Former Wolves boss John Barnwell and old boys reunite
Wolves’ last major cup-winning boss and three of his stars entertained a packed-out pub crowd as they looked back at their success together.
The Cleveland Arms hosted the Kick Up The 80s show with former Molineux chief John Barnwell and club greats John Richards, Kenny Hibbitt and Willie Carr.
The quartet took to the stage to go over their famous 1980 League Cup triumph, beating Nottingham Forest 1-0 in the Wembley final.
Matt Murray, who was between the sticks as Wolves won the Division One play-off final in 2003, was asking the questions on Thursday night.
And 80-year-old Barnwell, who also led Wolves to two FA Cup semi-finals and a sixth-placed finish in the top flight despite being in a serious car crash during his four-year tenure, said: “I haven’t seen some of them for a long, long time as we’ve been living different lifestyles.
“When the opportunity came... I’ve had several opportunities to come before, but in those initial years after I left the club, I thought it was best I kept away from the area.
“The last thing they wanted was someone like me making statements. The opportunity to meet them again, and the supporters of Wolves when times are looking a lot better, was something I was really looking forward to.”
Former striker Richards, who scored 194 goals for the club, had not seen Barnwell for decades.
“It’s got to be 25 years since I’ve seen John, so we had a lot of catching up to do,” said Richards.
“And I’m really impressed with how well he looks, and he has a lot of stories to tell. It’s always nice to be out there with the lads and the supporters.”
George Berry, who also won the League Cup under Barnwell, was originally scheduled to be at the event but could not attend because of business commitments.
Ex-keeper Murray added: “They’re absolute legends and a reason why this football club is known all over the world.
“It’s really educational, that’s what I love about these nights at the Cleveland Arms.”
