Wolves team-mates' memories of legend Dave Wagstaffe

Bailey was distraught at the death of the popular ex-winger, who was a team-mate, room-mate and neighbour for a decade and a friend for over 45 years.

Wolves' 1974 League Cup-winning skipper Bailey played with Wagstaffe for longer than anyone else at Molineux, having joined in March 1966,15 months after the winger, before they left the club within months of each other a decade later.

"I am absolutely devastated," said Bailey. "I spoke to him a couple of weeks ago and he said he felt very poorly but I was just hopeful he would carry on, and then I heard we'd lost him.

"It's an absolute disaster to lose him."

• Wolves legend Dave Wagstaffe dies at 70

• Wolves pay tribute to 'terrific' Dave Wagstaffe

Like the thousands of fans who loved his fabulous wing play, Bailey marvelled at Waggy's ability and was convinced he could have played for England despite his peak coinciding with the post-1966 World Cup period when wingers were going out of fashion.

Jim McCalliog revealed how much Wagstaffe was respected by his Wolves team-mates – after they compared him to Pele.

Former midfielder McCalliog, who scored 48 goals in 210 games for Wolves from 1969-74, recalled how embarrassed the shy Waggy was when his colleagues turned to song to show their appreciation of his lavish talents.

"There was a song a guy used to sing that ended with the words 'Waggy's better than Pele and he looks good on the telly' and one day the boys in the dressing room were singing it and he came in and was so embarrassed," said McCalliog, who appeared with Wagstaffe in the finals of the Texaco Cup in 1971 and the UEFA Cup a year later.

"We all knew how talented he was and he was a very clever, intelligent footballer.

"He should have played international football."

Terry Wharton today paid tribute to the Wolves legend and hailed his Molineux magic.

The pair were feared wingers in the 1960s with Wagstaffe patrolling the left and Wharton on the right.

And Wharton believes such was Wagstaffe's impact and ability at Wolves, two of their greatest strikers owe him.

"Derek Dougan and John Richards were brilliant but I don't think they would have been as good without Waggy," said the 71-year-old.

"I think he was a big part in the combination they had. I know we had a good side at the time but Waggy always did it with his left peg and his thin ankles.

"He came through at a difficult time, settled straight away and the crowd loved him. We were big mates but we lost contact when I left for Bolton, Palace and then moved to South Africa.

It's only since I came back we'd seen each other more frequently. I will miss him, it was always good times when I saw him."

Steve Daley insisted Wagstaffe deserved England honours and believes he would be worth at least £60m in today's transfer market.

The 60-year-old reckons Wagstaffe never got the caps he merited for a career which saw him inspire Wolves to the League Cup in 1974.

Daley was Wagstaffe's understudy before he was moved into the centre by then boss Bill McGarry and does not understand why his former team-mate was never called up.

"How he didn't play for England baffles me.. Dave was one of the best 11 players in the country without a shadow of a doubt," said Daley, who came through the ranks at Wolves and made his debut in 1971.

"People talk about Messi and Ronaldo being geniuses now but David was a genius with the ball at his left foot.

"He could beat people because he was very quick but his left foot was a wand – it was a pleasure to watch. He was an absolute legend."