Why do you live where you do / Why do you support Wolves?

[Derby Wolf]

Born in Wolverhampton and lived in Penn, Dunstall Hill, Pennfields Bilston and Willenhall till the end of my 20's. Went to uni in Lincoln as a mature student hence the initial 'Lincs Wolf' moniker, met my now partner in Lincoln and after graduation we were both looking for jobs in the Derbyshire or Black Country areas with a view to being closer to my family or her family. She won and Derby Wolf was born.

Had a season ticket throughout my childhood years, packed up under Goddle, went home and away for McCarthy's first season before going traveling. Had a season ticket again from 2015/16 until I grew weary of Shi's shit.

 

[EpsomWolf]

My dad was in the RAF and stationed at Cosford when I was born. We went with him on tours for 2 years at a time to Aden, then Singapore, then Germany but always came back to RAF Cosford in between. I recall us living in Albrighton and Stafford.

Went to St John’s school in Stafford. My old man took me to Wolves whenever we were in the U.K. so with my first game earlier than I can remember properly, probably about 5 years old around 1970 or so.

Posted off to Germany again and when back to the U.K. 2 years later at 13 my old man was posted to Leighton Buzzard, where I left school, and ended up in Epsom via living in Milton Keynes, Cambridge, some time in Los Angeles seeking my fame and fortune (and inevitable failure), back to Cambridge to have and raise a family, then eventually to Epsom as empty nesters to bugger about doing stupid things like riding bikes, having fun and drinking too much wine.

50 years since lived within 100 miles of the ground but never once flinched or wavered. As passionate now as the time my dad used to take me.

Wolves for life.

 

[Mel Evo]

I’m from Teesside, where my dad’s side of the family are from, and where he still lives. However, mum was born and brought up on Parkfield Rd and her dad was a huge Wolves fan from pre WWII times I guess. My parents met in Wolverhampton in the late 50s when dad was ‘sent’ there as his first circuit as a Methodist minister. My dad is a huge sports fan, but never really had a true allegiance to one club. Suffice to say grandad saw the opportunity and had me converted by taking me to my first match in 1984 while on one of my regular holidays at Parkfield Rd. Yep, grew up in Middlesbrough with holidays in Wolverhampton constituting an exotic break. As Wolves plummeted down the divisions my allegiance only got stronger. I mean, thinking about all this again I must be a genuine weirdo really.

Of course, to add to all this nonsense, Wolves would choose to pick Boro as the club to have their worst away record at for about 50 years. Amazing.

Work has taken me to London, Spain and South America before marriage saw me settle in Rutland about 13 years ago. Sadly there is no direct family left in Wolverhampton now, so fortnightly trips to Molineux are nostalgia heavy for me and a link to the past for my kids. Rutland is lovely, but it’s no Fighting Cocks.

 

[Tony Towner]

So for me, brought up in Burntwood, classic overspill area in the 70s and 80s, not an official new town like Telford or MK, but Brummies or Yam Yams moving out in the main. Dad was one of those weirdos from days gone by who'd go the Villa one week and Blues the next, with the occasional visit to Albion sprinkled in. First game was Jan '79 Albion v Everton, both in the top 3 at the time. We went to see the 3 Degrees, not Regis, Batson and Cunningham although they all played, but Philly's finest vocal group...I guess that was a clue for later life.

7th birthday we went to buy a Villa kit from Rackhams, in those days it was only them and Harry Parkes who sold kits in Brum. The Umbro ones in a box. They'd sold out so he bought me a Wolves one as they were local. Like I say he was and still is at 79 a weirdo without an affinity to one team. I'd get a Villa one for Xmas. I was in though and the rest...

Lived in Derby since 2001, wanted somewhere closer to where work was at the time which was Sheffield, although I left 6 months later. It's not a perfect place, but after 23 years and both kids born there it's home. For someone of my generation I always say Derby is further away than you think because of the old TV regions, but before they started fucking around with the A38, I could be in the centre of Lichfield in 20 mins from where I live

 

[Carsy]

Born Shrewsbury and lived here all my life. My dad and his brother big wolves fans, as was their dad. Grandad was good friends with Dick Homben, who was a guest at my father’s wedding, much to my mums delight.

Don’t get too many games now due to family circumstances and having youngs kids. Previous season ticket holder for a few years - league 1 season was great fun to be a season ticket holder!

 

[sycophantia]

Born and bred in Dudley (well nearer Brierley Hill actually) got interested in football at junior school, picked Wolves cos I liked the name.
Dad and big brother had zero interest in football so my old man got one of his drinking buddies to take me. Started going 69/70, lost a bit of interest late 70s, then started a family and had a hiatus for about 12 years. Moved to Telford 1980 then Newport 1985. Eldest son wanted to go to a game so started going again 1990. Been going on and off since.

 

[Dublin Drummer Wolf]

Born in Manchester but living in Ireland since the age of 5. My Dad is a Wolves fan and got me into them in the 90s.

First game was vs Palace in 1998, a drab 0-0 draw. I'd hoped to see Robbie Keane play but he was injured
I used to come over 2 or 3 times a season but family and career got in the way more recently.

 

[Lupo]

Born in Guernsey to an Italian father and mom from Stourbridge. Moved to Stourbridge when I was a few months old as my gran in Stourbridge was ill (she sadly died aged 41 when I was a baby so I can't remember her ) then to Bridgnorth at 5 where I've lived ever since. My dad sort of likes football but not too seriously but took me to a few Wolves games when I was a boy as his boss had a ST for Wolves and Blues and would sometimes lend him his ticket.

I chose Wolves as my Uncle Paul has always been a Wolves fan and was the only actual football role model for me growing up plus at the time Andy Gray played for us he looked very much like Uncle Paul!

My first game was Boxing Day 1979, a goalless draw against Southampton then went to a few games with my dad or uncle when I could. I started attending regularly in the late 80s during the Bully years and had a Season Ticket from 1995 until 2010 when I gave up after our first season back in the PL under Mick and continued as a Member picking and choosing until picking up my ST again in 2018, sitting in the same seat but a row behind my original ST in SBU J6.

 

[Tony Towner]

Born in Manchester but living in Ireland since the age of 5. My Dad is a Wolves fan and got me into them in the 90s.

First game was vs Palace in 1998, a drab 0-0 draw. I'd hoped to see Robbie Keane play but he was injured
I used to come over 2 or 3 times a season but family and career got in the way more recently.

Would you see yourself as Irish, English or it's not that binary?

 

[Dublin Drummer Wolf]

Would you see yourself as Irish, English or it's not that binary?

Irish as I've lived most of my life here, went to school here, work here and feel embedded in the culture here.
Over 30yrs living abroad will shape your identity especially if you move when you're young

 

[slink]

Born in Darlaston and the whole of my dad’s side of the family are Wolves but particularly him and my uncle who my dad always tells me should have played for them. His side of the family did have someone win the FA Cup with Wolves in 1949 and Wolves will always be our team. Went when i could from the age of 5 but my dad worked at a football club so couldn’t always go and was the same for me up until around 7 years ago when i changed roles. Have had a season ticket and an ast since then and genuinely no idea what i’d do without going to our games 9/10 months a year.

 

[lemonjelly]

Born in Wolverhampton. Parents moved there from Willenhall as they wanted their kids to "talk properly "!
Dad & grandad are/were Villa fans.
Peter Daniel lived 2 doors down.
.
Kenny Hibbitt was the first footballer I wanted to watch.
Loved the old, dilapidated molineux. First game was in the re-opened John Ireland stand with red seats. Always want to say it was v Gillingham, but probably wrong on that.
Watched us slide down the divisions but couldn't give up, despite the constant piss taking from my dad.
Then the first rebirth under Turner, & bully.
Mainly a radio/ media fan for many years owing to £ or lack of, combined with caring responsibilities for parents.

Moved to Birmingham with the now Mrs jelly. Obtained work here following a nasty redundancy, & targeted current job subsequently for convenience/ reduce commuting.

Had the good fortune to attend regularly for the past 12/13 years, due to some good people on here.

 

[lemonjelly]

You must have mentioned it before and I've missed it, but John Bird as your uncle is some Wolves claim to fame. A good man politically outside of that too.

Reading this shocked me, as I know other relatives of John Bird attend & are on here.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Not really a fan of a football team growing up and lived all over the place.

Girl at uni was a wolves fan and I wanted to get in her knickers so tagged along to games and became hooked on misery. Never got the shag either.

Finally moved to Wolverhampton 15 years ago but now I live in Oz I doubt o will be returning any time soon

 

[Del Woppio]

Bit of a fluke really, my dad was a United fan and kind of pushing me in that direction. A mate's sister didn't want to go to a wolves match one day when I was about ten so I borrowed her ST, and then that basically happened at least once a month for the next 6-7 years* and the rest, as they say, is history. I'd love to say my life choices for better after that but lol

*I mean, we're talking the knockings of Turner to Colin Lee, how on earth can somebody CBA watching that stretch?

 

[DogWeasel]

Gonna be honest, so here we go...

Raised in Cornwall, I was a Man Utd fan from around 77/78 but had a pin badge of Wolves somehow so decided they were my 'Second team'
Fast forward 20 years and being bored with Utd winning trophy after trophy I switched teams.

 

[Squeak]

Born in Shangai, emigrated to Wolverhampton in 2017 when my company decided to get into a business they knew fuck all about. Went quite well initially but since then it's been one fuck up after another as the ungrateful customers we have give us no breathing room. Have two daughters who come to games who love Pedro but still don't understand why we resigned Matt Doherty or why we can't take West Ham's money for Maximilian Kilman. Such is life and I told them "Don't be sad."

Currently living in Tettenhall and go to all games. Enjoy the culture of Wolves but struggling to understand some of the supporter base who think money grows on trees for signing players but not willing to fork out a little extra for a season ticket. Not got time for more of a diatribe as my e-Sports gang are waiting for me to login.

 

[Tredman]

Probably 100 years of family pressure for me too, both of my grandads and one of my great grandads were wolves fans - the latter came over from Ireland to work in the mines and picked up Wolves at the same time, the other side were farm labourers somewhere south of Penkridge. Grew up in Stafford - at the time there were very few Wolves fans, fair bit more now. Moved loads since but back in Stafford and been back with a season ticket since 2017, now indoctrinating my kids in the same way as I was indoctrinated.

 

[Shotbybothsides]

Lived most of my younger life in Whitmore Reans (various houses Drummond Street, Austin Street, Staveley Road, Gloucester Street), also Cadle Road in Low Hill, and Inkerman Street, Heath Town before they knocked my flat down. Also lived near Crewe as a youngster for several years. First house I bought was in Allen Road near the Newhampton pub, then moved to Bilbrook in 2004 and lived in that area ever since.

Someone did a survey of around 2,000 Wolves fans from 'Dingles Ay We' and it produced the following results of where people said they lived in the West Midlands, but didn't take account of those further afield. No real surprises, Tipton strong though considering in Sandwell: -

1) Wolverhampton 632 (may also include Wednesfield or Bilston depending on individual interpretation)
2) Cannock 142 (90% of those from Cannock / Cheslyn Hay / Great Wyrley, and a few from Hednesford)
3) Dudley 101 (unspecified exact area but not inc surrounding towns so 'Dudley' likely to refer to central areas like Wren's Nest)
4) Walsall 100 (mostly from Walsall North and West, such as Bloxwich)
5) Gornal 83 (mostly from Lower Gornal)
6) Sedgley 80
7) Telford 77 (Includes all of Telford / Wrekin towns)
8) Willenhall 72
9) Wednesfield 69
10) Stourbridge 66 (includes Wollaston, Amblecote, Norton, Lye)
11) Bilston 65
12) Tipton 60 (notably most from Princes End area)
13) Brierley Hill 52
14) Stafford 51
15) Darlaston 46
16) Kingswinford 45
17) Birmingham 40
18) Codsall 36 (Codsall and Bilbrook)
19) Coseley 34
20) Worcester 32
21) Wombourne 29
22) Shrewsbury 27
23) Penkridge 26
24) Kidderminster 25 (includes a few from Bewdley)
25) Halesowen 24
26) Bridgnorth 23
27) Wordsley 21
28) Bloxwich 15 (but note people there may have said 'Walsall')
28) Wednesbury 15
28) Netherton 15
29) Rugeley 14
30) Lichfield 13
31) Newport 11
32) Shifnal 10
33) Kinver 9
33) Stourport 9
34) Cradley Heath 8
34) Oldbury 8
34) West Bromwich 8
35) Tamworth 7
36) Pensnett 6
36) Rowley Regis 6
36) Burntwood 6
36) Redditch 6
37) Brownhills 5
37) Hagley 5
37) Pershore 5
38) Tividale 4
38) Evesham 4
39) Aldridge 3
39) Ludlow 3
39) Malvern 3
40) Bromsgrove 2
41) Smethwick 1
41) Droitwich 1

 

[darlowolf64]

Born in Kettering to an Irish immigrant. Moved to Northallerton aged 3 in 1967. Dads family came over from Dublin for work and settled in the Birmingham area.

When we visited them, their kids had started supporting Blues or Villa so was told I had to pick a team... There was only one team in the Midlands in 1972, and it was Wolves! (So I guess I'm a glory fan)