Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.

Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.

Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club (commonly referred to as Wolves) is an English professional association football club that represents the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands region. They are members of the Football League Championship, the second highest level of English football, after they were relegated from the Premier League during the 2011–12 season. The club was founded in 1877 and since 1889 has played at Molineux. Historically, Wolves have been highly influential, most notably as being founder members of the Football League, as well as having played an instrumental role in the establishment of the European Cup, later to become the UEFA Champions League.

Having won the FA Cup twice before the outbreak of the First World War, Wolves consolidated their reputation as a top side under the legendary management of ex-player Stan Cullis after the Second World War, going on to win the league three times and the FA Cup twice between 1949 and 1960. It was at this time that the European Cup competition was established, after the English press declared Wolves "Champions of the World" following their victories against such top European and World sides as South Africa, Racing, Spartak Moscow, and Honvéd in some of football's first live televised games.

Wolves have yet to match the successes of the Stan Cullis era, although they did contest the first UEFA Cup final in 1972 against Tottenham Hotspur, and won the League Cup in 1974 under Bill McGarry and again in 1980 under John Barnwell. However, a decline set in and they found themselves in the Fourth Division by 1986, before a revival and back-to-back promotions under manager Graham Turner and record goalscorer Steve Bull saw them finish the decade in the Second Division, winning the Football League Trophy along the way.

Their 19-year exile from the top flight ended when manager Dave Jones guided the club to promotion to the Premier League for a solitary season. A new approach under former Republic of Ireland manager Mick McCarthy saw the club promoted back to the Premier League in 2009 as Football League Championship champions where they remained for three seasons. McCarthy was fired in February 2012, a decision that eventually led to assistant manager Terry Connor being placed in charge for the remainder of the season that saw the club relegated. He was succeeded on a permanent basis by current manager Ståle Solbakken in July 2012.