Tributes paid to 'Mr Molineux' Graham Hughes: A lovely man who loved Wolves

Having served at Molineux for more than 40 years, Hughes came across – and made a positive impact upon – many players, managers, staff and fans.

One of those is former striker John Richards, who particularly recalls lots of warm chats about Wolves in the ground’s reception when he served as managing director in the late 90s.

“A lovely man, who loved the Wolves,” said Richards.

“He was like our fountain of knowledge. He could remember everything – back from when he first went to games.

“Mr Molineux to everybody. The lads loved him. It’s a great loss.

“Every time that I went to Molineux, I looked forward to seeing him in the reception area.

“That was where he held his court, so to speak.

“He was loved by everyone and it’s a massive loss, no doubt about it. It’s really sad news.”

Hughes, who has the corner stand at Molineux named after him, passed away at Compton Care Hospital today.

He joined Wolves in the 1980s and served as the club’s historian long after his retirement in 2012 – looking after the club’s trophy cabinets and leading tours of the ground.

He was always a popular presence at Molineux for his stories of Wolves, and also his time serving in the army.

Richard Green, administration manager for the Wolves Former Players’ Association, said: “He was Wolves through and through, and part of the Wolves fabric for many, many years.

“I also remember him from working at the Express & Star offices.

“The memorabilia in the Molineux reception was lovingly collected by Graham over the years.

“When the directors and dignitaries of the other clubs visited Molineux, that was the first thing they saw.

“Graham was Mr Wolverhampton Wanderers and will be greatly missed.”

Wolves’ players will wear black armbands in tribute to Hughes at Newcastle tomorrow.

Richards insists he was the go-to man if ever there was a query about the club.

“He had a fantastic memory. He would not just remember things from my playing days, about 50 years ago, but would tell me about the Billy Wright days and the 60s,” added Richards.

“His memory was absolutely fantastic, and he was obviously a collector of Wolves memorabilia.

“He donated so much to the club and was a really generous person.

“I don’t think I’ve heard anyone say anything but good words about Graham.

“He will be remembered by everyone who ever met him.

“That’s not just the players, but everybody connected to the club. We’ll miss him.”

Wolves hailed Hughes as an ‘integral member of the Molineux team’ and fans have shared their tributes to him on social media.

Ryan Leister wrote on Twitter: “Always an extra warm welcome when Graham was around the reception at Molineux.

“A lovely human with an incredible knowledge of the club he loved.

“Very sad news, thoughts to his family and everyone in his circle.”

Karen Fletcher also posted on the platform: “This is so desperately sad.

“What an utterly lovely man who had gold and black blood running through his veins. Sending sincere sympathy to Graham’s family and Wolves colleagues.

“He would never miss an opportunity to talk about Wolves history to anyone.”