If you like classic English stadiums with a great history, in Wolverhampton you will find what you are looking for. The official language of Wolves may be Portuguese these days, but Molineux is and remains a great place to visit.
The Wolverhampton Wanderers have been around for almost 150 years and not without success, they already won the FA Cup in the 19th century and in the 1950s they became national champions three times. Since then, the Wolves have pretty much seen every division of English football, but have now returned to the Premier League, where they are more than creditable.
Home of Wolves since 1889, and what a home it is. A very nice stadium in all respects. But what is striking from the outside, are the large differences in height around the golden yellow stadium. The parking lot behind the Sir Jack Hayward Stand is almost level with the roof of that stand, making it look like a very small stadium, whilst on the other side the stadium looks gigantic.
In the 1950s, Molineux was one of the first stadiums with artificial lighting, so that football could also be played in the evening. As a result, the club decided to organise gala matches against top European sides, matches that were so well received that they would prove to be the impetus for the emergence of European football as we know it today.
Also special about Molineux are the curving 'banana stands' on the long sides. The Stan Cullis Stand behind the goal on the north side is the stadium's largest and most modern stand, built in 2012. The plan is – and this can be clearly seen from the curvature on that side – to extend this stand to the long side to the other side, whereby only the main stand will remain as it is for the time being.
All that Portugal is, Wolverhampton is pretty much not: A grey town in The Black Country, the coal mining region in the English Midlands where the sun only shines very sparsely. What attracts all those Portuguese footballers and trainers to the Wolves? The answer: Jorge Mendes. The world's most famous agent does not officially hold a position at the club, but chairman Jeff Shi calls him "a friend." Coincidentally, since taking office, Wolves have practically only brought in players and coaches from Mendes' stable, a shadowy game that seems to involve multiple clubs.
Molineux's four stands are named after individuals who have played an important role in Wolves' history: Billy Wright (Legendary Captain), Stan Cullis (Most Successful Manager), Jack Hayward (Famous Owner) and Steve Bull '80 and '90). The first three have also been given a statue behind their 'own' stands.
The Stan Cullis Stand houses the Wolves Museum, where you can get a good idea of the club's successes to date. The museum contains numerous shirts, cups from the 19th century and even a Hall of Fame with the most important people in the history of the club. The museum is also open on match days and is an excellent stop in preparation for the match.
If a pub is named after you as a football player you are usually a great one, and in the case of Billy Wright it is well deserved. As a centre-back, he never played for any club other than Wolves. He also became the first England national team player to make more than 100 caps and captained his country to three World Cups. In the heart of Wolverhampton – on 9 Princess Street – is 'The Billy Wright', the pub named after him. Beautiful photographs from Wolves' history adorn the walls, and the pub’s wall features a photograph of Wright himself. Here you can find many supporters for a match day pint before and after matches of the Wolves.
The Wolverhampton Wanderers were founded in 1877 as St Luke's, the school team of St Luke's Church of the same name in the south of the city. This church still exists and is on Upper Villiers Street, although the Grade II listed church building is now an antiques shop. The school building no longer stands, but a plaque to the left of the church marks the site of the old building. This plaque tells the story of the founding of the club we know today; Wolverhampton Wanderers.
The nearest pub to Molineux is The Leaping Wolf, a detached pub on the corner of Staveley Road and Waterloo Road. Inside, the pub is decorated in club colours and scarves adorn the walls, whilst the outside terrace offers a beautiful view of Molineux's Stan Cullis Stand, just a mere 100 meters away.
Due to the revival in the Wolves' performance, matches are often sold out. To get tickets for matches in the Premier League you need a membership, which you can purchase via the official website of the club. A membership costs 35 pounds, after which you can also order tickets on the site.
Wolverhampton is a fairly compact city with everything within walking distance, and Molineux is no different being just a few minutes' walk from the centre. From Wolverhampton St. George's stop, terminus of the West Midlands Metro from Birmingham, it's less than ten minutes' walk to the stadium, and even shorter from Wolverhampton train station.
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