Only four players in history represented Wolves more times than Ron Flowers, and his legacy remains in Wolverhampton city centre, with the shop which still bears his name strengthening its bond with the city’s only club this season.
The legendary midfield, who wore the old gold 512 times between 1952 and 1967, winning three First Division titles and an FA Cup, and during that period became ingrained in the local area.
So when his highly decorated career, which also brought 49 England caps, came to an end, Flowers couldn’t peel himself away from the city. In an era where never working again was not an option for retired football, he set up camp in Wolverhampton.
In 1969 Ron Flowers Sports Shop was opened, with the former midfielder running the ‘jack of all trades’ sports shop on Queen Street. Now, 55 years later, Ron’s grandson Harry runs that same shop, just a matter of doors down on the same street.
And this year, that affiliation with the club has been extended. For the first time in more than 20 years, Ron Flowers Sports Shop is stocking official Wolves merchandise, including the 2024/25 kits, following the club’s move to new technical kit partner SUDU.
Harry himself runs the Queen Street shop nowadays, and the opportunity to continue his grandad’s legacy is one which means a lot to the whole family.
He said: “We’re proud as a family that his legacy is still here. People come here and talk really fondly of my grandad, which is brilliant from a family perspective. I’m just really proud to be related, but also to have grown up with him as a granddad. I’m proud to continue his legacy and his name with the shop in the city.
“Grandad finished playing and obviously had a long career at Wolves, so settled in Wolverhampton, and set up the original Ron Flowers Sports Shop, which was a couple of doors down. Now, we're here 55 years later, still in the city centre, and proud to be in Wolverhampton.
“It was grandad’s and at some point my great grandparents used to help out. My Dad Glen took the business on, as my granddad spent more time on the golf course, with his well-deserved feet up. Now my dad is trying to do the same. I keep him in here as much as I can, but he enjoys being away from here.”
Harry himself plays as a centre back for Southport in the National League North, having previously been on Burnley’s books, and played more locally with Solihull Moors, Kidderminster Harriers and Telford United.
However, with injury keeping him sidelined currently, the shop is providing a focus. And the stocking of the club’s official kit pleases both supporters and the family, who are nailing their colour to the mast with pride.
“I met with SUDU about six months ago, and we had a good conversation. As a traditional sports shop, which we are, doing all your major sports and team wear and school wear, they seem to fit as a brand and a business, and it was something we wanted to start.
“We’ve had a lot of Wolves fans coming in asking over the years, and obviously we haven't while they've been with other brands. But it's brilliant, as a local business as well, that the city centre has somewhere with Wolves merchandise.
“We'll get Wolves fans come from overseas. A couple of Saturdays ago we had one in from Australia, who travelled over, and we get some from America, and the older generation remember seeing Ron play. There's a big interest in us being back doing the Wolves kits, connecting us with the football club. We're proud to stock it.”
An honour and a privilege to have club legend Ron Flowers attending yesterday's game.
💛🐺 pic.twitter.com/TpbjDw9rcf
— Wolves (@Wolves) January 12, 2020
A delve into the Wolverhampton photo archives provides a photo for the ages. Flowers, posing with a remake of his 1960 FA Cup winning Wolves jersey. In the background hangs the Old Gold Puma shirt of 1998-2000 – the last time Ron Flowers Sports Shop stocked Wolves kits until now.
This autumn, in a family remake, Harry posed with Wolves’ 2024/25 creation in a shop packed with sporting products, as he continues the proud name of his grandad.
“I'll have to show my grandma that one. She's still about, so she'll obviously remember that. It’s a nice little moment.
“Over the years, we've done different things. All your major sports, cricket, running, a lot of team wear, different major brands. We do a lot of sports, school uniforms and workwear. We keep ourselves busy and adding the Wolves stuff to it, it keeps us even busier.
“I’m playing up at Southport at the moment, carrying on that legacy. I’m not playing every day, I'm up there four days a week, so on the other two days I'm down here keeping myself, nice and busy.”
Supporters wanting to enjoy a piece of history can visit Harry and Ron Flowers Sports Shop at 28 Queen Street, Wolverhampton.