2010–11 Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. season

Season review

Preparing for their second consecutive season in the Premier League, the club made five new additions. Beside turning the loan of Adlène Guedioura into a permanent deal, the summer also saw the arrival of Belgian international defender Jelle Van Damme, and two players captured from relegated Hull City - Steven Mouyokolo and Stephen Hunt;{{cite news

Those players not involved in the World Cup Finals resumed training at their Sir Jack Hayward training ground on 28 June, before travelling for a four-day stay in Dublin, where they undertook their first pre-season game. Preparations were completed with the only home friendly, a game against La Liga side Atletico Bilbao.

Competitive action began with a 2–1 victory over Stoke City, the first opening game Wolves had won since 1999. Two successive draws followed to push them up to fourth place, the highest position the club had occupied in the English football system since October 1979. However, after losing their unbeaten start with an injury time defeat at Fulham, the team tumbled down the table after a run of five defeats in their next six games.

Three points were finally gained after defeating big-spending Manchester City in late October, but a run of four successive losses followed. Two late goals at home to Sunderland swung the game in Wolves' favour to keep them in touch with fellow strugglers Wigan and West Ham at the end of November. December brought two defeats, but also two much-needed victories - against local rivals Birmingham City, and a shock win at Anfield; their first since 1984.

The January transfer window saw the exit of Jelle Van Damme, who returned to Belgium after failing to settle in England. Two young players arrived in permanent deals - winger Adam Hammill from Championship team Barnsley, and Scottish forward Leigh Griffiths. On the field, the year began with a loss at relegation rivals West Ham before an unexpected win at home to reigning champions Chelsea. Three successive league defeats, and an exit from the FA Cup followed, before the team again turned the table on its head by ending Manchester United's 29-match unbeaten streak.

The first Black Country derby in the top flight for 27 years arrived in February, after snow had caused the original December date to be postponed. The game ended all square, but only after West Bromwich Albion had canceled out loanee Jamie O'Hara's opener with a stoppage time equaliser. The next weekend saw Wolves record their biggest victory of the Premier League era, as they thumped Blackpool 4–0 to lift themselves out of the relegation zone for the first time since September. Four more points then followed, after games with Tottenham and Aston Villa.

April brought the news that striker Kevin Doyle had suffered ligament damage while on international duty with the Republic of Ireland and would struggle to feature again during the season. As manager Mick McCarthy switched formations and line-ups to try to replace Doyle as the spearhead of a 4–5–1 formation, the team endured a run of just two points from a possible 15. With three games remaining the team remained in the drop zone, but in touch with a number of other clubs. The renewed goalscoring form of Steven Fletcher, helped yield two successive 3–1 victories that clawed the team out of the relegation zone before the final day.

The final day of the 2010–11 season featured one of the tightest ever relegation battles. At the start of the day, six teams had still not assured their safety - with one, West Ham, already condemned to relegation. The remaining two places could potentially be filled by Wolves, Blackburn, Birmingham, Blackpool or Wigan. Wolves faced Blackburn at Molineux in the final game to feature the North Bank stand that had stood since 1992.

A dismal first half performance left the home side 0–3 down at the half time interval, meaning they occupied a relegation place. Despite moving up to 17th after Birmingham fell behind at Tottenham early in the second half, two key goals in the same minute sunk Wolves back into the mire as Birmingham equalised, and Wigan took the lead in their game at Stoke. With just three minutes remaining at Molineux, a goal by Stephen Hunt reduced the deficit to 2–3, meaning Wolves were safe by virtue of goals scored (having tied Birmingham on points and goal difference). An injury time goal by Tottenham then ended all doubt and sent Birmingham down, along with Blackpool who had eventually lost at champions Manchester United despite having at one point led.

Wolves had survived in 17th place, on 40 points, a two-point improvement on the previous campaign despite a much more nervous finale.

Results

Pre season

Wolves' seven pre season games saw them face opposition from five different leagues. As had become common in recent years, only their final game was held at their Molineux home. A second "Wolves Development XI" team largely comprising academy prospects also played a series of matches during this period. Fletcher Mujangi Bia Vokes Ebanks-Blake Edwards Antonio Sam Johnson Ward Ebanks-Blake "Wolves Development XI" pre season results (all away): 4–1 v Lisburn Distillery (15 July), 1–0 v Glenavon (17 July), 0–2 v Newport County (23 July), 1–0 v Cheltenham Town (30 July), 7–1 v Chasetown (2 August), 4–2 v Telford United (10 August)

Premier League

A total of 20 teams competed in the Premier League in the 2010–11 season. Each team played every other team twice: once at their stadium, and once at the opposition's. Three points were awarded to teams for each win, one point per draw, and none for defeats.

The provisional fixture list was released on 17 June 2010, but was subject to change in the event of matches being selected for television coverage or police concerns. Fletcher Pavlyuchenko Hutton Heskey Rodallega Kalou Edwards Fletcher Elmander Holden Harewood Hunt Ebanks-Blake Welbeck Emerton Nelsen Cleverley Sears Tevez Y. Touré Doyle Zubar Meireles Doyle O'Hara Ebanks-Blake Fletcher Pavlyuchenko Ameobi Løvenkrands Gutiérrez Neville Bilyaletdinov Shawcross Pennant Guedioura Fletcher Elokobi Hunt Emerton Hoilett

Final table

Results summary Source: Statto.com

Results by round

FA Cup

Hayter Hunt Mujangi Bia Doyle Jarvis Jones

League Cup

Stearman Fletcher Doyle Smith Park Hernández Foley

Players

New squad rules operated in the Premier League for the season. Squads were capped at 25 senior players (those aged 21 and above at the beginning of 2010), and all squads had to include a minimum of 8 "homegrown" players. Wolves squads included 14, then 15, such players.

Statistics

|- |14||0||3||0||0||0||17||0||1||0|| |- |||||0||0||0||0||style="background:#98FB98"|||1||2||0|| |- |||||2||0||3||1||||3||5||1|| |- |||||||0||1||0||||1||1||0|| |- |||0||3||0||2||1||||1||6||0|| |- |||||1||0||0||0||||1||5||0|| |- |||0||0||0||0||0||||0||1||0||Kightly was omitted from the squad list submitted after the Summer transfer window due to continuing injury problems. |- |||0||2||0||0||0||||0||8||1|| |- |||||||0||||0||||7||0||0|| |- |||10||3||1||||1||style="background:#98FB98"|||12||1||0|| |- |||||||0||0||0||||1||2||0|| |- |||||3||1||1||0||style="background:#98FB98"|||4||5||0|| |- |24||0||0||0||3||0||27||0||0||0|| |- |||||||1||1||0||||2||1||0|| |- |||0||0||0||2||0||||0||1||0|| |- |||0||2||0||2||0||||0||6||1|| |- |||||||1||1||0||||5||2||0|| |- |||0||||0||0||0||||0||0||0|| |- |||0||0||0||0||0||||0||0||0|| |- |||0||0||0||||0||style="background:#98FB98"|||0||0||0|| |- |||0||0||0||0||0||style="background:#98FB98"|||0||0||0|| |- |||||2||1||2||2||||5||2||0|| |- |||0||0||0||1||0||||0||1||0|| |- |||0||1||0||2||0||style="background:#98FB98"|||0||0||0|| |- |||||2||0||1||0||||1||5||0|| |- |||||0||0||0||0||style="background:#98FB98"|||3||3||0|| |- |||0||1||1||||0||||1||0||0|| |- |0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||Hill was omitted from the squad list submitted after the Summer transfer window. |- |0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0|| |- |0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0|| |- |||||||1||||2||||8||1||0|| |- |0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||Ikeme was omitted from the squad list submitted after the January transfer window after undergoing shoulder surgery. |- |0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||Murray announced his playing retirement due to multiple injury problems in August 2010. |- |||||0||0||||1||||3||4||0|| |- |0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0|| |- |||||0||0||2||0||||1||3||0|| |- |0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0|| |- |0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0|| |- |0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0|| |- |0||0||0||0||1||0||style="background:#98FB98"|1||0||1||0|| |- |0||0||0||0||1||0||style="background:#98FB98"|1||0||0||0|| |- |0||0||0||0||1||0||1||0||0||0|| |- |0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0|| |- |0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0|| |- |0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0|| |- |0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0|| |- |0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0|| |- |0||0||1||0||0||0||style="background:#98FB98"|1||0||0||0|| |}

Awards

Transfers

In

Out

Loans in

Loans out

Management and coaching staff

Kit

The season saw new home and away kits, both manufactured by new supplier BURRDA. The home kit featured the club's traditional gold and black colours while the away kit was all black with gold piping. Both shirts featured the internet gambling company Sportingbet.com as sponsor.

References

References

1. (9 May 2010). "Adlene Guedioura to stay with Wolverhampton Wanderers". BBC Sport.
2. (1 June 2010). "Wolves recruit defender Jelle van Damme from Anderlecht". BBC Sport.
3. (21 June 2010). "Wolves sign winger Stephen Hunt from Hull". BBC Sport.
4. (1 February 2010). "Hull reject Wolves transfer bid for Stephen Hunt". BBC Sport.
5. (3 June 2010). "Burnley striker Steven Fletcher makes Wolves switch". BBC Sport.
6. (26 August 2010). "Michael Mancienne rejoins Wolves on loan from Chelsea". BBC Sport.
7. (28 June 2010). "Mouyokolo and Wolves back to work!". Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.
8. (16 July 2010). "Feeling the benefits". Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.
9. (3 June 2010). "Burnley striker Steven Fletcher makes Wolves switch". BBC Sport.
10. "Table on 13.10.1979". Statto.
11. (11 September 2010). "Fulham 2-1 Wolverhampton". BBC Sport.
12. (30 October 2010). "Wolverhampton 2-1 Man City". BBC Sport.
13. (27 November 2010). "Wolverhampton 3-2 Sunderland". BBC Sport.
14. (12 December 2010). "Wolverhampton 1-0 Birmingham". BBC Sport.
15. (29 December 2010). "Liverpool 0-1 Wolverhampton". BBC Sport.
16. (30 November 2010). "Wolves defender Jelle van Damme agrees £2.5m Liege move". BBC Sport.
17. (20 January 2011). "Wolves sign winger Adam Hammill from Barnsley". BBC Sport.
18. (26 January 2011). "Dundee's Leigh Griffiths set to join Wolves". BBC Sport.
19. (5 January 2011). "Wolverhampton 1-0 Chelsea". BBC Sport.
20. (5 February 2011). "Wolverhampton 2-1 Man Utd". BBC Sport.
21. (18 December 2010). "Albion game postponed". Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.
22. (20 February 2011). "West Brom 1-1 Wolverhampton". BBC Sport.
23. (26 February 2011). "Wolverhampton 4-0 Blackpool". BBC Sport.
24. (28 March 2011). "Wolves top scorer Kevin Doyle could miss rest of season". BBC Sport.
25. (8 May 2011). "Wolverhampton 3-1 West Brom". BBC Sport.
26. (14 May 2011). "Sunderland 1-3 Wolverhampton". BBC Sport.
27. (20 May 2011). "Flying the flag". Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.
28. (22 May 2011). "Premier League D-Day as it happened". BBC Sport.
29. (17 June 2010). "Chelsea face West Brom in 2010/11 season opener". BBC Sport.
30. (27 July 2010). "New Premier League squad rules explained". BBC Sport.
31. Homegrown players are defined as those who "irrespective of nationality or age, have been affiliated to the FA or Welsh FA for a period of three seasons or 36 months prior to 21st birthday"
32. (1 September 2010). "Premier League clubs submit squad lists". Premier League.
33. (1 February 2011). "Premier League clubs submit squad lists". Premier League.
34. (18 May 2011). "End Of Season Awards: Live Blog". Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.
35. (23 August 2010). "Doherty's dream delight". Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.
36. (31 January 2011). "Wolves Go For Brazilian Basso". Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.
37. (12 May 2010). "Barnsley sign Wolves defender Jason Shackell". BBC Sport.
38. (25 May 2010). "Wolves defender Mark Little makes Peterborough switch". BBC Sport.
39. (14 June 2010). "Doncaster Rovers complete signing of George Friend". BBC Sport.
40. (22 June 2010). "Norwich City swoop for Wolves' Andrew Surman". BBC Sport.
41. (26 August 2010). "Wolverhampton Wanderers goalkeeper Matt Murray retires". BBC Sport.
42. (24 January 2011). "Hill contract cancelled". Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.
43. (11 May 2010). "Geoffrey to stay on". Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.
44. (31 August 2010). "Wolves sign striker Marcus Bent on loan from Birmingham". BBC Sport.
45. (30 January 2011). "Tottenham's Jamie O'Hara joins Wolves on loan". BBC Sport.
46. (1 July 2010). "Peterborough United sign Wolves' Mendez-Laing on loan". BBC Sport.
47. (2 August 2010). "Hoff goes out on loan". Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.
48. (5 August 2010). "Bristol City sign Wolves striker Sam Vokes on loan". BBC Sport.
49. (25 August 2010). "Wolves striker Andy Keogh joins Cardiff on loan". BBC Sport.
50. (26 August 2010). "Wolves loan keeper Carl Ikeme to Leicester City". BBC Sport.
51. (9 September 2010). "Wolverhampton Wanderers David Davis agrees Walsall loan". BBC Sport.
52. (20 October 2010). "Greg Halford savours Portsmouth opportunity". BBC Sport.
53. (20 October 2010). "Barnsley sign Wolves defender Matt Hill". BBC Sport.
54. (22 October 2010). "Burton Albion sign Wolves defender Scott Malone". BBC Sport.
55. (22 October 2010). "Torquay United sign Rose and Hemmings on loan". BBC Sport.
56. (25 November 2010). "Wolves defender Matt Hill extends Barnsley loan". BBC Sport.
57. (25 November 2010). "Batth time for Blades". Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.
58. (12 January 2011). "Barnet sign John Dunleavy on loan from Wolves". BBC Sport.
59. (13 January 2011). "Portsmouth re-sign Wolverhampton Wanderers' Halford". BBC Sport.
60. (31 January 2011). "On-loan striker Andy Keogh moves to Bristol City". BBC Sport.
61. (31 January 2011). "Wolves loan young midfielder David Davis to Shrews". BBC Sport.
62. (10 February 2011). "Wolves forward Sam Winnall joins Burton Albion on loan". BBC Sport.
63. (15 February 2011). "Bjorn Helge Riise and Sam Vokes loaned to Blades". BBC Sport.
64. (15 February 2011). "Wolves keeper Aaron McCarey joins AFC Telford". BBC Sport.
65. (7 March 2011). "Northampton Town sign Reckord, Collis and Ofori-Twumasi". BBC Sport.
66. (16 March 2011). "Sheffield Wednesday signs Wolves' Danny Batth on loan". BBC Sport.
67. (24 March 2011). "Dani Pacheco and Sam Vokes Norwich City bound". BBC Sport.
68. (9 May 2010). "New Burrda home kit revealed today". Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.
69. (5 May 2010). "Wolves back in black". Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.
70. (4 May 2010). "Sportingbet.com extends Wolves sponsorship deal". Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.