Obituaries
Ron Flowers: 1934 – 2021
True Great And A Serial Winner
It wasn’t compulsory for Wolves to have a half-back of a certain striking hair colour in the 1950s and 1960s. But it might have seemed that way. Billy Wright occupied the no 5 and no 6 shirts for almost two decades, Graham Hawkins did so for a much briefer spell years after and, linking the two, another blond bombshell, Ron Flowers, emerged as a true colossus of Molineux’s glory years.
Fred Davies: 1939 – 2020
With A Teacher Like Bert, How Could He Fail?
Taking over from Malcolm Finlayson was one thing; being called ‘The Young Cat’ around Molineux ramped up the pressure even more. But there was enough in the friendship and working relationship between Fred Davies and Bert Williams to encourage comparisons – and for a virtual guarantee of career progression.
Gerry Harris: 1935 – 2020
Remarkable Rise Of Lad Born To Farm
Among the best full-backs never to have won a senior international cap’ is one tribute that has been paid. The most decorated Wolves left-back of all time’ is another to be going along with.
Bill Slater: 1927 – 2018
Pure Gold, The Part-Timer Who Won The Lot
What a player, what a life, what a man! There was, quite simply, so much to William John Slater. His colossal football achievements were nothing like the full story. He was an absolute one-off; a throwback not so much to a different era but to what in many ways was a different game.
Graham Taylor: 1944 – 2017
A Game In Mourning At Passing Of True Gentleman
So many tributes, so many anecdotes. But, with Graham Taylor, they just keep coming. Any fears that the well of stories might have run dry following the pre-weekend decision to slightly delay our own official marking of his dreadfully sad passing-away have thankfully not materialised.
Sammy Smyth: 1925 – 2016
Cup Hero Who Lit Up Wembley
Wolves’ history is littered with players who arrived in these parts from different corners of the UK, married local girls and stayed in the area; Liverpudlian Jimmy Dunn, for example. Sammy Smyth, who outlived his fellow inside-forward by almost two years in becoming the last survivor of the first post-war Wolves team to win the FA Cup, was one of those of whom we saw much less in his dotage.
Graham Hawkins: 1946 – 2016
Loyal Servant Chalked Up The Full Set Of Roles
And so another one leaves us ahead of his time. Graham Hawkins – tall, bronzed and with a physique to be seriously envied – has gone at the age of 70. It’s bad enough when we bid our farewells to Wolves favourites in their 80s and 90s. This seems way too young to be saying goodbye.
Roy Swinbourne: 1929 – 2015
Fabulous Career That Was Robbed Of Its England Glory
To the long list of 1950s Wolverhampton Wanderers greats, we are also thankfully able to come up with a second roll of honour. Bert Williams would definitely be on there, so too Malcolm Finlayson, Bill Slater and Dennis Wilshaw, and you would find places for Eddie Stuart, Jimmy Mullen, Ron Flowers and Peter Broadbent – grouped together as proprietors of town centre businesses.
