John Richards admits he would be delighted for Hee Chan Hwang to beat a record he has held for the last 50 years if the South Korean finds the net against Tottenham Hotspur this weekend.
The pair are currently tied for scoring in the most consecutive top flight games for Wolves on six, but ‘King John’ is more than happy for Hwang to take the record for himself on Saturday, as there are plenty more the legendary forward still holds. Although Richards insists the memories he still holds from his 14-year stint in Old Gold will live on forever, even if the records fall.
On Hwang closing in on the record
“It’s a bittersweet sort of thing. He’s brought it to attention, and do I want him to beat it or not? It will be nice if we tied it, but at the same time, you want Wolves to win, so it’s as simple as that.
“If it goes, it goes, and I will be delighted if it does because it means we’re knocking in the goals.”
On setting records with Wolves
“What’s interesting is that there’s records there that I didn’t know existed, and there are more because there are people who look at the games and study past statistics and they find things out. But I know there are certain things, like goals and appearance records, that won’t be surpassed.
“Nobody will surpass Bully’s [goalscoring record] and nobody will get my second. I still have a record on FA Cup goals for Wolves, I still hold the quickest recorded goal for Wolves, it was against Burnley at 14 seconds.
“But there are records that are yet to be found which will come to light in the future and you will go, ‘Flippin’ heck, I never realised that’. But it’s lovely, it really is, and it makes the game more interesting and more exciting.”
On memories being most important
“That record was there and it stayed for 50 years without me knowing. I’ve had some indirect benefit from holding that record, but whether I scored in sixth consecutive games at Molineux, 194 or whatever FA Cup goals, there will be memories which will live with fans, as they will with me, that will never change.
“It’s the same with all the players of my generation who stayed with the club for a long time, they will be remembered for something. It’s not just goals, it’s lots of other things that make a memory for a fan and for a player.”
Some John Richards goals on his birthday! 🥳 pic.twitter.com/VFDAxyh5dB
— Wolves (@Wolves) November 9, 2023
On differences between himself and Hwang
“I was a poacher, playing off the striker. We’re slightly different, from that point of view, as I think he’s more of a direct runner against the opposition than I was. If I had the ball just inside their half, I would be glad to run, but I was more often chasing a through ball, rather than with the ball at my feet.
“Where I scored most of my goals was inside the box, anticipating where the ball was going to land from a cross or a knock down, or Derek [Dougan] going up for a header with the defender and just gambling on where it was going to drop. But it’s not just different styles of players in today’s game, but it’s a different style of play to what the team does compared to my generation. It was a different style altogether.
“I see Hwang as a more skilful player than me with the ball at his feet, most definitely, and that goal against Newcastle, I thought it was beautiful how he controlled it with the outside of his left foot, it was at pace as well, and pulled it back and swept it in at the near post. I thought it was a fabulous goal.
“But he’s a different player, a different type of player, but he’s going to be a memorable one – no doubt.”
On his advice to Hwang this weekend
“Don’t pass. Shoot. That’s what I did – just shoot, be greedy and go for it.”
