Stars of the show No.1: How have Wolves' players rated this season?

Carl Ikeme

Such is the fierce competition for Wolves' Player of the Year this time that Ikeme probably won't win it. In a way that would be a shame, especially as he was responsible for numerous saves that clinched numerous wins earlier in the season, most notably Sheffield United and Swindon at home and at Colchester.

Star rating *****

Aaron McCarey

It says everything for the development of the Ireland Under-21 international that when Carl Ikeme regained full fitness from his broken hand in February, there was a debate as to whether he should win an immediate recall.

Star rating **

Sam Ricketts

Ricketts' versatility has seen him operate right across the back four. Starting at left-back prior to the signing of Scott Golbourne before switching to central defence and settling at right-back. Superb season from the calm, professional skipper.

Star rating *****

Matt Doherty

If you were to select a player of the year for those first 12 games of the season, few would be ahead of Doherty. It was then so typical of his season that on the two occasions when he's made comebacks, he's suffered firstly a recurrence of his hamstring injury then one on the other leg. But for those dozen matches, he was almost peerless in this Wolves team.

Star rating **

Ethan Ebanks-Landell

Right-back is Wolves' most well-stocked department in the squad, but the rampaging Ebanks-Landell proved he can do a more than adequate job and with devastating effect too, with goals against Notts County and Leyton Orient.

Star rating **

Danny Batth

No one symbolises the 'new Wolves' more than Batth. The club's only ever-present at the time of writing, the 23-year-old quickly became a cult hero with the South Bank adopting the 'Danny Batth's from Brierley Hill' song in his honour. Batth's chance of regular football at Wolves was long overdue and his easy connection as a locally-born academy graduate was a key factor in rebuilding the relationship between the dressing room and the supporters. But it couldn't have happened if it wasn't backed up by his performances. That's where Batth has responded magnificently as part of the best defence in League One. A born leader who is the natural choice as captain when Sam Ricketts isn't playing, he is towering in the air, fierce in the tackle, no slouch on the ground and his prodigious workrate has helped bring further improvement on the ball.

Star rating *****

Richard Stearman

Few thought a year ago that Stearman would still be at Molineux, let alone play a key part in the rebirth and promotion push. Loaned to Ipswich, the 26-year-old was expected to be ushered out of the door by Jackett's new broom. But those who felt the man who has been part of a Championship title win and two relegations was too tainted by the past have been proved wrong. He has undergone his own rebirth at Wolves, with a string of faultless performances in his favourite position of centre-half. Now for that contract...

Star rating *****

Scott Golbourne

Takes his place as one of the numerous Player of the Year candidates after a storming season. Didn't make the most convincing start to his Wolves career but quickly put that behind him to emerge as one of the stars of this promotion campaign. Golbourne is a fine example of the modern-day full-back: Pacy, mobile and always with one eye on an overlap, he loves to attack, crosses well but also possesses unlimited reserves of energy to get back and defend. More often than not he is perfectly placed to deal with any danger on the ground or – despite his relative lack of height – in the air.

Star rating *****

Kevin McDonald

Kenny Jackett's best signing? McDonald could be quite possibly Wolves' most important capture for several years. Before the bargain £250,000 arrival of the 25-year-old playmaker, Wolves were struggling desperately to disentangle themselves from the web of clashing footballing cultures forged through the McCarthy and Solbakken regimes. Wolves are so reliant on his immaculate keeping of possession that it's difficult to think of any player who has done more to advance the club on in terms of its playing style. Always willing to receive the ball no matter how tight the space, the tall Scot has ran the show in so many games. He also scored crucial goals at Port Vale and back to back, away at Oldham and at home to Bradford. His form is such that he could yet be rewarded with a full Scotland cap this summer.

Star rating *****

Jack Price

If it was a case of 'Jack who?' to start with, the bearded wonder soon made people sit up and take notice with a series of accomplished performances which showed a maturity way beyond his 21 years. Overcoming migraines that forced him to come off in two games, by March his performances saw him rewarded with a new two-and-a-half-year contract extension which could keep him at Molineux until 2017, with Jackett urging him to become a "cornerstone of a successful period in the club's history". Not afraid to put a foot in, Price is now generally ahead of Lee Evans in a strong partnership with Kevin McDonald.

Star rating *****

Lee Evans

With 20-odd first-team appearances, Evans can be pleased with a highly satisfactory breakthrough season after his £200,000 move from Newport County in January 2013. The 19-year-old midfielder has also proved to be a threat going forwards, with a debut strike on his home League debut against Gillingham and the second at home to Preston in January.

Star rating ***

David Davis

It was hoped Davis could finally become a regular this season with Karl Henry departed, and the homegrown academy graduate who was one of three Molineux youngsters targeted by then Millwall boss Kenny Jackett with Matt Doherty and Danny Batth played the first 10 games of the campaign. But five bookings saw him suspended in double-quick time and he has struggled to win his place back since.

Star rating **

James Henry

What a steal he has been. Right from when he signed on loan from Millwall in October – a move made into a £250,000 permanent move in January – Henry, pictured right, has been a magnificent signing and none of Jackett's captures settled into their form as quickly as Henry. Man of the match on his debut at Colchester, the 24-year-old one-time touted future England star gained top billing in six of his first eight outings – scoring in three successive games – and he has gone on to notch nine at the time of writing. But he has been involved in many more and his delivery from the right wing – early, crisp and accurate – has caught many defences on the hop to confirm him as one of the contenders for Wolves Player of the Year.

Star rating *****

Michael Jacobs

Jacobs is yet another Player of the Year contender after an impressive season that has made the £150,000 Wolves paid Derby in January look like daylight robbery. Not as direct as Henry, but Jacobs' fleetness of foot makes it look like the ball is tied to his feet at times and he has contributed seven goals and numerous assists at the time of writing. His dribbling ability and quick feet have resulted in plenty of chances for himself and others. Initially arriving on loan in November, the 22-year-old, who Jackett had wanted to sign from Northampton only to be outbid by the Rams' £400,000 offer, came into his own in a free role behind the striker from January onwards and his five goals in four games from then through February – including a wonder striker in the pivotal 3-0 win at Brentford - saw him voted League One Player of the Month.

Star rating *****

Zeli Ismail

Still learning the game in what is his first full season as a senior pro, the youngster was replaced by James Henry and soon found match time hard to come by. But he still made 11 appearances before being loaned out to League Two Burton Albion, where he was a huge hit.

Star rating *

Dave Edwards

Injuries have again robbed Wolves of Edwards's services for sizeable chunks of the campaign, but the paradox is that the Wales international has probably had his best season of his six years at the club. It's certainly been his most prolific, with regular goals since the turn of the year. Edwards has been reliable and was even rewarded with his first chant from the South Bank.

Star rating ****