Wolves throwback: When John Richards helped send Chelsea down from top flight

Nuno Espirito Santo’s side know three points will clinch sixth position, regardless of what Tottenham do at Crystal Palace, while the Blues need a point to make sure of a Champions League berth.

It promises to be a dramatic final day of the season as Wolves look to secure more European football – and end a 41-year wait for a victory at Stamford Bridge.

The last gold and black triumph there came in very different circumstances.

While each of the sides were in the top flight back then, too, they were battling against relegation.

A 2-1 success on March 24, 1979 proved important for Wolves as they eventually finished 18th in the First Division – nine points above the drop zone.

Chelsea, though, would end up at the bottom of the pile with just 20 points from 42 games.

Club great John Richards, unsurprisingly, got on the scoresheet for Wolves along with Billy Rafferty that day.

And ‘King John’ said on how the two sides were at the time: “It was a bit of an iffy season for us.

“It was the precursor to the ‘79/80 season, when we finished sixth and won the League Cup, after Andy Gray and Emlyn Hughes had joined us in the summer of ‘79.

“With the Chelsea game, the team itself was just trying to find its way.

“John Barnwell had taken over in November of that season along with Richie Barker, from Sammy Chung, so it was very much a rebuilding of a team.

“From that team we had in the early ‘70s, some of them had retired – a lot of quality players had retired.

“So, there was a period where we got relegated and then, obviously, came back up.

“We’d got some good players, but it wasn’t quite the right blend at the time.

“I think it was just a case of Barney trying to suss it out, and that Chelsea game, everybody was playing for their positions.

“Barney had got plans to rebuild, and it was a case of performing to stay in the team. It was as simple as that.

“Chelsea were going through a spell like us, as we had both come up at the same time.

“We both came up in the 76/77 season, with us top and them second.

“We were both, actually, of a similar standard as a team, and they were going through a similar process as ourselves.

“Obviously, that’s a big contrast to what we will see on Sunday – both teams fighting at the top.”

By the mid-80s, Chelsea had got back to the top tier, and barring one season back in the Second Division in 88/89, have stayed there. With the money pumped in by Roman Abramovich, they have won five Premier League titles.

Wolves, meanwhile, would experience near-death under the Bhatti Brothers in the ‘80s and have gradually risen back up to the big time from the Fourth Division.

Nuno’s lot have already managed the club’s best points tally of the Premier League era but want to grab the highest league finish since ‘80, too.

On how he sees it going on Sunday, Richards said: “I think Wolves will do well to get a draw, to be fair, while hoping Tottenham slip up at Palace.

“Chelsea are playing really well and have some very good players – Tammy Abraham can knock them in – so, it’s going to be a tough test.

“They need a win, too. I know a draw would do it, but you can’t really play for a draw.

“It’s quite interesting as when we both got promoted in ‘76/77, we played each other on the last day knowing a draw would promote the pair of us.

“And we drew 1-1. They went 1-0 up at Molineux and then I equalised, so nobody was bothered in the last 10 or 15 minutes!

“To start out playing for a draw, though, is impossible. It just doesn’t work.”

Richards added: “I fancy us to do well, as we have done all season.

“To be fair to Wolves, they’ve played some really good football, so they’ve got a chance of winning it.

“I do think, though, realistically, Chelsea have been playing well, so a draw would be a reasonable result for us – while we hope that Palace do us a favour and beat Spurs.”