Five of the best from Wolves' Andy Thompson

With this Sunday (20) being 30 years to the day since Thompson joined the club, we've taken a look back at five goals that defined his Wolves career.

Wolves correspondent Tim Spiers - whose interview with the man known as 'Thommo' will be published this weekend to mark the anniversary - has picked out five of the best from Featherstone's finest.

This weekend marks 30 years since Andy Thompson joined Wolves from their fierce rivals Albion.

Thommo (£20,000) of course moved with Steve Bull (£50,000) in what will forever go down as one of the biggest bargains in Wolves' history.

Bully would soon start breaking goalscoring records left, right and centre but it was in fact Thommo who began in more prolific form, notching seven in his first 17 starts for Wolves (mostly from midfield) including his first goal for the club in a 2-2 home draw against Exeter on December 27, 1986.

Thommo, who began his career as a striker, was Wolves' Mr Versatile in those early seasons but more often than not would line up at left-back – a position he would go on to make his own.

Described as 'tough and resilient, quick and decisive', he set up a host of goals with pinpoint crosses.

He also soon carved out a niche for himself as an expert penalty taker, converting five in 1986/87 and two more in 1987/88 including the winner in an important 1-0 win at Colchester as Wolves established themselves at the top of Division Four.

3 IPSWICH (A), MARCH 1994

Thommo played a key role in the Division Four and Division Three title-winning seasons (he was an ever-present in the latter), also playing in the 1988 Sherpa Van Trophy final win.

Despite a host of changes at the club from 1990 onwards with Sir Jack Hayward's takeover the main instigator, Thommo remained a crucial part of the side in the 1990s.

He also kept on chipping in with important goals, none more so than a 25-yard left-footed screamer during Wolves' 2-1 FA Cup fifth round replay victory away at Premier League side Ipswich Town.

4 ALBION (H), AUGUST 1994

There will have been few sweeter goals for Thommo to score during his illustrious career than the opening strike of a 2-0 Black Country derby victory over Albion, the club that had discarded him eight years earlier.

At a packed Molineux, Thommo dispatched a first-half penalty kick into the top corner with his trusty right foot.

David Kelly later doubled the lead in a memorable Wolves win.

Thommo would score nine goals that season, a career high, with all of them coming from the penalty spot as Wolves reached – and lost in – the First Division play-offs.

Thommo was at Wolves for 11 years. The 1996/97 season was his last (coming after a testimonial against Chelsea, attended by 24,500 people), before Mark McGhee sold him against his will to Tranmere.

In total he made 451 appearances in gold and black and scored 45 goals. In doing so he became one of the most popular Wolves players on recent decades.

Just 4,626 had witnessed Thommo's first Wolves goal at Molineux – there were 25,170 to see his last, another penalty in a 2-1 home defeat to Sheffield United.

His great mate Bully may have grabbed a lot of the attention, but Thommo had certainly played his part in Wolves' remarkable renaissance.

Look out for our in-depth interview with Thommo in Saturday's Express & Star