Steven Fletcher inspired Wolves to a 2-1 victory over Sunderland in December 2011 but where is he and the rest of his team now?placeholder image
Steven Fletcher inspired Wolves to a 2-1 victory over Sunderland in December 2011 but where is he and the rest of his team now? | Getty Images
Where the Wolves side that beat Sunderland way back in 2011/12 are now from Nottingham Forest to talkSPORT
Wolverhampton Wanderers and Sunderland are two clubs that haven’t crossed paths often in their recent history.
This weekend’s fixture at the Stadium of Light marks the first meeting between the two teams in seven years, with the last meeting between the pair coming in the Championship way back in May 2018.
Both teams were moving in very different directions at that point. Wolves were runaway leaders at the top of the Championship and preparing for an exciting era in the top-flight under Nuno Espirito Santo. Meanwhile, Sunderland were already consigned to their second successive relegation, and third-tier football for the first time since 1987.
Against the pattern of both team’s season Sunderland ran out 3-0 winners on that occasion under caretaker boss Robbie Stockdale, meaning they were the only team to avoid defeat against the Old Gold in the Championship that year.
Wolves will hope for a different outcome this time around against the newly-promoted side as they chase their first win of the season against a Black Cats team that has so far held their own in the top-flight. The West Midlands side last beat Sunderland almost 14 years ago in a hard-fought 2-1 home victory for Mick McCarthy against his former employers. But who played for Wolves during that game at Molineux in December 2011 and where are they now? Here’s all you need to know.
Goalkeeper and defence
GK:Wayne Hennessey: He was just five years into his professional career when he helped Wolves to a 2-1 win over Sunderland. He’d go on to represent Wales 109 times, reach the semi-final of the European Championships and represent the likes of Crystal Palace, Burnley and most recently Nottingham Forest where he retired in June before agreeing to stay on as a goalkeeping coach.
RB:Christophe Berra: A mainstay in the team that finished bottom, Berra handed in a transfer request after relegation but had another year to wait before he’d get his wish. He suffered successive relegations with Wolves, moved to Ipswich before ending his career in Scotland. He was briefly first team coach at Livingston and Raith Rovers, and also worked as interim coach at Huntsville City for a short period.
CB: Jody Craddock: Picked ahead of Roger Johnson on the day, Craddock featured just once in the league that season and got on the winning team. It was the last league match of his professional career though he didn’t retire until 2013. The former skipper has since shifted his passion away from football to become a professional artist.
CB: Stephen Ward: Republic of Ireland international Ward suffered back-to-back relegations with Wolves before being loaned out to Brighton at Championship level and eventually reaching the top-flight again with Burnley. After retiring at Walsall in 2022 he became director of football at Solihull Moors but stepped down from the post in August.
LB: Ronald Zubar: £2.5m signing Ronald Zubar played 61 matches for Wolves but just eight of them came in the Championship, after relegation he moved to Ajaccio before retiring at New York Red Bulls in 2016.
Midfield and attack
CM: Jamie O’Hara: Former Tottenham academy footballer Jamie O’Hara suffered successive relegations with Wolves before joining Blackpool. He gradually slipped down the leagues and ended his career at Billericay Town. However, he’s stayed in the public eye - appearing on Big Brother while also becoming a presenter on talkSPORT where he appears alongside ex-Chelsea defender Jason Cundy.
CM: David Edwards: Wales international Edwards stuck with Wolves through the tough times and formed part of the team which won promotion from League One. He even featured once under Nuno Espirito Santo during the promotion season before leaving to join Reading and later Shrewsbury Town. He came out of retirement to represent Bala Town and now has a podcast called In The Stiffs with a few former Shrewsbury teammates.
LM: Matthew Jarvis: A standout player in Wolves’ relegation season from the Premier League. Matthew Jarvis scored eight as the team finished bottom and even won one cap for England the previous season. He joined West Ham for upwards of £10m but never hit the same heights before joining Norwich and eventually retiring at Woking Town.
RM: Stephen Hunt: Republic of Ireland winger Stephen Hunt suffered a third relegation from the top-flight with a third different club as Wolves dropped to the Championship. He struggled with injuries the following season before departing on a free transfer. He had spells with Ipswich and Coventry before retirement in 2016 and has since founded his own football agency.
ST: Stephen Fletcher: Scottish forward Stephen Fletcher scored a brace to help Wolves to victory over Sunderland and earned himself a move to the Black Cats six months later after scoring 22 across two top-flight seasons for the Old Gold. He performed fairly well at Sunderland and notably found the net in a Tyne Wear derby against Newcastle. He’s since played for Marseille, Sheffield Wednesday, Stoke City, Dundee United and most recently Wrexham. The 38-year-old announced his retirement last month.
ST: Kevin Doyle: Republic of Ireland striker Kevin Doyle spent six years of his career at Wolves before departing in 2015. He briefly played for Crystal Palace before moving on to the United States with Colorado Rapids. He retired in 2017 and has since worked in Ireland as a pundit.
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