Dave Wagstaffe's partner: It's like a light has gone from my life

'Waggy' died in her arms on August 6 after a short illness. He was 70.

For a generation of Wolves fans, the news met with great sadness.

There were few more thrilling sights in the mid-late 1960s and early 70s than Wagstaffe hunched over the ball, left foot poised to strike another pinpoint cross or pass.

Val, 59, saw a different Waggy: to her as a partner for the last 21 years, the father-of-three, step-dad to three and grandfather to 11, he was Dave, a lovely man who felt so enriched and privileged at the life he had had, rather than expressing any regrets at his life being so cruelly cut short.

Known as a quiet man who was never happier than when he was on his allotment in Tettenhall, Val revealed another side to her long-term partner.

"He told me when he was dying, 'Val, I've had such a wonderful life and I've been so lucky' and that was comforting to know that as I knew he was suffering," she said.

"He was my world and he made my world for 20 years – we did everything together; he was my life, it was a blissful 20 years.

"Now he's gone it's like a light has gone from my life.

"I'm so sad it's unbelievable.

"He did little things for me all the time – there was always a meal waiting for me when I got home from work.

"Working as a carer, I didn't get home until 10.30pm in the winter and he used to go down and unlock the garage door, then stand in the window waiting for me until I got back.

"It was funny little gestures like that he used to do which I loved."

The pair met in 1993 when Waggy was about to open Waggy's Bar, a lounge bar and function suite in the Stan Cullis Stand in a Molineux lavishly rebuilt at a cost of £20m by Wolves' then owner Sir Jack Hayward.

"I met Dave during the construction of the bar and we hit it off immediately," she said.

"The person who introduced us said 'I remember you playing – do you still keep it up?' and Dave said 'Well, I don't train any more!'.

"We hit it off from that day."

Val recounted the lovely times she shared with Dave.

"Before he was ill we used to go to Balmoral every year on holiday and stay in the grounds," she said. "He just loved life.

"We've got a caravan in Glasson Dock in Morecambe Bay where he was a member of the bowls club.

"He absolutely adored his bowls and the club is re-naming one of the trophies for next year 'The Dave Wagstaffe Trophy' in his honour."

Closer to home, Waggy's passion was his allotment opposite their home in Tettenhall.

"Dave had an allotment with a pond and a greenhouse," recalled Val.

"He loved his flowers, but he loved growing his own tomatoes – you name a vegetable, he'd grown it.

"Whenever he was home, he was looking to get to his allotment."

Waggy lived a full life in retirement until he started feeling ill shortly after he was inducted into the Wolves Hall of Fame on January 17.

He was admitted to Wolverhampton's New Cross Hospital after having a heart attack and had a stent fitted. But sadly, instead of getting better, he fell ill and his condition worsened until in July he was given just weeks to live. "He knew two weeks before he died that he'd only got weeks to live," said Val.

"Then on the Tuesday, he saw the doctor in the morning and a bit later he was sitting down and called me over.

"He just said 'hold me', and he died there in my arms."

There were so many happy memories though in what was a full life away from an incredibly long playing career of 22 years, most of which was spent in the top flight with Wolves.

After he hung up his boots, Waggy continued to rub shoulders with the rich and famous.

There were some chance encounters with both Margaret Thatcher and the Queen.

First he became steward at Blackpool Conservative Club, where he recounted an amusing tale from meeting the then Prime Minister, who was attending the Conservative Party conference.

"He said Margaret Thatcher walked in and asked to go into the lounge downstairs and Dave told her it was 'men only'," said Val.

"Anyway, Mrs Thatcher went downstairs and when she came back up, she said to Dave, 'it's no longer men only'!

But he always had a burning passion for football and the team he played such a big part in illuminating for a generation.

"He just loved life – he'd written his book Waggy's Tales and had just finished a book about his friend and former team-mate Frank Munro, which is going to be published," said Val.

"I lived with him for over 20 years and he still used to surprise me with stories I hadn't heard from when he was a player.

"He loved to speak about his time as a player.

"He was modest and humble but he was always welcoming to fans and he would always sign autographs for people.

"And he was so proud at being inducted into the club's Hall of Fame in January.

"That was the happiest I can remember him – he was so proud.

"Steve Gordos, a family friend, arranged for a letter from the Queen congratulating Dave after writing to her, and he was so delighted."

Waggy had met the Queen one summer during one of his and Val's holidays at the church in Balmoral – the monarch's holiday residence in Scotland – where the couple stayed in a cottage next to the castle.

"We were planning to go back there this December to celebrate my 60th birthday," said Val.

Along with his allotment, Waggy's passion recently was social networking site Facebook, where he had amassed 2,000 followers.

"He found Facebook about 18 months ago and he used to put videos on there and do research – he loved it," said Val.

"He wasn't a great TV fan but he would watch Coronation Street and Countdown.

The Wagstaffe and Williams families have been comforted by the surge of goodwill they have received from Wolves fans and people from all over the region.

Many of these have taken to social media site Facebook to express their sadness and condolences.

"It's been emotional and overwhelming," said Val.

It is family Val has turned to in her hour of need and she is indebted to their support at such a traumatic time.

They have completely redecorated the flat her and Dave shared.

Val revealed Waggy first got the idea of having his funeral at Wolverhampton's biggest church, St Peter's, after the funeral of his former team-mate and friend, Derek Dougan, took place there in 2007.

Knowing the end was near, in his final days, Dave and Val spoke together about how he wanted to be remembered.

"He loved the Doog and he loved St Peter's after the send-off they gave Derek," said Val.