Festive football feast was par for course for Wolves
Wolves are set to play on Christmas Eve for the first time in 57 years in a move that has caused a storm among supporters.
The home fixture with Chelsea this festive season has sparked a backlash, but it was once a regular day for the beautiful game.
Wolves have a long history that dates back to their inception in 1877 and, since the Football League was established in 1888, the club have played a Christmas Eve game 13 times.
The first was on December 24, 1892, with a 3-1 loss at Nottingham Forest, before the first Christmas Eve game at Molineux six years later, which resulted in a 4-1 win over Sheffield United.
In the years to come, a 3-0 loss to Blackburn and a 3-1 win over Leeds City (who dissolved in 1919), took Wolves to 1910, which was their last Christmas Eve game before the outbreak of the First World War.
They next played on the day before Christmas in 1921 with a 3-2 win over South Shields before a 5-3 win over Clapton Orient, later renamed Leyton Orient, six years later. The final two Christmas Eve fixtures for Wolves before the Second World War began, saw them lose to Everton and draw with Derby and the next would not be until 1949, where they fell to defeat at Newcastle.
Wolves also have a long history of facing Villa around Christmas and in 1953, Stan Cullis’s side faced their West Midlands rivals on both Christmas Eve and Boxing Day in 1953.
A 2-1 loss at Molineux, where Dennis Wilshaw scored for Wolves, was avenged two days later by a 2-1 victory at Villa Park. Wilshaw netted again, alongside Johnny Hancocks.
