Uncovering Hidden Gems from Old Gold Era

Wolverhampton Wanderers have a rich history, and some players from the past deserve more recognition. Broadcaster, presenter, and chair of Wolves Women, Jenny Wilkes, has selected the players, games, and kits from Old Gold history that she deems to be the most underrated.

Who are these hidden gems?

Jenny Wilkes has chosen goalkeeper Mark Kendall, defender Emma Cross, midfielder Paul Birch, and striker George Ndah as the most underrated players from the past. Each of these players made significant contributions to the team's history, but their efforts often went unnoticed.

Mark Kendall: The Unstoppable Goalkeeper

Mark Kendall was a real character and a great goalkeeper. He was an ever-present in the side that won back-to-back promotions in 1987/88 and 88/89, as well as lifting the Sherpa Van Trophy. Kendall kept 28 clean sheets in all competitions during that trophy-winning season.

Emma Cross: The Calm and Reliable Defender

Emma Cross only retired at the end of last season after making 253 appearances over a 20-year career for Wolves Women. With her twin sister Jade taking the plaudits at the other end of the pitch as a prolific goal scorer, Emma's calm, reliable presence could go unnoticed, but she played a huge part in Wolves Women history.

Paul Birch: The Tenacious Midfielder

Better known for his exploits in claret and blue, Paul Birch was brought to Molineux in 1991 by his former manager Graham Turner, scoring a goal in Wolves' 2-1 win against West Ham on his debut. He made up for his small stature with pace and ball control and became a mainstay of the midfield with his high-energy and tenacious style.

George Ndah: The Blighted Striker

A fantastic striker blighted by injuries, George Ndah broke his leg against Albion in only his third game for the club in 1999. He came back scoring two goals against them in a 2-1 win. He scored some important goals in the 2002/03 promotion-winning season but sadly missed the play-off final through injury too.

Dennis Mortimer: The Disciplined Manager

Joining Wolves Women as manager in 2001, Aston Villa's European Cup winning captain Dennis Mortimer just missed out on winning promotion to the top flight in his three years at the club, but he brought a new discipline and professional outlook to coaching methods and nutrition which was a springboard for what was to come.

A Season to Remember

Well, this one is certainly still fresh in the memory! In a season of low expectations, who would have thought we'd find something to shout about in a game against the league leaders. Great to see Rob Edwards' side showing some real resilience and fight in that second half.

A Season of Disappointment

Yes, the infamous Covid-hit season which ended with the club parting ways with Nuno. You do wonder what could have been as we beat Arsenal 2-1 in November to move into sixth place but that was the game which saw Raul Jimenez sustain that horrific head injury, which, coupled with no fans at games, had a massive effect on the players and staff.

A Favourite Shirt

I do love a plain, simple black away shirt and this was a favourite – black with gold trim. Sadly, the football didn't match as we won only five games and were relegated from the Premier League. Two of those wins did come in that shirt, including 2-1 away at Albion, but the reverse fixture saw us lose 5-1 and resulted in Mick McCarthy's sacking.