Wolves throwback: When the famous five went mad at Molineux
The attacking triumvirate of Raul Jimenez, Adama Traore and Diogo Jota has shone this season – but how about FIVE Wolves forwards scoring in the same game?
Well, yesterday marked 60 years since that fantastic feat happened, with Burnley the victims of a thrashing at Molineux.
Managed by the legendary Stan Cullis, Wolves’ attackers were in rampant mood – and they were ruthless, winning 6-1 under the lights.
Bobby Mason was one of the five to find the net.
He spent 11 years at Wolves and was a regular in the first team between between 1957 and 1961, helping them achieve back-to-back title wins in ‘58 and ‘59.
Mason’s time with the club consisted of 54 goals in 173 games – a decent record, it must be said.
However, it is blown out of the water by another man who was on the mark against the Clarets.
Jimmy Murray was the leading striker in those aforementioned title triumphs, and Wolves’ path to FA Cup glory in ‘60. All in all, he managed 166 goals in 299 appearances in gold and black.
Of the scorers against Burnley, the one who will be known to most people is Peter Broadbent – coined the ‘kingpin of the Wolves attack’ by Billy Wright.
As well as amassing 145 goals in a very impressive 497 appearances – seventh in the club’s all-time list – the Wolves Hall of Fame member played for England at the 1958 World Cup.
The last two of Wolves’ goal-getters against the Clarets only played a fraction of games in gold and black compared to Broadbent.
Des Horne made almost three times the amount of appearances he did for Wolves for his next club, Blackpool.
And Gerry Mannion, who grabbed a brace on the day, made more than five times the amount he managed under Cullis, later on at Norwich.
Still, all of them contributed to a vastly enjoyable success over the Lancashire side – at least at the time.
As it turned out, Burnley – despite being beaten so emphatically – were the ones who denied Wolves a third successive top-flight crown, by a single point.
Cullis’s charges ended the league term with another statement win, running out 5-1 victors at Chelsea.
However, in downing Manchester City 2-1, the Clarets just pipped Wolves to the post.
So, while March 30 was definitely Wolves’ day, Burnley had the last laugh.
