Johnny Phillips: Frosty relationships in East-West cold war

Dave Jones took charge of his first game as Wanderers manager for a third round tie on an ice cold Sunday afternoon in Nottingham.

The match was won by a late goal from Adam Proudlock in front of a packed away end. The atmosphere was highly charged. The fixture always brings with it an admirable edge. It is no derby but a healthy rivalry exists among two clubs, one from the East Midlands and one from the West, with a proud history and loyal supporter-base.

On this occasion the bitterness in the air was matched by that in the stands as Jones came in for some vile abuse from the more notorious element of Forest’s support in the vociferous A Block, next to the away end.

That may have gone some way to explaining the particular delight among Wolves fans when, four minutes from the end, the teenage striker Proudlock chased a long ball forward, beat his man and buried a shot past veteran keeper Dave Beasant.

“He’s got a big future if he carries on scoring goals like that,” said Jones afterwards. But, like others at that time, the potential was never realised. Injuries and off-field disciplinary issues would prevent Proudlock from ever becoming the lead striker at Wolves.

Of the starting XI that beat Forest on that January afternoon, only two would survive in the team that gained promotion two seasons later. The defenders Joleon Lescott and Lee Naylor played a key part in the team that changed so much in a short space of time.

It is interesting to look at how many others quickly fell away from the first team picture after that cup victory. Goalkeeper Michael Oakes would remain at the club as deputy to Matt Murray, before resuming first team duties once Murray was injured after one game of the 2003/04 Premier League season.

Kevin Muscat and Tony Dinning made up the rest of the defence at the City Ground.

Muscat was never slow to make enemies during his time at Wolves, but among a catalogue of bad tackles there was one incident that particularly irked an opponent. In 1999, Ian Wright was on loan at Forest when he was caught up in Muscat’s gamesmanship.

With Wright about to take a shot, he claimed he heard his fellow striker Dougie Freedman tell him to leave it for him. Wright obliged by stepping over the ball, only for Muscat to be standing behind him and boot the ball away.

Clearly Muscat had a decent Scottish accent up his sleeve. Wright was later sent-off for meting out some retribution to the Australian on the pitch.

Carl Robinson, Keith Andrews, Simon Osborn and Andy Sinton made up the midfield. Only the Irishman Andrews remained at the club long enough to experience the promotion to the Premier League but he wasn’t a part of first team plans, spending the season in the top flight out on loan at Stoke and Walsall.

If Proudlock symbolised the unfulfilled potential of young talent at Wolves around that time, it was his playing partner up front that day who would look back with the biggest regrets of all. Michael Branch was an Everton Academy graduate who played for England Under 21s, before leaving Goodison Park and moving to Wolves for £500,000 in 1999 at the age of 21.

He is remembered at Molineux for a controversial goal scored against Forest in February 2000 that ended with stewards restraining the visiting keeper on the pitch.

The game got off to a bad tempered start when Branch’s strike partner Ade Akinbiyi was sent off for head-butting Forest defender Tony Vaughan after just five minutes.

Akinbiyi then refused to leave the pitch while arguing with team-mates Steve Sedgley and Keith Curle, who tried to escort him from the field. He even appeared to strike captain Curle in the face during the melee.

Order was only restored when assistant manager John Ward came onto the pitch and led Akinbiyi away down the tunnel. Vaughan was also dismissed for his part in the incident.

By the 24th minute Wolves were 2-0 ahead when Naylor was fouled in his own half before the ball was pumped forward.

With Naylor lying prone, keeper Beasant tried to kick it to touch so he could receive treatment, but Branch kept the ball in and slotted it home for a third. As the youngster wheeled off to celebrate, an irate Beasant chased him across the pitch and grabbed him around the throat. Branch protested his innocence and the goal stood.

Branch’s career tailed off after leaving Wolves for Bradford in 2003 but his real problems began on retirement in 2010. He later admitted to being at a loss to fill his time constructively and in July 2012 a police raid on his house discovered a kilogram of cocaine with a street value running into tens of thousands of pounds.

He served three years of a seven-year jail term before being released and going on to train as an accountant.

Looking back at that Wolves side it is hard to recall too many good days.

It was still Colin Lee’s team back in January 2001, a period in the club’s history consigned to a footnote. Jones was given resources to strengthen as Sir Jack Hayward made one last push for the Premier League.

He did the job, eventually, and the promotion-winning side of 2002/03 went down as one of the best in a generation.