Sunday, May 13, 2018

I'm a teenager again ; My boyhood team's successful jersey signed by 3 'legends'



Comes complete in an aluminium casing and rubber back 

Recently with the resurgence if my boyhood football team this last season, I am transformed back to the 70s when I watched TV and sat glued Star Soccer. It was delayed telecast of 2 weeks late but no matter, the teams were full of talent, mainly white players (in the days of old) and the stadiums were beacons of attraction to my boyhood dreams. My eyes were filled with stars as we saw the teams of the day, Leeds United, Manchester, Liverpool and Arsenal vying for the top 3 positions. I somehow, stupidly followed a team from the West Midlands, the Black Country as they call it and supported Wolverhampton Wanderers. 

Wolves was playing a good brand of attacking soccer fronted by John Richards, Willie Carr, Kenny Hibbit and was occasionally on the Star Soccer Channel. Since the '70s, sadly they have been relegated a number of times from Division 1, sunk to Division 3 and won 2 League Cups (one in 1974 and one in 1980). They are frankly, a bunch of underachievers.
Till now.  

True, in the context of the mid to late 70s, we had the colour TV, as well as the coveted Shoot Magazine which was sold for a princely sum of $1 and later $2.50 at the Mamak Shop along Middle Road (I well remember the next to corner shophouse selling Chicken Rice) at the junction of end of Jalan Besar. 

I would save my coins and buy the magazine. Our good friends each had a team to be loyal to, Andrew Lee chose Arsenal, Eddie Cheng chose Liverpool, my brother John chose Leeds United and me, Wolves.

I regretted that decision for almost 40 years until this season. With Nuno Esperito Santos at the helm as chief coach and master class Reuben Neves in the centre of midfield, I believe I can hope again for my bunch of no-hopers. Backed by Fosun, a Chinese conglometare and with super agent Jorge Mendes on the sharp lookout, this team is going places.

I think I would say if Wolves could emulate the exploits of Burnley 7th position in the world's toughest league, I would say they have finally made it. 

The top 6 is pretty hard to crack but my take is that Wolves can and will make it to the top 3 , can they do it in 1 season ??? We live in interesting times.

Below is my prized shirt I bought from the British Sports Museum signed by the 3 'legends' of the '70s, John Richards, Kenny Hibbit (the 2 goalscorers) and George Bailey when they won the 1974 League Cup final against the current Premier League Champions, Manchester City.






Signatures of Kenny Hibbit, John Richards and Mike Bailey with a Certificate of
  Authentification 






   



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