2008/9 Season Review (finally)

By: Toby | May 14th, 2009

Well hello there. You must forgive my wanton disregard for this place over the last few weeks, I’ve simply not had the time to even contemplate sitting down at a desk for half an hour to rattle out a blog. Mainly due to the fact that I’ve worked 7 days in a row until now, and in the last week alone worked 58 hours, a decent week’s graft by anyone’s yard stick.

So here we go, how do you start to do a write up on a season like that eh? I don’t know where to begin quite with the whole thing, I mean it’s like a well read story, everyone knows the ending, so it’d be foolish to draw a timeline for you all to follow but it’s the only way I can really think of tackling the last eight months of football so a time line it is, a wibbly wobbly time line at times, but a time line non the less.

Right then, the season starts. Having missed out on the play-offs by a single goal the season before Wolves were backed by many to match that result, by no means to be certain of a play off place but by all accounts to be in the shake down come the end of the season. We’d been bolstered by a curious signing of a very tall player from Charlton, he seemed a bit old to be honest, apparently Scottish and had an unpronounceable second name, other signings included a handful of young players, Friend, Stearman and Vokes, while some experience was further added with the signings of Hill and Shackle.

Wolves surprised everyone, including most Wolves fans, by going on one hell of a winning run, 7 games to be precise, sending up roaring up to the automatic promotion places, scoring an incredible 21 goals in the process. Teams across the country were left scratching their heads as to how quite this had all come to be, a team seemingly unchanged from last season demolishing the league. Our form continued, as Wolves found themselves in mid October five points clear of early favourites Reading.

As with all teams this year Wolves have had their fair share of wobbles, we had two major ones, things got so bad at one point I even thought that writing about them in depth would somehow unjinx us back to winning ways…which kind of worked to be honest. But there have been times this season where we’ve limped, we’ve stuttered and flustered our way through games. But the key for me this season is that whilst not at our best, we’ve still won games, as Vince Lombardi once said “If winning isn’t everything, why do they keep score?” and for the first time in years Wolves were prepared to win ugly, and did so on more than one occasion, and towards the end of the season, more than my heart could manage.

One player who had a huge impact on our season in such a short amount of time was the superb Michael Mancienne, did you know he only played ten games? Didn’t it feel like so many more? Did you also know that due to the Championship rules he didn’t play enough games to get a winner’s medal for Wolves promotion, yet Shackle did…I think we all know who played the bigger part in our promotion. Mancienne came into the Wolves squad on the back of three terrible results, our boat was rocking, we were haemorrhaging goals from all points of the pitch. Mancienne not only steadied the ship, he also set a new course and got us back on track to another seven game winning streak, his impact on our season is immeasurable and he would be an asset next season…however much of a distant dream that may be.

The closing stages of the season were like watching the final ten minutes of the QPR game…but stretched over 2 months. They were for me at least, each twist of the tale moving us closer to the big P. The loss against Birmingham was a massive blow to many, including me, but in retrospect I think this had possibly the biggest and most positive effect on our season. It was all down to a certain Trevor Francis in the Sky pundits box, if ever the team had something to pin on the message board in the dressing room before the next few games it would be Trevor Francis saying we’d thrown it away, that he couldn’t see past Birmingham for the title while a broken Steve Bull could only meekly nod his head in agreement. If Wolves needed firing up then they needed not to look any further than that to find a response.

And respond they did.

Three goals against Southampton in 21 minutes, Jody Craddock punching the air in victory followed by another three against Derby, this time it would be Keogh taking the plaudits for his stellar efforts. All this set Wolves up for promotion with three games to go, a win against QPR could seal it, promotion to the Premier League, the tension was almost too much to bear. We followed it live here on the offside, I could barely think to type half the time, willing the ball into QPRs net, hoping that this would be the day that we could once again celebrate being back in the big time. Up stepped (who else?) Ebanks Blake to send us all into raptures, it was his classic poachers’ strike which would be the goal which would end the years of waiting. Molineux erupted, the final whistle, pandemonium, a release of all the tension of the last few months let lose in one communal celebration of pride and passion.

By the time the league title was to be wrapped up at Barnsley and lifted in front of the home crowd against Doncaster I think most of Wolverhampton had partied their selves out. What a season, even now I don’t think I’ve done it justice with my fuzzy tired mind, how can you describe the dizzying vivid summer’s day vision of Ebanks slotting in that final goal and wheeling away in celebration, it’s just not palatable yet for me so I’ve resorted to a list, a best and worst of if you will.

The Season In a Nutshell.

Biggest Hero – Sylvan Ebanks Blake

Now I know the fan’s choice was Foley, and it was a close run thing for me on this one, but I think that Blake is suffering from the “it’s so obvious who the best player is we’ll give it to someone else because they’ll win everything else anyway so they won’t need this one” syndrome. Much like C.Ronaldo suffers from. To put it simply, it’s his goals which have got us promoted, we’ve floundered without him and he deserves every credit that gets pushed his way.

The Henri Camera Loyalty Award – Mark Davis

Oh I’m sorry Mark, Wolves fan all your life did you say? Want to play in the Premiership, well shit son, if you’d have waited five months and got your fitness back you may well have been playing in the premiership for the club you’ve grown up loving, not some souless long ball merchants up north. I’ve got no time for you.

The “I don’t really understand the Internet award” – Wolverhampton Wanderers FC

Simple one really that.

Best Young Player Award – Sam Vokes

Brilliant impact player, and as he showed against Southampton he possesses an ability to step up to the starting line up if needs be and lead the line. He’s a strong and powerful player who has a skill far beyond his years, he’s going to be a cracking player in a few years.

The “is that frantic back peddling I can smell?” Award – The Express and Star

For their amazing coverage over this season, veering from crowning us Champions elect in November, to predicting our downfall in January, to the villainisation of Keogh and Collins all season and then lifting them above their shoulders in a victorious lap of honour at the season. They’re like a grubby little friend who’s all smiles to your face but then bitches about you behind your back.

The underappreciated Wolf Award – Joint Winners Neil Collins and Andy Keogh.

Two lads you’ll be hard pressed to find who’ll give more effort than these two, who, despite their flaws have had great seasons, good on you lads, keep playing your own game.

And so that’s me, I’ve probably missed quite a lot out really, just a quick note to anyone who fancies adding my ps3 gamer tag it’s tobymono, I have fifa 2009 and I’m not very good at it.

Tarra-a-bit!

Below, a video of all of the goals from this season. Nice.