Wolverhampton is one of the most diverse cities in the country, with a rich culture and a population made up of people from numerous ethnically diverse backgrounds.
More than a third of the city’s population is from a Black, Asian, mixed or multiple ethnic background, while at the football club which represents its community, almost half of the men’s first-team playing squad are ethnically diverse.
Wolves became the first club to have a multicultural supporters’ group in 1954 when Punjabi Wolves was formed by South Asian supporters to promote diversity in football. The group brought together a diverse community of supporters with the backdrop of Punjabi food and music and, at one point, boasted a membership of more than 500 fans.
However, there has never been a specific platform for the Old Gold’s Black fans – until now.
With the support of Junior Hemans, a cultural ambassador for Wolverhampton Grand Theatre and a Wolves supporter for more than five decades, the club organised a special evening at Molineux to bring Black supporters together ahead of Black History Month 2024 and the club's #OnePack series.
Thanks to Hemans, the evening developed into the first-of-its-kind supporters' group called the Golden Black, which already in its infancy stands at over 40 fans.
“That's the gold for the Wolves, and obviously the black for us,” Hemans, pictured below, explains, “to symbolize that we are very much part of the Wolves fabric.
“We've got a good, committed group, because these people have been supporters as long as, or longer than, I have been.
“It's been really good in that regard, and the energy is always quite good in the WhatsApp group, but also you can appreciate that as true Wolves supporters, we’re commentators on the game – good or bad. We've all got a view of how we've performed.
“We all sit in different seats around the ground. Whether it was in the old terraces or in the old stand when it was a bit dilapidated before rebuild in the ‘90s, and obviously now we’re in a fantastic stadium and we're part of it, and we want to show our support for the team.
“We've been supporters for many years, and we're true supporters in that sense, but whilst we don't travel to the games together, we're now talking about how we can start to show ourselves more visibly as a collective of Black supporters for the Wolves.”
The evening at Molineux allowed the Golden Black supporters’ group to flourish, with many members meeting each other for the very first time, but it also gave supporters the chance to share their stories about their love of everything Wolverhampton Wanderers.
The responses were captured on video, audio and in print and will be showcased as part of a special Black History Month spotlight in the Wolves matchday programme against Manchester City this Sunday, as well as on the Wolves Express podcast, and across the club’s social media channels throughout October.
“We’ve never come together before as a group,” Hemans said. “Some of us know each other to be Wolves supporters, but we've never collectively come together, so it was a great evening.
“There’s a lot of young Black supporters of football in the city who don't see Wolves or consider Wolves their first team, but now we’ve started talking about this, hopefully we can be symbolic about the fact that there's a group of Black supporters for the Wolves – just as Punjabi Wolves did for the South Asian community in Wolverhampton.
“Who's to say what it might lead to? But we're hoping, and we intend, to grow.”
To celebrate Black History Month, and it’s theme this year of 'Reclaiming Narratives’, a special event is going to be held at Molineux this week to explore the impact and influence of Black culture across Wolves and the City of Wolverhampton.
A range of contributors and attendees from across football, sports and the entertainment industry will be in attendance at the event on Friday evening, as the club celebrates identity, heritage and community, as well as the chance to connect with one another.
And the connection between Wolves and its supporters, regardless of ethnicity, gender, disability, religion or sexuality, is what Hemans hopes the newest supporters’ group at Molineux can further strengthen.
“Back in the ‘80s, when Wolves got to their lowest point, I was working with John Bird, the then leader for the council, and I recall having conversations with John about how the council was stepping in at that point to save the Wolves.
“The one thing I always remember him saying was, ‘The council will never sell the Wolves, but we'll always make sure the Wolves belongs to the people of Wolverhampton.’
“That is something that always resonates with me. The club belongs to the people of Wolverhampton and the people in the city have to own the Wolves so that it keeps us here, it keeps us in the parameters of the supporters, it keeps the crowd and the population of Wolverhampton all feeling a part of it and being involved.
“That connectivity is what we want to establish. Wolverhampton is far more diverse than when I was growing up here in the ‘70s, so we want that connectivity, not just with the Black community, not just with the Asian community, with all communities, and to all be supporters and owners in this club.”
If you would like to know more about becoming part of the Golden Black supporters’ group, you can contact fanservices@wolves.co.uk to be put in contact with Junior.
“I'd always encourage anyone to come along to Molineux to enjoy the game,” he added. “It's a fantastic atmosphere and Wolves is a friendly club.
“First and foremost, if you want to come to a game, then maybe we can try and get someone who could accompany you, sit with you, or meet you before the game and meet you after the game, if you're nervous about coming. But come, enjoy the atmosphere.”
To discover more about the ‘Reclaiming Our Narratives’ event at Molineux on Friday evening, as well as register your attendance, please click here.
