Stuart Webber: We recommended this season's signings to previous Wolves managers
Wolves' chief talentspotter today revealed five of Kenny Jackett's signings had been recommended to previous Molineux managers.
Head of recruitment Stuart Webber has said Scott Golbourne, Kevin McDonald, James Henry, Nouha Dicko and Michael Jacobs were all put forward previously but that they weren't taken up on a permanent basis.
Dicko did arrive on loan at the end of the 2012-13 season, but only figured fleetingly on loan, and on the wing, rather than his preferred position as striker.
Golbourne had a storming season at left-back, McDonald went on to be crowned double player of the year, Henry scored 10 goals and claimed 10 assists, Dicko scored 13 goals and Jacobs eight.
Webber credits head coach Jackett for having the confidence to back the scouting team but also share the same vision that the players targeted could lead Wolves to success.
"Kenny wanted to bring Sam Ricketts and what a fantastic signing that proved to be," said Webber.
"Then there are others like Kevin McDonald, Nouha Dicko, Michael Jacobs - players we've put forward previously as well.
"We've watched these players a lot and know their personalities and with Kenny saying the same from his own knowledge we were pushing against an open door.
"Scott Golbourne is another good example of another player we'd watched a lot and someone Kenny knew well from having played against him with his Millwall teams.
"James Henry had worked with Kenny previously so he knew more about his personality on top of the games we'd watched.
"And look how many goals and assists he chipped in with."
Lee Evans was another success story, having been snapped up from then non-league Newport County for £200,000 before bursting onto the scene this season and playing 26 League games.
Webber added: "Going back there's someone like Lee Evans who came in as a new young signing and has gone on to do very well.
"As a department that's a really exciting one because it's scouting at his best - taking someone from non-league for a small figure and within six months he's in the first team.
"That's what you're in the job for, to find players like those."
Jackett has said before that good scouting starts two years in advance and Webber admitted planning is already underway preparing the groundwork to improve Wolves if and when they reach the Premier League again.
"The aim for the future is to get promoted again," he said.
"So as well as the immediate recruitment, we also have to look if we can get to the Premier League, which players would we need to make further progress."
To that end, although the players may now have hit the beaches, Webber and his team are still very much on the go.
"The league may have finished and the play-off finals are coming up but we've got an Under-20 tournament in France and Under-19 tournaments going on and then suddenly pre-season is upon us and the opportunity to watch some younger players in other first teams," he said.
"It's non-stop, but already we also have an eye on the January transfer window and next summer as well.
"What we've done well as a group with Kevin (Thelwell, head of development) and Kenny and Chris (Badlan, technical recruitment officer) and myself is be well prepared for this summer.
"Nothing can ever be taken for granted but we knew we had one of the best teams in the league and the best head coach and supporters in the league, so we had to be optimistic we had a good chance of being promoted.
"That meant behind the scenes we weren't only preparing for League One but also the Championship and spinning plates a good few months – and even a year – in advance.
"And we've also got the opposition teams to scout as well.
"We've got two guys – Chris Jones and Joel Roberts – who concentrate mainly on looking at forthcoming opposition and then liaise with our analyst Phil Boardman who collaborates all the reports and puts a pack together for all the coaching staff to then look at."