Wolves' Nathan Fraser delighted to help set up Black Country derby tie

Over the years, Wolves and Albion have faced off with a number of players on either side who have a horse in the race.

This year, 18-year-old striker Nathan Fraser could be the latest local star to set the derby alight and without him Wolves may have missed out on the historic fixture.

With Wolves trailing 2-1 at Molineux to Brentford on Tuesday night, Fraser was introduced in the 70th minute and just two minutes later he rifled the ball into the bottom corner to drag his side level.

Moments later he had another big opportunity from close range, but saw his effort saved – before Matheus Cunha’s extra-time penalty eventually won it for Wolves.

Fraser, wide-eyed with excitement after the game as he took in the enormity of his contribution, had a mixture of both delight and frustration.

“It felt good,” he said of his accurate strike to equalise. “I’m not going to lie, I wish I scored the other chance, but at least we won in the end.

“If we didn’t win I would have regretted it, but we won so I have to take the positives.

“I wasn’t sure if I was going to get on because I’ve been out for quite a while.

“But you always have to be ready if you get called upon and when Gary tells me to play I have to try my best.”

Had he converted that second chance and denied extra-time, Wolverhampton-born Fraser would have been the player that fired Wolves into a Black Country Derby.

The academy graduate, who joined the club aged seven and was born and raised in the city, grew up a Villa fan but now holds sincere gold and black allegiances.

He said: “All my mates are from Wolverhampton and one of them messaged me saying ‘imagine if you put us through to play Albion’. I said ‘no chance’.

“It would have been nice to do it but I guess I’ve helped towards it, so that’s all I can do.

“I’ve been with the club since I was seven and slowly built my way through the age groups to get to this point now.

“It’s always a big thing to play Albion, so for us to go through I know it’s big for the fans and myself, so I’m happy to help towards it.”

On his Villa background, he added: “To be honest, I grew up a Villa fan, but when you start playing for a team you lose being a fan. Now, I can’t support Villa when I play for Wolves, it’s impossible.”

In three senior appearances so far this season, Fraser now has two goals and one assist to his name.

Stood in the tunnel at Molineux after his magnificent achievement, the teenager cuts an endearing figure. As his phone buzzes with congratulatory messages, he is more concerned about meeting up with his mother Tracey and girlfriend Rosie so he can give them a lift home – having passed his driving test less than a year ago.

A down to earth local lad – that is what derby games are all about, yet Fraser may not be at Wolves to enjoy it.

The teenager is being courted by several Football League clubs – including Shrewsbury Town – for a loan move in the second half of the season.

Wolves’ lack of options up front and their own chase to sign a striker means Fraser’s potential move is being delayed.

But with the trip to The Hawthorns coming on January 28, it could be a close call for Fraser to make the squad.

“Anything could happen, but I just go into training every day and if I go on loan, I go on loan,” he said. “Whatever I get told to do, I’ll do. If I stay here, I’ll give 100 per cent and if I go on loan I’ll give 100 per cent. Obviously you want to be around this and when you play in it, you realise how good it is to play in front of this many fans and play for Wolves, which I always wanted to do.

“But at the end of the day, some things are out of my control. I have to keep working hard and see what happens.”

Regardless of what his short-term future may hold, Fraser is certainly a name to remember for the long-term.

With some of that cheeky Black Country humour he even jokingly described Gary O’Neil’s pitchside instructions to him as ‘a bit boring’.

But his development is no laughing matter and the young forward is ready to press on this season, whether that be with Wolves or elsewhere.

“It’s important to keep getting minutes and keep getting used to playing men’s football,” he said. “It’s now the third competitive game I’ve played, so for me it’s about getting minutes and getting used to it.

“For me it’s about trying to score every game and try and keep developing as a player.

“I just have to do my job and help the team because I can’t score every game. I have to play for the team, defend, make runs.

“That comes first and whenever the ball is out wide and there’s a chance, I try to get a goal as well.”