Tears And Pride As Tragic Brothers Are Celebrated
Rarely has there been pride like this in a defeat of such margins. Wolves, beaten 4-0 at home, reached full-time and beyond with the non-stop chanting of their fans in their ears.
It would have been lovely if the vocal support had been in appreciation of a stirling team performance rather than as a reaction to tragic close-season events.
On this occasion, though, it was in honour of a gem of a forward – and his brother – taken from the football world far too soon.
Take a bow, Wolves, for the wonderful pre-match tribute to Diogo Jota, the choreography of unfurling that huge celebrating figure at the front of the Sir Jack Hayward Stand imprinting itself in our minds for ever.
On top of the first 48 pages of the programme being dedicated to the Portugal star, this visual spectacular was truly breathtaking – and the playing of Sting’s Fields of Gold as a soundtrack was something else again in adding to the renewed feeling of crushing sadness.
Liverpool’s fans, initially before a pre-season game at Preston, set the tone of sombre reflection on a life lost at 28. They delivered their own memorable tribute at Anfield on Friday night, then Wolves fans had their main chance to pay respects yesterday teatime.
The sight of a huge banner being carried along the byline quickly focused the mind and it was noticeable all evening that Manchester City’s players, in particular Bernardo Silva, were feeling the emotion, too.
Almost two hours after the minute’s applause, Pep Guardiola’s side were cruising to victory but that didn’t stop the South Bank sending us all home with a lump in our throat.
They started the Jota song 10 or 12 minutes from the final whistle and kept it going for some time after it, with players from both sides then going up to applaud them before making for the dressing rooms.
What with a no 18 shirt laid on the ground close to the penalty area, it was unbelievably moving….how did Diogo’s wife and kids cope, not to mention parents who are also grieving the loss of his brother, Andre?
Ruben Neves was in attendance as well, the Portuguese flag flying above Molineux serving as a reminder that the two combined brilliantly in international football as well as here in the Championship and Premier League.
Our match-day outing wouldn’t have felt complete if we hadn’t also gone to see the newly-completed mural at the back of the Leaping Wolf pub near Asda….a watering hole known as The Goal Post in the days when Wolves’ players frequented it more regularly.
That’s some work of art….but he was some player!