Every now and again someone makes a pithy remark that tends to stick either by being fundamentally wrong – as in the case of Alan Hansen’s “You’ll never win anything with kids” jibe about a young Manchester United outfit, or rather apposite – as in Henrik Stenson’s “like putting on broccoli” summation of the greens at Chambers Bay, venue for the 2015 US Open golf championship. It will take some time for the course, built on land that not so long ago was the site of timber and gravel mining operations, to rid itself of that one.

Henrik’s comment followed a less than stellar second round 74 which saw him fall out of contention for what is generally acknowledged as the golf major which presents the sternest of mental examinations. Those of a short fuse tend to struggle. Choosing Chambers Bay was certainly a gamble on the part of the USGA. Not much more than eight years old it’s...

Suppress for a moment that yearning to have a quiet weep but Piers Morgan (5 billion twitter followers and rising) is having something of a bad time of it at the moment. Piers, as you may know, is number one fan and best mate of Kevin Pietersen (3 billion twitter followers). He also holds one or two trenchant views about the latter’s treatment at the hands of the English cricketing establishment and along the way he’s uttered one or two unkind things about Alistair Cook – if one can summarise – spineless and lacking in moral fibre. They are possibly the same thing but you get the gist.

Anyway for all those introverts in the world – of which Cook is one – it was with a sense of quiet schadenfreude that they watched the England captain lead a batting fight back in the first test at Lords a week ago before marshalling his troops in the field to claim a famous victory over New Zealand...

Wolverhampton Wanderers 4 v Millwall 2

Who amongst you remembers Sunday 22nd May 2011? Wolves v Blackburn, with Wolves’ Premier League survival hanging by a thread. Would we shoot ourselves in the foot and be relegated or would we hang on and survive? Even now the machinations of that afternoon are too remarkable to behold as Wolves went from being safe to being relegated, to being safe again, then down again before Stephen Hunt’s life saving goal finally retained Premier League status.

Saturday 2nd May 2015 had the potential to be similarly enthralling. Should both Derby and Brentford lose then Wolves were assured a play off slot. If Brentford won by one then Wolves needed a minimum six goal win to overcome them. Derby, the form horse for much of the season, required only a draw to book their play off place. At half time hope sprang eternal. Derby were 1-0 down to Reading and...

Wolverhampton Wanderers 1 v Ipswich Town 1

During his five years in charge at Molineux Wolves fans grew accustomed to Mick McCarthy’s no nonsense approach both in the way that he set up his teams and in his demeanour at post match interviews. And when he guided Wolves up and kept them in the Premier League he became something of a local hero one whom Wolves fans still hold in high regard. His departure was not the most edifying and in the aftermath Wolves imploded. Quite what Mick thought about it all has remained a secret but you could be assured that the fire to prove his detractors wrong burned brightly. Off he went to Ipswich where once again he has quietly fashioned a team capable of rising out of the Championship. That doesn’t necessarily imply easy on the eye. Wolves under his stewardship were rarely easy on the eye and if today’s encounter is any arbiter his latest creation...

Were the organisers of The US Masters in need of a marketing strapline – and they are not – but if they were they could do a lot worse than that employed by Ronseal – “Does exactly what it says on the tin.” By which I mean “the Masters only begins on the back nine Sunday”. Except this year it never really happened. Like a Yellowstone Park hot spring it bubbled, it simmered but it never quite exploded into life. And the reason for that was the brilliance of a 21 year old Texan named Jordan Spieth, playing with all the exuberance of youth but with a head of a seasoned campaigner.

It is nearly twenty years since a young Eldrick Woods won his first US Masters, a victory which would propel him to greatness. His 1997 winning score of 18 under par had held firm until yesterday when Jordan Spieth equalled that tally. We thought what Woods achieved was remarkable, but had not Spieth taken...

Wolverhampton Wanderers 4 v Leeds United 3

2-1 up at half time, Wolves were in the play-offs. When in minute 47 they went 3-1 up, Benik Afobe poking home from inside the six yard box following a corner, hotels in north London experienced a sudden spike in advanced room reservations. For the next fifteen minutes Wolves bossed affairs their lead seemingly unassailable against a Leeds United side devoid of ideas and the wherewithal to implement them.

Then in the 65th minute an aimless ball in to the Wolves box caught the home side’s defence knapping. Should Carl Ikeme have claimed it? Should Danny Batth have booted it to safety? In the end neither did either as Batth’s half hearted attempt at a clearance sliced off his boot and into the net. Buoyed by this gift, Leeds suddenly realised that they were no longer staring at oblivion and ten minutes later were presented with another...

Italy 1 v England 1

Did you know that since his England debut 14 years ago, Michael Carrick has never started more than four games in succession. The reason, I would hazard, is that he doesn’t do box to box and thus isn’t good enough. Phil Jones does box to box which is why he was selected ahead of Carrick for this evening’s friendly against Italy. Good call Roy.

Over the last thirty years England as a footballing nation has been on a mission to shoot themselves in the foot. Not content with having a dearth of genuine footballers - by which I mean players who can control the ball quickly and move it on seamlessly, or can pick out a pass, or do something out of the ordinary - the few that did possess these skills were messed around. Glen Hoddle was such a player but he like Carrick was a bit part performer on the international stage. Paul Scholes was such a player but he had to be...

Wolverhampton Wanderers 3 v Sheffield Wednesday 0

The last time Wolves played Sheffield Wednesday at home was the September of 2012. Stole Solbakken was in charge and his team (of which only Bakary Sako remains) managed to eke out a 1-0 win. It marked a fourth win in a row and hinted at a promising season.

Two and a half years on and with much water having flowed the current Wolves side is a far more accomplished outfit. At the level they currently find themselves there are few identifiable weaknesses and many strengths, Benik Afobe, Bakary Sako, Kevin McDonald and the full back duo of Matt Doherty and Scott Golbourne worthy of particular mention. That’s not to say that the current side is good enough to hold its own in the Premier League but if promotion eludes them this core of players will provide the basis for a proper tilt next season.

Though the game was a personal milestone...

Wolverhampton Wanderers 2 v Watford FC 2

Point gained or two dropped? As the game entered its final quarter it was Watford, with their superior polish, who looked the stronger. But in fairness either side could have nicked it, in what was an excellent game. It is just a shame that things ended as they did, first Tommie Hoban being dismissed for a second bookable offence when he clattered in to Rajiv van La Parra. And then in time added on theatrical diving from Fernando Foristieri , when reacting to a hand raised to his face by Bakary Sako, saw the Malian staring at red. Up until this point referee Brendan Malone had enjoyed an excellent game, rightly overruling numerous dives by allowing play to continue and getting most of his calls right. Just a shame that what will be remembered was his Sako dismissal.

But let us not dwell too much on the game’s final two minutes. What happened...

Wolverhampton Wanderers 3 v Fulham FC 0

Rare are the occasions when one can attend a game of football and relax, as if lying in a hot tub, knowing that the result is beyond doubt. For the second time in four days at Molineux, Wolves cruised to a comfortable victory. But with all the teams above them also winning, the gap from sixth spot remains at five points.

As with the game v Rotherham the result was a curate’s egg, for although Wolves scored after only ten minutes - Danny Batth converting a Bakary Sako corner - Fulham created the better first half chances yet failed to convert any. Perhaps their most glaring miss came on the half hour when Ross McCormack found himself free on the penalty spot, with only Tomasz Kuszczak to beat. But his shot was tame and easily gathered by the Wolves goalkeeper.

Eight minutes later Wolves extended their lead following a passage of play where the...