Me and my Albion supporting other half went to all five fixtures together last season, each taking our turn to sit amongst the ‘enemy’ for the duration of the 90 minutes.   Needless to say he had to be far more discreet than I did, and so it turned out he did on Tuesday as well. 

Anyone who knows me well enough will know that I’m not particularly bothered about this fixture, and funnily enough neither is the other half.  To both of us, as to our respective clubs, this fixture was always about needing three points and progressing to our desired heights in the league – something else that sadly Wolves are lagging behind with at present. 

There was one big noticeable difference between Wolves and Albion in my book.  We had our ‘spells’ I suppose, that is to say we had periods where our supporters became overly excited and hopeful of some end result.  But the major difference was that our spells came in the form of a frenetic mess, ‘hoof and hope’ football that more often than not resulted in the loss of possession without the Albion players having to even present a challenge. 

Albion on the other hand find feet.  They can control a ball, play neat passing football which for huge chunks of the game came as quite an embarrassment to us Wolves fans.   

The score itself I can handle, in fact it’s terribly modest.  Even the loss of three or any come to think of it points.  Yes even against our most “bitter rivals”.  I can even handle the knowledge that these three points at Molineux for the Baggies might just be their springing board back to England’s top flight, but what is harder to swallow is the overriding gulf that seems to be opening between the two clubs. 

I say ‘clubs’ because for once I mean this literally.  It is not just a matter of the team, the quality of the players on the pitch or the calibre of manager.  It’s about general decency and common sense.  To me Albion is a well run club, throughout all ranks and divisions.  The same cannot be said however about the hierarchy at Molineux, who are so unashamedly money orientated it’s painful. 

Don’t even get me started on the ticket prices issue – season tickets or match day tickets for the last few home games.  This is a separate whinge for a different day.  But it’s all part and parcel of the rot that is imbedding itself into life at Wolverhampton Wanderers, and if you are looking for any aspect of local rivalry that ‘hurts’ the most, believe me, that’s it.

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