Michael Kightly: Wolves fans don't know the whole story

Kightly played a starring role and netted on his debut for the Brewers after joining on loan from Burnley on deadline day.

The 31-year-old was given plenty of stick from the away supporters but refused to celebrate his goal and then put his hands up in apology to the Wolves fans at full-time.

Kightly said: "I'd never celebrate against Wolves.

"I'd celebrate against any other team that I've played (against), to be honest, other than Wolves.

"They gave me my chance in football, and I owe everything to Wolves for that – and that will stay with me until I die.

"It's always nice to score - and it was an important goal, it got us back in the game.

"Wolves was a big part of my life, so I apologise to them – but at the same time, I'm a Burton player and my job is to help Burton."

Kightly became the fifth ex-Wolves player to score against them this season, after Rajiv Van La Parra, Sylvan Ebanks-Blake, Adam Hammill and Adam Le Fondre.

The winger said being booed by the Wolves fans was 'part and parcel of football'.

But he added: "There's a lot of Wolves fans that don't really know what happened with me leaving, but they are entitled to their opinions. I've said from day one, I love Wolves as a club. It's a club that I am very fond of and I always look out for.

"I left because I had to leave. But they don't know that, the fans. I think some do, some have spoken to me just there.

"It's part and parcel of football, everyone has their own opinions and that's fine - I don't begrudge anyone that."

Many supporters felt aggrieved that Kightly left soon after overcoming a series of injury problems, as the club were relegated from the Premier League.

He said it had been difficult to shake off that 'injured' tag.

"I'm out of contract in the summer, so obviously it's important for me to get some games and get some fitness and show people that I'm still alive!" he added.

"I get labelled with this injury shout that I've had for years because I had a few injuries at Wolves.

"But that was five, six years ago at Wolves. I was at Stoke, never had an injury at Stoke, and the whole time I've been at Burnley I've never had an injury.

"So I've been injury-free now for a lot of years, and fit – but just not match-fit at the minute, so hopefully I can build on that."