The Class of 2003. Where are they now?

By: Toby | March 31st, 2009

So, where are they now?

The team that lined up against Sheffield United nearly 6 years ago made a lot of Wolves’ fans dreams come true, sadly, they couldn’t build on that and our return to the Premiership was criminally mishandled and short lived. I thought it’d be interesting to see where that team is now and what they’ve done with themselves since that triumphant year, only one player remains at Wolves, some have retired and some…well, let’s find out.

Suggest listening

Goalkeeper – Matt Murray – Current Club/Status – Still at Wolves

We all know about Matt and his troubles, undoubtedly at that time he was surely in line for full England cap and many in the game maintain that were it not for his injuries Matt Murray would be a regular international. As is was injury once again robbed him of his Premiership season, only playing in seven games that season. He’s gone on to only manage 87 appearances in total for Wolves, which is a terrible shame. Currently on the way back from another injury, he may yet get his chance in the big time once again.

Defence – Lee Naylor – Current Club/Status – Celtic

He contributed to getting Wolves to the final with a fine freekick against Reading in the first leg of the play-offs, Lee was a lad who always gave his all for the club which he grew up with and loved. His willingness to get forward and help the team often left our aged defence struggling, and that tendency has followed him north of the border, where he wins fans and infuriates in equal measure, never fully living up to his tag of having International potential, despite winning three U-21 caps.

Defence – Dennis Irwin – Current Club/Status – Retired

Irwin stayed with Wolves for one last crack at the Premiership, but as our season came to an unfortunate ending he called time on his career, one which had spanned 20 years of football and 682 professional games, including over 50 full international caps. Irwin was a true gentleman and a complete professional; he now works as a guest talking head on MUTV. Which I’m sure he loves, as to be honest, he’s always been Manchester United through and through. He really was an inspired signing by Dave Jones, you have to hand it to him, he got it right sometimes.

Defence – Paul Butler – Current Club/Status – Free Agent

Paul always worked hard in a Wolves shirt, but became disillusioned by our season in the top flight, after being unable to agree terms on a new contract he left for Leeds, after that Paul drifted from club to club and dropped down divisions, till he rested most recently on Chester City, where he has mutually terminated his contract, in order to concentrate on gaining his coaching badges, he always gave his all, I’m sure he’ll be a fine coach along the old lines of the job, i.e. – handing out bollockings.

Defence – Joleon Lescott – Current Club/Status – Everton/Full English International

Young Joleon was the prize asset of our youth academy at the time, and tipped for big things in his first season of Premiership football, but, as with Murray that was cruelly taken away from him by a knee injury, which saw him take part in no games that season. Undeterred Joleon fought back from injury to claim the award for the best player in the division in the 2005-6 season, a year later he joined Everton for a fee which could eventually reach 5 Million pounds. I don’t think any Wolves fan begrudges him leaving, he paid his dues, he deserved a chance at the Premiership and at that time, we had no way to give that to him, and most of our current squad has been financed from his move. Six international caps fulfils the promise he always showed, I felt a swell of pride when I first saw him in an England shirt, he’ll always be a Wolves player, no matter what shirt he wears.

Midfield – Shaun Newton – Current Club/Status – Free Agent (Training with Bournemouth)

Shaun was a very exciting player to watch, he threw himself into everything and gave 100 percent in every game he played in. After staying with Wolves after the drop he moved onto West Ham, where he enjoyed a promotion to the Premiership, but suffered from the influx of new players to the club, and found himself severely restricted for playing time from there on, his career was dealt a massive blow when he tested positive for cocaine usage in 2006. Subsequent spells at Leicester City and an unsuccessful trial at Yeovil Town followed, but it would be another trial which would deliver the final blow to Newton’s career when he was convicted of nine charges connected with a scam to dodge speeding tickets involving his former West Ham teammate Teddy Sheringham in July 2008, for which he received a 28-week suspended prison sentence, and a 12-month driving ban, with an order to do 180 hours of unpaid community service.

Midfield – Colin Cameron – Current Club/Status Dundee (on loan to Arbroath)

Colin became a victim of Glenn Hoddle’s regime at Wolves, which saw the fan’s favourite leave for Coventry on a free transfer in 2006. Colin played 168 games for Wolves, scoring 23 goals in the process including a year in the Premiership he always offered something interesting for Wolves, and seemed at times to have boundless enthusiasm and commitment. Which is probably why at the age of 36 he’s still going. Since his spell at Coventry he’s played for MK Dons, Dundee and Arbroath in a career which refuses to end, as he tries to regain fitness after a knee injury, Colin shows no signs of hanging up his boots just yet.

Midfield – Mark Kennedy – Current Club/Status – Cardiff

Despite scoring in the Play Off final, that’s probably the last decent thing Kennedy did in a Wolves shirt, often at times playing like a man twice his age, he was constantly put to shame in terms of effort, concentration and drive by the likes of Cameron and Ince, who were by far his seniors. He left Wolves for a free in 2006 for Crystal Palace, and then subsequently Cardiff City, where he tends to play in the left back position for some unfathomable reason, he was too lazy to attack most the time, let alone track back, he never really struck me as a defender.

Midfield – Paul Ince – Current Club/Status – Free Agent

The Guvnor, he’d done it all by the time he came to Wolves, played for Liverpool and Manchester United, Inter Milan and played in World Cups, he had nothing to prove yet set about like he did. It was that internal drive and willingness to throw everything on the line for the cause which won Incey so many fans within Wolves, yes, he wasn’t getting any younger but he still knew the game better than anyone on the pitch we played that season. After leaving Wolves in 2006 following Mick’s arrival Ince went to Swindon as a player/coach, from which he gained his coaching badges before moving into management with Macclesfield Town, taking them from bottom of League Two, seven points from safety to survival on the last day, also, playing his last game in a 1-1 draw. MK Dons, his next destination provided him with his first success as a manager, as his team lifted the Football League Trophy, before securing the League 2 Championship. An unsuccessful term at Blackburn comes across as “too much too soon” for me, but that’s Ince, pushing himself to be the best he can be. He’ll be back.

Striker – Kenny Miller – Current Club/Status – Rangers…Again.

It seems strange to think that Kenny Miller used to make me excited. But it’s true, he really did. But only for about 3 months. When he first arrived at Wolves on loan he was a revelation, he really was, but then he got injured, we stuck with him, signed him and then….ah. Another goal scorer on the day of the final who left Wolves for Celtic back in 2006, earning him the wrath of the Gers. Miller played 190 games for Wolves, if you’re anything like me you’ll be scratching your head to think back to those 190…how did he get to that number? But then again, he was pretty much a regular starter for five years. Regardless, Celtic wasn’t much fun for young Kenneth, 10 goals in 33 games was miserable enough for him to be shipped off to Derby, which made his time at Celtic seem prolific by contrast, limping to 4 goals from 30 goals. Since that nightmare he’s gone full circle and is back at Rangers once more, with a slightly more respectable 9 from 20 and 41 international appearances under his belt.

Striker – Nathan Blake – Current Club/Status – Property Management

The play off final goal capped a fine home coming for the big man raised in Cardiff, his season in the Premiership was another blighted by injury, managing just one goal and earning himself the unwanted mantle of being relegated from the Premiership for the fifth time, a record, of sorts. After being released by Wolves Nathan found himself with Leicester City, with whom he only played 14 times for before sent on loan to Leeds United in 2005, wherein he would score his last ever professional goal, as his playing career was cut short by a mix of a ruptured hamstring and testing positive for recreational drug use in 2005. A short spell at non-league Newport County signalled the end of his football career. Nathan can now be found running his own property management company, so if you’re after a condo in Pernarth he’s your go to guy.

So there we go, oh how the ravages of time have dealt some vicious blows eh? A few minor drug offences here, a few careers dwindling into nothingness there and a handful of terrible injuries making up the numbers. That juxtaposed with some players genuinely going on to better things, internationals, Champions League appearances and Premiership management (for a bit) they were a rag tag bunch that class of 2003, and a great bunch of players too. They overcame a crushing and humiliating season the year before to bounce back, go through the hell of the play-offs once more and to come out winners, they were a credit to every Wolves fan that day, they’ve earned they’re little place in Wolves history, regardless of where they are now.