Matt Murray: Jody's joy ends incredible season for Wolves
So that's it and what an incredible season it has been. If you'd asked Wolves fans a year ago, when they were thoroughly disenchanted with their club, for their wish list, every box, bar signing Ronaldo in the transfer window, has been ticked.
A blessing in disguise usually comes with the benefit of hindsight, but the fall into League One forced a sporting institution to look hard at itself. The results, on and off the pitch, have been extraordinary and everybody connected with this great club, from top to bottom, should take a bow. We are back and it does not end here.
Your love for your football club is unconditional but boy does it give you joy and pain in equal measure. It has not just been the players smashing records, but the fans, selling out away allocations wherever they went.
It was some Bank Holiday weekend to cap it all off. Victory over Carlisle on Saturday was very comfortable, but thoroughly professional, when thoughts might have been turning towards the beer and the beach.
The focus remained and another record tumbled as we hit 103 points for the season. Then the trophy presentation and a lap of honour and how significant could that League One silverware be in years to come as a defining moment in the club's history.
We also said goodbye to George Elokobi. What a servant of the club the Cameroon defender has been. He is a cult hero at Molineux. It is a cliché to say somebody will run through brick walls for you, but in the case of George, he is such a physical specimen, he literally could!
He has been so unlucky with injuries, but works incredibly hard. George was living the dream and he was not going to squander it. His desire and passion was there for all to see and he always played with a smile on his face and time for the fans, who chanted his name all weekend.
I do hope George wins a contract with another club, although he will always be one of ours. He deserves it and I wish him all the best. Before Saturday's game he said how every time he pulled on the Wolves shirt felt like the first time and he filled it with pride, not to mention with his physique. And there he was at Jody Craddock's Testimonial match on Monday, enjoying great banter with the crowd and even having a spell in goal and this from a player who had just been released from the club. It tells you everything you need to know about the man.
It was a special day on Monday for my old mate Jody. Nearly 10,000 turned out for a great pro and a great cause and special mention to the Sunderland fans who travelled down in big numbers. Like Wolves, their club is blessed with fantastic support. Reuniting the old strike force of Niall Quinn and Kevin Phillips would have been quite a draw. I got a huge buzz playing at Molineux again. There is always a part of you thinking 'can I still do it?' and it reminded me how much I miss playing. Back in the day I'm sure I would have come for that cross, but what a header from Niall Quinn for the goal.
Kevin Phillips was paid the ultimate compliment by the Wolves fans, being booed at every touch, because he has been such a thorn in our side over the years, always scoring crucial goals against us.
He is a special person as well as a special player and he gave up Leicester's Championship-winning parade to support Jody and the Birmingham Children's Hospital. With a son at the Wolves academy maybe in years to come we'll have a Phillips scoring in the right end at Molineux!
With players coming back to the club and the likes of Mick McCarthy there, you are reminded about that bond with Wolves that never leaves you wherever you may go. Credit to Kenny Jackett and the squad for being there for the Testimonial match too after a long hard season and how good was it to see Steve Bull and Robert Plant, two legends of football and rock respectively, out for the half-time penalties and both part of the club fabric and furniture, always there sharing with the fans. Whole lotta love indeed.
Fair play to Jex Moxey too, for being such a great sport in goal. Sir Jack Hayward was there as well, although after my performance he did tell me the club would not be offering me another contract!
I would just like to point out that Jody was in the Wolves defence when we conceded and then in Sunderland colours when Wolves scored, so you do the maths!
Jody held it together well, but admitted he was choked with emotion when his three boys ran on to take the penalties and that was what the day was all about – a lovely end to a fantastic season.
Enjoy the summer and I cannot wait for the Championship season to start, with the small matter of the World Cup to keep us going until then. We are Wolves.
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