Just how good were/was/is/are (Wolves Edition)

[Deutsch Wolf]

32. Michael Kightly

Michael John Kightly (born 24 January 1986) is an English former footballer who played as a winger.

Kightly was rejected as a schoolboy by Tottenham Hotspur but worked his way back to League football with Southend United. He again slipped into the non-League though, before being spotted by Wolverhampton Wanderers while starring for Grays Athletic. He soon became a vital player for Wolves and was pivotal in their promotion to the Premier League in 2009. However injuries disrupted his time in the top flight before the club's relegation after three seasons. He joined Stoke City in August 2012 for an undisclosed fee. Kightly spent the 2012–13 season at Stoke before joining Burnley on loan in August 2013. After helping the Clarets gain promotion to the Premier League he made the move permanent in June 2014.

Kightly scored his first ever league goal to earn a 1–0 victory at Queens Park Rangers in December 2006. His form at Grays Athletic led him to be dubbed "The Ryan Giggs of non-league football", and it was reported that Sir Alex Ferguson was interested in signing Kightly for Manchester United. After scoring two goals in five games, his loan move was made permanent when he signed a two-and-a-half-year contract for a nominal fee on New Year's Day 2007.

He became a first-team regular in the remainder of the season, and his six goals helped the club into a play-off position. His performances saw him come runner-up for Wolves' Player of the Year 2006–07, losing out to goalkeeper Matt Murray. After a play-off defeat denied promotion, it was reported that he was being tracked by clubs such as Aston Villa, Charlton Athletic, Tottenham Hotspur, Portsmouth and Everton. Kightly ended such speculation by signing a new four-year deal with Wolves in June 2007.

His first full season with the club was severely hampered by a persistent ankle injury suffered in November 2007, from which he twice tried to return to first team football, eventually undergoing surgery in February 2008. Kightly had further injuries that kept him out of the Wolves side, finally returning to play in the final four fixtures as the club narrowly missed the play-off places on goal difference. He signed an improved new four-year deal with the club in June 2008.

During the 2008–09 season, he contributed eight goals, as Wolves led the promotion race. However, his campaign was prematurely halted by a broken metatarsal sustained during a reserve game in March 2009. He returned to make his first appearances in the Premier League, following promotion, by September but again suffered another injury after needing an ankle operation. Although planned to return early in the 2010–11 season, he suffered a further setback and was therefore omitted from the club's 25-man squad list for the first part of the campaign. He eventually made his return to first team action after 16 months on the sidelines from various injuries, against Newcastle United in April 2011.

In October 2011, he joined Championship side Watford in an initial one-month loan deal to regain match fitness, making his debut on 15 October 2011 in a 2–0 loss against Crystal Palace. This was later extended to run until January 2012, during which time Kightly made twelve appearances for the Hornets, scoring three times.

Following his loan spell, Kightly returned to Wolves and managed his longest period of Premier League football. However, he could not prevent the team from suffering relegation at the end of a troubled campaign that saw the departure of manager Mick McCarthy. Despite Wolves struggling Kightly hit a rich vein of form towards the end of the season scoring three goals against Aston Villa, Bolton Wanderers and Stoke City. In August 2012 it was revealed by Wolves that Kightly was in talks with Stoke City, having rejected a contract extension to instead remain in the top flight. After signing for Stoke Kightly revealed that after missing 15 months of football at Wolves it left him fighting against depression.

Kightly joined Premier League side Stoke City on 8 August 2012 for an undisclosed fee.

 

[Deano]

Brilliant from when we signed him up to that injury. Didn't get back to the player he was after it, at the time I was very disappointed in how he left the club as we were put in a position where we didn't a fee reflective of his ability. Listening to interviews with him since though I have a bit more sympathy as A) he got that injury playing a friendly when he'd been pulled out of an England under 21 squad and B) he says the injury was mismanaged for ages as nobody could really diagnose it properly. It probably left a sour taste for him and a reminder that it's a short career and some of his prime years had already been lost.

One of the best all time bargains for us though at 25k and some of the performances we got in return.

 

[Tony Towner]

It's the ones you love who hurt you the most.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

It's the ones you love who hurt you the most.

Sums it up nicely. He was absolutely awesome in the promotion season, and the way he chose to leave really did hurt.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Time's a great healer. I don't think it's great to say one thing and do another, but ultimately if you don't want to lose good players, don't get fucking relegated then. And that was hardly his fault.

An incredible signing. You look at those goals in the video and a few of them are as much through force of will as skill and ability. He had everything. Damn that cockroach Robinson for a disgraceful foul on him, properly raked his ankle.

I saw him a few times after he left us, we 100% got his best years. Still a good player but had lost something.

I loved watching him play. His story is a great example to any young kids who get released from an Academy.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

By the way - his statistical output was great in 08/09 but I thought when fit that he was better in the previous two seasons.

 

[YoungWolf]

He was my absolute hero in his first few years for us.

I was gutted with the way he left, but as Dan says time is a great healer, and the more you learn about football behind the scenes the more you understand. I'm sure he wishes he hadn't made those comments at the end of that season we went down because otherwise he wouldn't have looked like such a backstabber, I guess.

We definitely got his best years, but he definitely helped his career but being (perhaps alongside Jarvis) arguably our best performer under TC. He'd actually just seemed to have found form, his sharpness and put his injuries behind him. Looking back now it seems more like the final push his body could give at the level. Still did well enough for Dyche at Burnley though.

Definitely value for money!

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Love that goal vs Leeds in the video.

1) Great stuff to cut that far across the box and bury it left footed
2) It's beating Leeds
3) Their scumbag fans chucked a ball on the pitch as we were attacking to try to get the game stopped. Ref ignored it and we scored. Good work that man
4) In the middle of a run of six straight wins
5) That spell just epitomised that we were back as a club and a team after the torpor of the previous couple of years

 

[Tredman]

Might get shot down, but pre-injury he was the best wide(ish) player we'd had in my life up to Jota. He was amazing. Never got back to where he was imo and sad to see him leave the way he left.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Until he came we really struggled for wide right players. Turner tended to play Dennison wide left and then one tucked in on the right, quite a classic late 80s/early 90s setup.

Birch was shit.

We've discussed Rankine on the right of midfield.

Daley should never have been signed.

McGhee played wingbacks. If he did play four across the middle he'd put Emblen or Robinson wide right which is just stupid.

Bazeley had one good season but he was steady rather than explosive.

I couldn't stand Newton.

Seol...we shall get to him one day soon...

Left wingers, we've had loads of good ones.

 

[YoungWolf]

Love that goal vs Leeds in the video.

1) Great stuff to cut that far across the box and bury it left footed
2) It's beating Leeds
3) Their scumbag fans chucked a ball on the pitch as we were attacking to try to get the game stopped. Ref ignored it and we scored. Good work that man
4) In the middle of a run of six straight wins
5) That spell just epitomised that we were back as a club and a team after the torpor of the previous couple of years

Think that may have been the only game I went to that year, Murray was brilliant (could say that for most games I am sure) from what I remember.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Got to give credit to Grays as well. We lined up a deal (£25k?) with them when we loaned him but obviously there was other interest once he started ripping it up for us. They could have gone back on their word and sold him to someone else for a load more money but they didn't, they honoured the terms.

 

[Elephant Pyjamas]

Got to give credit to Grays as well. We lined up a deal (£25k?) with them when we loaned him but obviously there was other interest once he started ripping it up for us. They could have gone back on their word and sold him to someone else for a load more money but they didn't, they honoured the terms.

Crazy that he was so cheap, stupid in fact, i'm sure even initially we'd have agreed to 100k.

 

[Newbridge Wolf]

I loved Kightly and as TT said, that's how I felt. With the club in its current position and time its given a bit of perspective on the situation, you only get one shot at a career having missed out twice before I'm sure he just wanted the chance to be the best he could.

That game at home vs Bristol City (not the Mcindoe one) I will always remember fondly, such an impressive display, defensive last minute tackles to spearheading ourattack

 

[Law's Bus]

Until he came we really struggled for wide right players.

Mark Walters was probably the best. I never understood why Taylor didn't buy him at the time, then even when (!) Daley was fit, we'd have had three excellent wingers, two of which could play on either side, plus Dennison.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Bit of a one trick pony Walters on that side. I think he was starting to get worked out.

£1m on a 30 year old in 1994 would have been a bit of an ask.

 

[Premier Quality]

I loved him, he worked his arse off, created chances, and his finishing was outstanding for a wide man.

Absolutely brilliant, but the injury really hurt his career

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

33. Paul Ince

Paul Emerson Carlyle Ince (born 21 October 1967) is an English professional football manager and former player who played as a midfielder from 1982 to 2007.

Ince spent the majority of his playing career at the highest level; after leaving West Ham United he joined Manchester United where he played in the Premier League. After two years in Serie A with Inter Milan he returned to England to play in the top flight for Liverpool, Middlesbrough and Wolverhampton Wanderers. After a spell as player-coach of Swindon Town, he retired from playing while player-manager of Macclesfield Town in 2007. He went on to manage Milton Keynes Dons (twice), Blackburn Rovers, Notts County and, after an almost-two-year break, Blackpool. He was capped 53 times by England, scoring two goals.

As a player, he won numerous honours with Manchester United, became the first black player to captain the England team. His son Tom Ince plays for Championship side Stoke City.

Ince joined Wolverhampton Wanderers and was playing outside a national top division for the first time since his one brief appearance there for West Ham in 1989, prior to his move to Manchester United. That said, Ince was in the Wolves team which won promotion to the Premier League as Division One playoff winners in his first season. They were relegated after just one season in the top flight (their first since 1983–84), but Ince helped them beat his old club Manchester United 1–0 in mid January and chose to stay with Wolves despite their relegation.

Ince was expected to retire at the end of the 2004–05 season, but he changed his mind halfway through the season following the appointment of Glenn Hoddle as manager of a Wolves side who were struggling at the wrong end of the league. Wolves climbed up to ninth in the final table, proving themselves very hard to beat under Hoddle's management, although they drew too many games to be able to make a late run to the playoff places. In June 2005, he signed a new one-year contract with Wolves. In April 2006, he announced that he wanted to continue playing for Wolves for a further season after speaking with his friend Teddy Sheringham. However, following Ince's failure to get the manager's job at Wolves in July 2006 on Hoddle's resignation, the newly appointed manager, Mick McCarthy, decided not to offer Ince a new contract. Throughout his time with the club, Ince declared his intention to return, at some point in the future, as manager of Wolves.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

A very VERY good player in his prime, who was past his best when he turned up here. There were some good performances in our colours for sure, but not as many as people seem to think.

 

[Deano]

His first season was good, his leadership was vital to the promotion season. After that first season his actual footballing performances weren't that good and it didn't set a very good example when he used to mess around over signing deals so that he didn't have to do any pre season training.