Back of the net! Ex-Wolves stars donate £6k charities

The group has donated £6,000 worth of funding to the Maureen Parkes Breast Care Fund, Birmingham Children’s Hospital, Good Shepherd Services and The Haven in Wolverhampton.

Several members of the FPA met with charity representatives for an evening gathering at The Fox at Shipley to hand over the cheques.

Funding came from the proceeds of the FPA’s annual golf day organised by Steve Daley and wife Lyn held at Oxley Park back in September, following donations made earlier in the year after the annual dinner to the Good Shepherd and Compton Care.

"Over the last couple of years we have really stepped up our efforts to help local good causes,” said WFPA vice-chairman and legendary Wolves goalscorer John Richards.

"I have said many times how both myself and so many of the players from our era stayed in the local area after finishing our careers, and making a contribution to the community is very important to us.

"There are several local charities which we will support over a long period of time, but it is also good to raise funds for new charities as well, and hopefully these donations will make a difference and help the people of Wolverhampton and the surrounding areas."

Richard Green, WFPA administrator, added: “It is great to see how well this current Wolves team is doing, a view which I know is shared by the former players, and is bringing back memories of when John and the others here tonight were battling it out at the top of the First Division and in Europe.

“What is so heartening for me and everyone else connected with the FPA is how they are still so keen to get together and organise events, and in doing so raise money to be utilised within the local community.

“We are delighted that a substantial amount has now been donated by the FPA over the last two years, and plans are already underway to do the same for 2020 to continue to support groups and community organisations around the city and beyond.”

The Good Shepherd, soon to officially move to a new premises opposite Molineux, supports the homeless and vulnerable people from Wolverhampton, while The Haven, also with offices on Waterloo Road, supports women and children who are under threat of domestic violence, homelessness and abuse.

The Maureen Parkes Breast Care Fund is a charity set up in memory of the widow of former Wolves goalkeeper Phil Parkes, which, with the help of Maureen’s friend Sheila, helps purchase various pieces of equipment to enhance the treatment and care of patients by the Royal Wolverhampton Hospitals NHS Trust.

Neil Taylor, landlord at The Fox, is a friend to many of the former players, and has raised almost £150,000 for Birmingham Children’s Hospital after his daughter Kiahna underwent several life-saving heart operations as a child.