Big Interview: Michael Kightly hit the heights but the lows were to follow

Looking back at the 2008/09 campaign when the Championship was won under Mick McCarthy, Kightly was of massive importance.

He scored eight goals and played 38 times as Wolves clinched promotion to the Premier League.

And now, aged 34, and some months after hanging up his boots, Kightly insists that was when he was at the peak of his powers.

He failed to make as many appearances as he did in that campaign across the next three in the top flight for Wolves due to a cruel succession of injuries.

Kightly never bettered that eight-goal haul either in gold and black – or after leaving Molineux in 2012.

And while the persistent knocks played their part, he lost a fair amount of love for the game when he left Wolves, too.

“My time at Wolves is probably the best time on the pitch for me, and off it as well,” said Kightly, speaking before an appearance at the Cleveland Arms sports pub, in Wolverhampton, where he met Wolves fans.

“They coincided with each other. And when I left the club, part of me lost a bit of love for football.

“The connection I had with the fans and the club as a whole made me play for the badge that little bit more. I don’t think I had that for any club I played for after Wolves.”

Wolves picked up right-sided Kightly from non-league Grays Athletic and got themselves a gem.

The story was similar for Matt Jarvis on the other flank, signed from Gillingham, as well.

A big fans’ favourite for his ability to take players on and turn a game on its head with moments of magic, many supporters were disappointed to see him depart.

In fact, a fair few were angry, feeling the club had shown a lot of patience in Kightly who only managed 31 games in the three Premier League terms.

But explaining why he chose to leave, he revealed it boiled down to a difference of opinion between him and Stale Solbakken, who had taken over as boss upon Wolves’ relegation back to the second tier.

Kightly felt the club was headed in the wrong direction and, in fairness, he was right, with Solbakken only lasting a matter of months and then relegation to League One being confirmed under Dean Saunders.

“It was difficult. I felt like the club were going through a different transition at that period,” he said on his Wolves exit.

“Obviously, Mick McCarthy had not long been sacked and they went down the route of Solbakken at the time.

“After speaking to him and getting a vibe of what his picture was for the club, where he wanted it to go, I just felt it was best for me to move on.

“I didn’t particularly want to leave, but I didn’t feel like I had too much of a choice, to be honest.

“It wasn’t like I was offered a contract on the table and turned it down or anything like that.

“To stay in the Premier League was what I needed. I’d been injured previously and felt like I needed to give the Premier League a good crack.

“I just felt like the club was going in a different direction, and I wasn’t sure that it was going to be successful. I felt it was the right time for me to go, really.”

Kightly, though, is not ashamed to admit that tears were shed when he left the club after six seasons. Obviously, I was very sad about it. It’s probably the only club I’ve left and cried over leaving,” he said.

“There were good memories, but some regrets about leaving, yes.”

Kightly, it must be said, still did pretty well for himself after leaving Wolves.

But the achievements that came did not feel the same as they did at Molineux.

“I enjoyed my time at Stoke and I had a good period of time with Burnley, a couple of promotions (to the Premier League),” said Kightly, who retired last summer on the back of two seasons at Southend.

“But, that first promotion with Wolves was probably the highlight of my career. One that will stay in my memory forever.”

On what made that season under McCarthy so special, he said: “We had a real good togetherness, all 20 to 25 players were all on the same wave length.

“We all wanted the club to do well. There were no egos in the dressing room, which always helps.

“We were a decent side as well, on the pitch, which was great.

“It was a great year and one of those where you look back when you’ve finished playing to say that was probably the best year of your career – on and off the pitch.”

Kightly reflects on his career with a smile on his face, proud of what he achieved despite the injuries bringing an element of ‘what if?’

The time had come for him to call it a day, too.

“It was the right time. At the minute, I’m not finding it difficult or missing playing at all,” said Kightly.

“I’m not even, really, missing too much about the dressing room.

“I’m keeping myself busy with certain things and it’s important to have a focus.

“On a Saturday, I’m used to preparing for a game, so I need to make sure I have a focus.

“At the minute, I’m enjoying looking at the game from the other side.”

So, could he go into management or some sort of coaching?

“I’ve been doing a bit of media and co-commentating. I’ve started my badges, although I’m not sure if that’s something I want to go down,” said Kightly.

“I’ve looked at maybe going into the agency route and help young players tackle the problems I had as a player. That appeals to me.

“I’ll see. I enjoy the media side, so if I can do that a few times a month, that’s great.”

Kightly, after the pressures of chasing targets on a week-to-week basis in football, is keen not to set any specific goals just yet.

“I’ll just see what comes. I don’t want to make too many goals,” he added.

“A month’s a long time in football and now I’m finished, that month is even longer.

“I don’t want to make any goals. I’m enjoying what I do at the minute.

“Hopefully, I can do a bit more and keep myself busy.

“I’m not finding myself bored. I’ve got a lot of time for myself, but I’m filling my time too, which is great.”