Players from the eight different teams – three at adult level, three at Under-16s and two at Under-12s – were joined by their families for the annual event including presentations linked to performances and application over the season.
Once again, it was another example of the continuing growth of the Disability set-up from when the club first set out with barely a handful of players just over a decade ago.
“It was another great night, looking back on the season and giving out all the different awards,” said Gavin Jones, Wolves Foundation’s long-serving community and cohesion officer who oversees the Disability football programme.
“Because our adult and junior teams play at different times, they are only ever together at the Play on the Pitch event so to have anyone in the same room being able to chat and mingle together shows us exactly what it’s all about.
“It was a great end to another good season, during which one of our adult teams won the league, one of our Under-16 teams reached a cup final, and we had another fantastic half time fixture at Molineux against Sheffield United.
“Beyond that though, as well as being competitive it’s also about inclusion, and to see so many of our players enjoying the chance to go out and play football is always a highlight.”
The club have been hugely appreciative this season of sponsorship support provided by Nuffield Health, on top of their own fundraising which has reached £8,000, with several players recognised for their own fundraising by receiving signed Wolves goodies at the presentation.
There was also a surprise element for Gavin himself, when, at the start of the evening, he received his own award for Outstanding Achievement, presented by community and cohesion manager Luke Shearing and fully deserved.
“They stitched me up,” Gavin laughs.
“I had no idea it was coming and, while it’s not something I ever chase, it was really nice and left me choked up if I’m honest.
“It was a great start to the evening which continued with adding another £1,000 to that fundraising which will all be used to help the growth and development of the club.”
The eight teams will continue to play in the Staffordshire Ability Counts League next season, before which there are two pre-season tournaments for the Under-16s, one at Manchester United’s Carrington training ground and another at the Nest, Norwich Foundation’s Community Hub.
In the meantime, Monday evening sessions, which also act either purely for participation or as a pathway for prospective players, will continue at the City of Wolverhampton College’s Bilston Campus on Wellington Road.
Very soon though, the next season will come around with fixtures played at different locations across the year, including St George’s Park.
“We’ll be ready to go again,” Gavin concludes.
Anyone interested in playing or finding out more about Wolves Disability FC can email gavinjones@wolves.co.uk
As well as Nuffield Health, Wolves Foundation would also like to thank companies who donated raffle prizes for the presentation event, including Jardine Motors, Porsche Wolverhampton, the Grand Theatre, Lower Drayton Farm, Ninja Warrior Walsall, West Midlands Safari Park and Monkey Forest at Trentham.
Angel joined Wolves from Clapton FC in London and his form saw him earn a Spain U18 debut.
Academy manager for football, Jon Hunter-Barrett, told the club’s website: “We have been pleased with Dani’s progress and contribution to the group since joining. He has been working hard with the 18s staff to improve his overall game.
“He has shown us a consistent work ethic every session and game along with settling in really well with his teammates.
“The next steps for Dani will be to establish himself in the under-21s group and continue his progress internationally with Spain.”
Wolves have completed the £12.7m signing of Portuguese wideman Rodrigo Gomes.
The 20-year-old Braga ace has penned a five-year deal at Molineux, with the club having the option of another year, after spending the 2023-24 season on loan at Estoril.
The versatile talent leaves Braga with 43 appearances to his name and two goals. Last season at the Estadio Antonio Coimbra da Mot, the Portugal under-21 international featured 30 times in Liga Portugal, scoring seven goals and registering seven assists.
He’s Wolves boss Gary O’Neil’s second signing of the summer after the Old Gold turned Tommy Doyle’s loan from Manchester City into permanent switch.
Welcoming Gomes to Molineux, Sporting director Matt Hobbs said: “It’s nice to do one early in the summer, so Rodrigo will be able to join the squad for the first day of pre-season, which is great for the player and the coaching staff – they can work with him from the start. He’s a great character, a great boy and will really fit in.
‘Scouting has taken a while. He’s a player we’ve followed for most of the season, since he first went on loan. He’s a player we know very, very well and have done an awful lot of work on but getting him in has been relatively smooth because Rodrigo was clear that he wanted to come here and is excited.
“It’s not important to get a deal done early if it’s not the right player, but this is the right player. It’s great for the club to do that. He’ll be an important player for us with his versatility, creativity, technical ability and attitude on the pitch. The fans will love him and I’m genuinely really excited to have him here.”
According to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, both the player and club have mutually agreed to terminate his contract, which has two years remaining.
A return to former club Vasco de Gama is now being worked on as the 32-year-old Brazilian prepares for an emotional homecoming.
It was initially believed that the attacking midfielder would return to Villa Park from his loan spell with Qatar outfit Al-Duhail SC this summer and head straight to Vasco, also on loan. An obligation to buy for a fee of between £4m and £6m was also expected. However, that anticipated arrangement now looks to be scrapped as a mutual parting of the ways now appears the most likely outcome for the Villa man.
It’s unfortunate it never worked out for Coutinho at Villa Park after he arrived in January 2022 as a global superstar. The 32-year-old fromer Liverpool favourite impressed during an initial loan from Bayern Munich as he netted five and assisted three in 19 games.
But he failed to meet expectations when signed permanently for around £17m, as just one goal in 22 games followed.
His loan spell at Al-Duhail SC produced just three goals and two assists in 16 league appearances.
Countinho’s last game for the club looks set to be Villa’s 4-0 victory over Everton last August.
Leave a Reply