth Cup (1958) and the Anglo-Scottish Cup (1971). Having also won the Second Division (1931–32, 1976–77), the Third Division (1988–89), the Third Division North (1923–24) and the Fourth Division (1987–88)", only the renamed Championship remained and was duly completed (2008–09). Bryant, Tom; Roopanarine, Les; Chesterton, George; "KNOWLEDGE ARCHIVE" Guardian.co.uk, 3 October 2007
- ^ a b c d e f g Matthews, Tony (2001). The Wolves Who's Who. West Midlands: Britespot. ISBN 1-904103-01-4.
- ^ "Wolves confirm Matheus Cunha signing from Atlético Madrid in £44m deal". The Guardian. 25 December 2022. Retrieved 30 April 2024.
- ^ "Matheus Nunes: Wolves sign Portugal midfielder for club record £38m fee". BBC Sport. 18 August 2022. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
- ^ "Wolves sign teenage striker Fabio Silva from Porto for record £35.6m". BBC Sport. 5 September 2020. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
- ^ "Raul Jimenez: Wolves sign Benfica striker for club record £30m". BBC Sport. 4 April 2019. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
- ^ "Goncalo Guedes: Wolves complete £27.5m signing of Portugal forward from Valencia". BBC Sport. 8 August 2022. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
- ^ "Chelsea sign £54m Neto from Wolves". 11 August 2024. Retrieved 11 August 2024.
- ^ "Manchester City sign Matheus Nunes from Wolves for £53m". BBC Sport. 1 September 2023. Retrieved 1 September 2023.
- ^ "Ruben Neves: Wolves captain joins Saudi Arabia's Al-Hilal for club record £47m". BBC Sport. 23 June 2023. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
- ^ "Liverpool sign Diogo Jota for £50m from Wolves as Ki-Jana Hoever moves to Molineux". BBC Sport. 19 September 2020. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
- ^ "West Ham sign Wolves defender Kilman for £40m". BBC Sport. 6 July 2024. Retrieved 21 April 2024.
- ^ a b c "Wolverhampton Wanderers : Records". Statto.
- ^ "Happened on this day – 14 September". BBC News. 14 September 2002.
- ^ "Club Records". Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. 15 September 2010.