17th October 1957: Wolves beat Real Madrid
In one of the clubs’ greatest victories, Wolves beat Spanish giants Real Madrid at Molineux 3-2 in front of a 55,000 strong home crowd. The friendly exhibition tie was made possible due to the installation of floodlights four years prior, in July 1953. Wolves would go on to beat the defending Spanish and European champions 5-4 across two legs following a 2-2 draw at the Santiago Bernabéu on the 11th of December 1957.
27th October 1883: Wolves play first FA Cup tie
Wolves’ first run in the FA Cup, a competition that was founded in 1871, saw them drawn against Long Eaton Rangers, a Derbyshire-based team. Wolves went on to win the tie 4-1 on the 27th of October 1883, with goals coming from John Brodie and John Griffiths who both scored a brace. Unfortunately for Wolves, their first campaign in the FA Cup would come to an end in the next round, with a 4-2 defeat to Wednesbury Old Athletic.
19th October 1949: Wolves play first FA Charity Shield Final
Following the club’s first FA Cup success in the previous season, Wolves made their debut in the FA Charity Shield on the 19th of October 1949, with Wolves playing Division One champions, Portsmouth at Highbury. Interestingly, the game ended 1-1, meaning the Charity Shield was shared between the two sides, with each club given the trophy for six months. Wolves would have to wait a further ten years to win the shield outright, after a 3-1 win against Nottingham Forest.
4th October 2003: Wolves record first Premier League win
Following a nineteen-year absence from the top-flight of English football, Wolves made their debut in the Premier League in the 2003-2004 season, fulfilling Sir Jack Hayward’s ambition to do so. However, the Old Gold’s return to the top-flight did not begin well, with the absence of a win in the opening seven games. However, things began to look up on the 4th of October 2003 as Colin Cameron scored in a 1-0 win at Molineux against Manchester City. However, this would be one of only seven wins the club would gain during the 2003/2004 season, leading to the club's relegation back to the Championship.
-Louis Sharma
