Wolves legends making a difference with calls

The Wolves at Home scheme is under way, with club greats including Steve Bull, John Richards and Kenny Hibbitt set to make 2,000 calls over the next fortnight.

The oldest season-ticket holders have been the first to have a chat with their heroes, and a conversation with Richards put 87-year-old Anne Knight, an avid fan of more than 50 years, in a much better mood after recently struggling with illness and now being confined to her home.

Her son, Stephen said: “I rang her yesterday and she had an unusual sparkle in her voice.

“She went on to tell me she had received a phone call from the one and only John Richards and had a wonderful 10-minute conversation reminiscing of times of Derek Dougan, Kenny Hibbitt and my personal favourite, Frank Munro.

“I was amazed at how much happier she was and she had really perked up.”

Anne, from Perton, used to run away travel coaches for Wolves fans and did so for several years.

She still holds a season ticket as well, although because of illness she was not able to attend matches for a few months at Molineux before the season was suspended because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Richards made 385 appearances for Wolves, scoring 144 goals, and won two League Cups – in 1974 and 1980.

Stephen added: “My sincere thanks to John for taking the time and trouble to give my mother a ring.

“That phone call was more than anything me or my brother David, who also has a season ticket, could have done to cheer her up.”

As well as reliving memories of the past, each supporter will be offered the opportunity of assistance with groceries and prescription collections as part of the scheme, if they are without family and friends for support, while also being advised to self-isolate.

Albion have similarly been calling season-ticket holders and supplying food to those in need.

The club has put together 150 food parcels that have been distributed between NHS workers, food banks, special schools and elderly people in need.