Best match? Best goal? Worst Loser?! It's the Wolves Awards 2018

Nuno Espirito Santo's swashbuckling team stormed to the Championship title and will end 2018 in seventh place in the Premier League.

Wolves correspondent Tim Spiers hands out a few awards from an unforgettable 12 months.

Best match

Away days at Middlesbrough (2-1 with nine men), Cardiff (1-0 with two spurned injury time penalties), Bolton (the day the title was won) and now Spurs will be etched in the memories of all who witnessed them.

There's also competition from beating Blues 2-0 at Molineux a day after promotion was secured and a fabulous comeback win at home to Chelsea.

You lot have been spoiled, haven't you?

By a nose the final match of 2018 wins it. Not just for the result, not just because it was at Wembley, but because of the manner in which Wolves took free-scoring Spurs on and beat them with genuine quality.

Wolves have beaten big Premier League teams before, they've caused huge shocks. But they've never done it like that.

Best goal

Do you even have to ask?

Best moment

Lifting the Championship title, *that* Neves goal and last-minute winners at West Ham and Newcastle are all contenders.

But for sheer unadulterated drama there is absolutely nothing that can beat effectively winning the title at Cardiff when Junior Hoilett's 95th minute penalty smacked against the crossbar. Cue a pitch invasion from the Wolves staff and bedlam in the away end.

With John Ruddy having saved a penalty just a couple of minutes earlier, it completed a quite astonishing passage of play.

It was an utterly unique and spine-tingling moment.

Best player

Neves was out of this world last season, Raul Jimenez has been fantastic this season, but for consistency over the year it's got to be Matt Doherty, with Conor Conor not far behind and Ryan Bennett the proverbial unsung hero.

Unlikely hero

In second place, Danish right-back Oskar Buur Rasmussen, who came off the bench and popped up with a late headed equaliser against Hull as Wolves closed in on promotion.

And in first...Who'd have thought a man born in Versailles who's never played for Wolves in his life would be the man to confirm their return to the Promised Land™?

Step forward Neal Maupay, whose last-gasp equaliser for Brentford at Fulham ensured promotion at 7.26pm on April 14.

Best picture

Third

Second

First

Sorest loser

"I don't give a toss what Nuno says, he's a disgrace."

- Neil Warnock, ladies and gentlemen

Best stat

A tie between...

– For the first time in the history of English football, Wolves are the sole West Midlands representative in the top flight.

– Wolves have fielded 84 goalkeepers in their history and, in January, Will Norris became the only one to have not conceded a goal in his first five matches.

Best hoodoo ended

Wolves had played 25 matches away at Middlesbrough in the previous 67 years and not won a single one.

That finally changed in March.

Biggest trophy

Best initiative

The cheeky ball boy who took umbrage with Hull's time-wasting tactics...

Happiest man

Gone but not forgotten

The club sadly lost two legends who, in very different ways, both left an indelible mark on Wolverhampton Wanderers.

John 'Foz' Hendley was a lifelong supporter who served Wolves with distinction as an historian, press officer, programme editor and all-round loveable (and grumpy!) bloke for decades.

Bill Slater won three league titles, lifted an FA Cup and was named Football of the Year during a 339-game career in gold and black.

They are both sorely missed.

Noise of the year

The 'oh my God' sound of disbelief, wonder and amazement which greeted Neves' stunning strike against Derby is rarely heard in a football stadium.

Closely followed by the high-pitched uninhibited yelling and screaming following Helder Costa's third goal at Wembley on Saturday.

Pass of the year

Talking of Neves...

Block of the year

Heroics from Conor Coady in the Battle of Boro

Bandwagon award

Strangest opinion

Martin O'Neill on Matt Doherty: "The way Wolves play at times, when he’s out wide he’ll look to pass it in-field again. I believe he can drive forward.

"When he gets the confidence to do that I believe he can because he’s strong. Cyrus (Christie) will try and drive forward like that in that position."

Doherty, who has provided four assists and scored three goals this season, didn't exactly agree. "If anything the problem has been going forward too much," he countered.

O'Neill was sacked on November 21.

Transfer which most accurately reflects the Grandpa Simpson 'in and out' gif

June 1: Benik Afobe signs for Wolves for £10m.

June 12: Benik Afobe signs for Stoke in a £12m deal.

"It was disrespectful," Afobe later said.

Most unhinged rant

Leeds owner Andrea Radrizzani

"We have our own problems but we should play in a fair competition.

"Not legal and fair let one team owned by a fund whom has shares in the biggest players' agency with evident benefits (top European clubs giving players with options to buy... why the other 23 teams can't have the same treatment?).

"We should play all 24 with the same rules and opportunities. Congratulations to the best team but hope the league can be fair and equal to all 24 teams."

Best news

"After a tough year and intense chemotherapy throughout I would like to let everyone know I am in complete REMISSION."

Carl Ikeme with the words that put a smile on thousands of faces on June 23.

That's it from us for this year. Many thanks to everyone who has watched, listened to and read the Express & Star's Wolves coverage throughout 2018.

We'd love you to join us in 2019 for what we all hope will be another special year.