Thanks Mick, for the memories and service

As expected, after a humiliating derby defeat to West Bromwich Albion yesterday afternoon, Mick McCarthy’s 5 and a half year reign at Wolves has come to an end.

Upon hearing the news, I was extremely saddened, yet not surprised. The writing had been on the wall for quite a while, and it was just impossible to expect Mick to survive after yesterday’s result. But despite the disastrous way his time in charge has culminated, it will not change my view that he has been the best manager this club has had for 30 years.

Think back to July 2006, when we were a club in turmoil. Our best defender (Lescott) had been sold to the Premier League and many of the underperforming, overpaid players, as well as our excuse making failure of a manager, had deserted the sinking ship. Expectations had plummeted, hope had evaporated, and apathy ruled. Parachute payments, paid to the club in the two years since our relegation from the Premier League in 2004, had ran out. The only way, it seemed, was down.

On the 21st of that month, Mick was appointed as our new manager. The seemingly best candidate to take charge upon Hoddle’s resignation, we had employed a man with a track record of success in the Championship, having won the trophy with Sunderland in 2005.


With expectations of promotion now firmly put to one side, all we wanted as supporters was to see a team playing with the spirit and desire that had been so conspicuous in its absence at Molineux for too long. No more over the hill mercenaries on tens of thousand pounds a week; just young, promising players who were proud to wear the Wolves shirt. The first one of that ilk was Karl Henry; a Wolverhampton-born midfielder signed for a nominal fee from Stoke, and he was quickly followed by many more.

What Mick went on to achieve in that season was nothing short of miraculous. Young, hungry players, such as Henry, Michael Kightly and Andy Keogh, married with the experience of Gary Breen, helped catapult Wolves to a play-off position by the campaign’s end. The fresh approach in philosophy had worked wonders and more than satisfied the Molineux masses. Mick’s name rang out on the terraces; never more than in a 6-0 loss to Southampton in March 2007. It was the fans’ way of thanking him and the players for the hard work and spirit shown, despite an awful defeat, and it remains one of the proudest moments I’ve ever experienced as a Wolves fan. 

Ultimately, there was to be no happy ending to the campaign, as a more experienced and expensive West Brom side were just too strong in the semi-final double header. But pride and dignity had been restored, a fresh philosophy working wonders. I was immensely proud to be a Wolves supporter.

It was always going to be tough to follow the successful exploits of the previous season, and as expectations returned, so did the atmosphere we hoped had been left behind. A 7th place finish in 2007/08 was deemed not good enough by many, and some of our notoriously fickle ‘fans’ were at it again. After the final whistle had blown in the last game of the season, the atmosphere had turned flat upon realizing that the play-offs had eluded us. I sat in the upper Steve Bull stand that day, and the abuse he received, some of it personal, by a minority of our supporters sickened me. These deluded people had failed to see the bigger picture; that, in fact, Mick had laid the foundations with players, such as Jarvis, Foley, Ebanks-Blake and Edwards, who were going to play a big part in the long-term future of our club.

Then came 2008/09; what a season! Brilliant, vibrant, attacking football; Kightly and Jarvis marauding down the wings, Sylvan Ebanks-Blake and Chris Iwleumo banging in the goals. Who will ever forget the away days at Forest and Derby? The two runs of seven successive victories? A wounded side, battered and bruised, blasting their way to a 3-1 win at Sheffield United? The pitch invasion against QPR when promotion was secured? Wonderful memories that will never be forgotten. The greatest moment of them all, of course, would have to be when Henry and Jody Craddock lifted the Championship trophy after the final game. For a man who has barely ever shown his emotions, I’m not ashamed to say there were tears of joy that day as a rapturous, flag waving Molineux erupted in cheers.

We should be forever grateful to Mick for keeping us in the Premier League for two straight seasons. For all the defeats and bad times suffered, he generally managed to drag us out of the mire. He masterminded some great victories; such as the wins against Man United, Chelsea, Tottenham (twice), Man City and Liverpool, not to mention against the Baggies. 

Unfortunately, it’s all ended on a sad note, but the way in which he has handled himself in the aftermath of his dismissal is testament to the man. Watching him on TV, driving away from Wolverhampton for the final time, was a poignant scene. We are saying goodbye to the best manager in the modern era of this football club.

So, to sum it all up, as a massive Wolves fan, I would like to thank Mick for what he has done for Wolves. Thank you for 2006, when the signings he got completely spot on were crucial and critical to our long term future. Thank you for bringing pride and dignity back to our club following the Hoddle debacle. Thank you for giving Wayne Hennessey the chance to develop into one of the best goalkeepers in the country. Thank you for 2009; the greatest season in our recent history. Thank you for bringing Premier League football back to Molineux. Thank you for Michael Kightly, for Karl Henry, for Stephen Ward, for Kevin Foley, Kevin Doyle, Sylvan Ebanks-Blake, Andy Keogh, Chris Iwleumo, Matt Jarvis, Steven Fletcher.

And, most of all, thank you for giving me the best moments I have ever experienced as a Wolves supporter. I, like many, many others, will be forever grateful for the impact he has made in the recent history of Wolverhampton Wanderers.
　
Thanks, Mick.




Written by Nick Wall
Follow him on Twitter @NickWolf89


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