Old Gold flock are praying for Wolves
Missionary Brian Burton is spreading the word of Wolves to villagers thousands of miles away in Thailand.
More than 3,000 old strips have been shipped out to the region of Phuket – all of them handed in by fans during a shirt "amnesty".
And a small army of confirmed supporters, one of them an 84-year-old woman, now don the famous Old Gold and Black tops every time they join Mr Burton to sing hymns and say prayers.
"It is an amazing sight, " said the Wolves fanatic during a recent visit to the club's training ground. Mr Burton, who was born in Woodcross and went to Bilston Grammar School before teaching RE at High Arcal School, Sedgley, and Windsor High in Halesowen, saw his first Wolves match aged eight.
"They lost 3-0 to Arsenal but I was bitten by the bug and have been an avid fan ever since," he said. "Dave Wagstaffe was my favourite player."
Mr Burton, aged 51, left with his wife Margaret to become a missionary in Thailand in 1989. The couple adopted three daughters, all now grown up.
He got in touch with Wolves after club officials asked for suggested community projects they could get involved with. The e-mail arrived around the time 3,000 shirts had been handed in by fans in a deal where an old soccer top earned a discount on a new one.
A season ticket holder who works for a company trading with the Far East arranged to have the kit shipped free of charge to Phuket where Mr Burton handed the shirts to his flock.
Mr Burton said: "They love the Wolves – and now they can watch them regularly on TV because all Premiership games are screened in Thailand."
Wolves community chief Rachael Heyhoe Flint said: "Teams like Chelsea, Manchester United and Liverpool spend millions spreading their global brand. We have done it with some old shirts."
