Sir Jack first name in Hall of Fame

Sir Jack Hayward has today been named as the first inductee into Wolves' Hall of Fame for 2011.

The club's former chairman and owner and life president will lead the new batch of inductees to be honoured at the third gala dinner taking place on January 7.

The Bahamas-based multi-millionaire has supported Wolves since his earliest days and achieved one of his dreams when taking over the club in 1990.

Inheriting a crumbling Molineux and a team facing the difficult challenge of second-tier football after successive promotions from the old Fourth Division, he set about rebuilding Wolves both on and off the pitch.

Sir Jack said: "I always thought the Hall of Fame was for players only. But it is very humbling and wonderful that the fans have nominated me.

"We must always remember that it's the fans who own the club really.

I was a custodian, a guardian, if you like, for the club, but the fans have been here since time immemorial."

Sir Jack funded the £25million stadium rebuild and underwrote transfer spending as Wolves struggled to reach the Premier League.

They finally made it in 2003 before, four years later, Sir Jack effectively gave the club to Steve Morgan in return for his successor promising a £30million development kitty.

Chief executive Jez Moxey today: "He is a legend in every sense of the word, and supporters of Wolves and residents of Wolverhampton owe him a massive debt.

"After 17 years of ownership and tens of millions of pounds spent, he remained steadfast in his desire, and kept his promise to pass his legacy on only to the right person.

"In so doing, he didn't seek a deal that would benefit him financially.

"In fact, from the day he acquired the club to the day he passed it on, he never took one penny from Wolves.

"He simply gave everything he had in the pursuit of success for the club."