2014–15 Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. season
# 2014–15 Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. season

The 2014–15 season was the 116th season of competitive league football in the history of English football club Wolverhampton Wanderers. The club competed in the second tier of the English football system, the Football League Championship, following their return to the second level after being promoted as champions from League One at the first attempt.

The club finished the season in seventh position, missing out on a play-off place on goal difference. Their tally of 78 points represented the highest points tally not to earn a play-off place since the system was introduced.

## Season review

Following their record-breaking promotion from League One, pre-season training began on 26 June with Wolves having already made two of their three summer signings with Tommy Rowe and Rajiv van La Parra arriving on free transfers; Chelsea academy graduate George Saville would join for a fee in late August but fail to make any impact before being loaned out. The transfer window saw deals reached to remove some of the club's transfer listed players from the wage bill with Tongo Doumbia, Jamie O’Hara and Stephen Ward all moving on.

The season began with a 1–0 win over newly relegated Norwich, which was soon followed by two further 1–0 wins against the other two teams to have fallen out of the Premier League, Fulham and Cardiff, respectively. The team lost just twice in their opening 15 league fixtures, bringing them a place in the top 4 of the division. However, a lengthy hamstring injury to striker Nouha Dicko left the team lacking attacking options, with Leon Clarke having scored just once. The loan acquisition of Hull striker Yannick Sagbo failed to solve the issue as the player's lack of fitness became apparent and the deal was cut short. A second Premier League striker was loaned in with Sunderland's Danny Graham then having a six-week stay but providing only one goal. During this time Wolves suffered five defeats in a row, their worst run at Championship level since 1991, dropping them into mid-table.

With Dicko regaining fitness by the Christmas period, the team went two months undefeated and bolstered their attacking threat by signing Benik Afobe from Arsenal, who had led the goalscoring charts while on loan at League One side MK Dons. The January window saw the departures of two further transfer listed players, Roger Johnson and Kevin Foley. The following months saw the team regain a footing in the promotion race, as they became one of the eight clubs at the top of the division to break clear of the remaining teams.

After sitting in 8th place for several weeks, a run of four consecutive victories in late March/early April allowed them to finally break back into the play-off positions. However, they immediately suffered two consecutive losses - at local rivals Birmingham and promotion contenders Middlesbrough - that dropped them again down to 8th. After a home match against fellow play-off challenger Ipswich, managed by former Wolves manager Mick McCarthy, finished 1–1, Wolves were left needing to hope that teams above them would drop sufficient points in the final two rounds of games to allow them back into the top 6. Although Wolves won their final two games to catch Ipswich on points, their goal difference proved insufficient to overtake either the East Anglian club or Brentford, who had been promoted as runners-up behind Wolves in the previous season. Wolves' tally of 78 points was the highest-achieved to date by a team that did not qualify for the play-offs since their introduction.

## Results

### Championship

A total of 24 teams competed in the Football League Championship in the 2014–15 season. Each team played every other team twice, once at their stadium, and once at the opposition's. Three points were awarded to teams for each win, one point per draw, and none for defeats.

The provisional fixture list was released on 18 June 2014, but was subject to change in the event of matches being selected for television coverage or police concerns.

**Results summary**

| Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |

Source: Statto.com

**Results by round**

| Round | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 41 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 46 |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Result | W | L | W | W | W | D | D | W | D | L | D | D | W | W | D | L | L | L | L | L | W | D | W | W | W | W | D | D | L | W | L | W | W | W | L | D | D | W | W | W | W | L | L | D | W | W |
| Position | 7 | 14 | 9 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 9 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 12 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 7 |

**League table**

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion, qualification or relegation |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 5 | Brentford | 46 | 23 | 9 | 14 | 78 | 59 | +19 | 78 | Qualification for Championship play-offs |
| 6 | Ipswich Town | 46 | 22 | 12 | 12 | 72 | 54 | +18 | 78 | Qualification for Championship play-offs |
| 7 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 46 | 22 | 12 | 12 | 70 | 56 | +14 | 78 | |
| 8 | Derby County | 46 | 21 | 14 | 11 | 85 | 56 | +29 | 77 | |
| 9 | Blackburn Rovers | 46 | 17 | 16 | 13 | 66 | 59 | +7 | 67 | |

* ↑ Four teams play for one spot and promotion to the Premier League.

## Players

### Statistics

Key: ‡ On loan from another club * First appearance(s) for the club

* # = Squad number
* Pos = Playing position
* P = Number of games played
* G = Number of goals scored
* GK = Goalkeeper
* DF = Defender
* MF = Midfielder
* FW = Forward
* = Yellow cards
* = Red cards
* † Permanent player left club during the season
* ¤ Loaned to another club for part or all of season

Correct as of end of season. Starting appearances are listed first, followed by substitute appearances in parentheses where applicable.

| No. | Pos | Name | P | G | P | G | P | G | P | G | | |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| No. | Pos | Name | League | League | FA Cup | FA Cup | League Cup | League Cup | Total | Total | Discipline | Discipline | Notes |
| 1 | GK | Carl Ikeme | 33 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 35 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2 | DF | Matt Doherty | 26(7) | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 29(7) | 0 | 4 | 1 |
| 3 | DF | Scott Golbourne | 23(4) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 23(4) | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 4 | MF | David Edwards | 32(9) | 6 | 1(1) | 2 | 0(1) | 0 | 33(11) | 8 | 3 | 0 |
| 5 | DF | Richard Stearman | 38(4) | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 41(4) | 0 | 11 | 0 |
| 6 | DF | Danny Batth | 44 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 46 | 4 | 7 | 0 |
| 7 | MF | James Henry | 23(14) | 5 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 26(14) | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| 8 | MF | David Davis † | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 8 | MF | George Saville ¤ | 5(2) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5(2) | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 9 | FW | Leon Clarke ¤ | 5(11) | 2 | 1(1) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 7(12) | 2 | 3 | 0 |
| 10 | MF | Bakary Sako | 39(2) | 15 | 1 | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 40(3) | 15 | 2 | 1 |
| 11 | MF | Kevin McDonald | 45(1) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 46(1) | 0 | 8 | 1 |
| 12 | FW | Yannick Sagbo ‡ | 1(3) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1(3) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 12 | FW | Danny Graham ‡ | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 12 | FW | Benik Afobe | 19(2) | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19(2) | 13 | 1 | 0 |
| 13 | GK | Aaron McCarey | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 14 | MF | Lee Evans | 18(1) | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 21(1) | 1 | 6 | 0 |
| 15 | MF | Tommy Rowe | 7(7) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7(7) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 16 | FW | Kevin Doyle ¤ | 0(6) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0(6) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 17 | MF | Rajiv van La Parra | 29(11) | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 30(11) | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| 18 | DF | Sam Ricketts (c) ¤ | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| 19 | MF | Jack Price ¤ | 20(3) | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 22(4) | 1 | 5 | 0 |
| 20 | FW | Liam McAlinden ¤ | 1(5) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3(5) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 21 | MF | Zeli Ismail ¤ | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 23 | DF | Ethan Ebanks-Landell | 9(5) | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 10(5) | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| 27 | MF | Michael Jacobs ¤ | 3(8) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4(8) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 29 | GK | Tomasz Kuszczak | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 30 | DF | Kortney Hause ¤ | 15(2) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15(2) | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 31 | GK | Jonathan Flatt ¤ | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 32 | DF | Kevin Foley ¤† | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 33 | DF | Dominic Iorfa | 20 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| 39 | FW | Ibrahim Keita | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 40 | FW | Nouha Dicko | 30(7) | 14 | 0(2) | 0 | 0(1) | 1 | 30(10) | 15 | 5 | 0 |

* ↑ Rescinded on appeal on 10 March
* ↑ Rescinded on appeal on 9 December

### Awards

| Award | Winner |
| - | - |
| Fans' Player of the Season | Richard Stearman |
| Players' Player of the Season | Richard Stearman |
| Young Player of the Season | Dominic Iorfa |
| Academy Player of the Season | Regan Upton |
| Goal of the Season | James Henry (vs Bolton, 31 January 2015) |

## Transfers

### In

| Date | Player | From | Fee |
| - | - | - | - |
| 3 June 2014 | Tommy Rowe | Peterborough United | Free |
| 10 June 2014 | Rajiv van La Parra | Heerenveen | Free |
| July 2014 | Jordan Allan | Airdrieonians | Free |
| July 2014 | Christián Herc | Nitra | Free |
| July 2014 | Conor Levingston | Gorey Rangers | Free |
| July 2014 | Connor Ronan | Rochdale | Free |
| 21 August 2014 | Nicolae Carnat | Hagi | Free |
| 26 August 2014 | George Saville | Chelsea | £1,000,000 |
| 3 November 2014 | Tomasz Kuszczak | Unattached | Free |
| 5 January 2015 | Jordan Graham | Aston Villa | Undisclosed |
| 14 January 2015 | Benik Afobe | Arsenal | £2,000,000 |

### Out

| Date | Player | To | Fee |
| - | - | - | - |
| June 2014 | Marcus Barnes | Released | Free |
| June 2014 | Jordan Cranston | Released | Free |
| June 2014 | George Elokobi | Released | Free |
| June 2014 | Tim Jakobsson | Released | Free |
| June 2014 | Kristián Koštrna | Released | Free |
| June 2014 | Tyler Lyttle | Released | Free |
| June 2014 | David Moli | Released | Free |
| June 2014 | Robbie Parry | Released | Free |
| June 2014 | Jamie Reckord | Released | Free |
| June 2014 | Peter Smith | Released | Free |
| June 2014 | Jack Storer | Released | Free |
| June 2014 | Jamie Tank | Released | Free |
| June 2014 | Sam Whittall | Released | Free |
| 18 June 2014 | Michael Ihiekwe | Tranmere Rovers | Free |
| 11 August 2014 | David Davis | Birmingham City | £150,000 |
| 12 August 2014 | Anthony Forde | Walsall | Undisclosed |
| 15 August 2014 | Stephen Ward | Burnley | Undisclosed |
| 28 August 2014 | Jamie O'Hara | Released | Free |
| 29 August 2014 | Tongo Doumbia | Toulouse | Undisclosed |
| January 2015 | Victor Wagner | Released | Free |
| 12 January 2015 | Kevin Foley | Released | Free |
| 2 February 2015 | Roger Johnson | Released | Free |
| 2 February 2015 | Ben Priest | Dundee | Free |

* ↑ Following his release, Barnes joined Southampton.
* ↑ Following his release, Cranston joined Notts County on 1 September.
* ↑ Following his release, Elokobi joined Oldham Athletic on 8 August.
* ↑ Following his release, Koštrna joined Boleráz on 28 September.
* ↑ Following his release, Lyttle joined Bristol Rovers.
* ↑ Following his release, Moli joined Boreham Wood on 14 September.
* ↑ Following his release, Reckord joined Ross County on 17 September.
* ↑ Following his release, Smith joined Ytterhogdals in 2018.
* ↑ Following his release, Storer joined Paget Rangers.
* ↑ Following his release, Tank joined Leamington on 1 August.
* ↑ Following his release, Whittall joined Cambridge United on 14 August.
* ↑ Following his release, O'Hara joined Blackpool on 5 November.
* ↑ Following his release, Wagner joined Esbjerg.
* ↑ Following his release, Foley joined Copenhagen on 12 January.
* ↑ Following his release, Johnson joined Charlton Athletic on 3 February.

### Loans in

| Date | Player | From | End Date |
| - | - | - | - |
| 30 September 2014 | Yannick Sagbo | Hull City | 13 November 2014 |
| 14 November 2014 | Danny Graham | Sunderland | 31 December 2014 |
| 27 November 2014 | Jordan Graham | Aston Villa | 4 January 2015 |
| 27 November 2014 | Donovan Wilson | Bristol Rovers | 4 January 2015 |

### Loans out

| Date | Player | To | End Date |
| - | - | - | - |
| 18 July 2014 | Zeli Ismail | Notts County | 4 January 2015 |
| 25 July 2014 | Jake Cassidy | Notts County | 4 January 2015 |
| 28 July 2014 | Kortney Hause | Gillingham | 24 November 2014 |
| 1 September 2014 | Jack Price | Yeovil Town | 4 October 2014 |
| 1 September 2014 | Kevin Doyle | Crystal Palace | 1 January 2015 |
| 11 September 2014 | Georg Margreitter | Chesterfield | 13 December 2014 |
| 2 October 2014 | Liam McAlinden | Fleetwood Town | 30 October 2014 |
| 7 October 2014 | Jack Price | Leyton Orient | 3 December 2014 |
| 9 October 2014 | Eusébio Bancessi | Cheltenham Town | 6 November 2014 |
| 20 November 2014 | Jonathan Flatt | Wrexham | 5 January 2015 |
| 27 November 2014 | Kevin Foley | Blackpool | 3 January 2015 |
| 13 January 2015 | Björn Sigurðarson | Copenhagen | 30 June 2015 |
| 15 January 2015 | Liam McAlinden | Fleetwood Town | End of season |
| 15 January 2015 | Jake Cassidy | Southend United | End of season |
| 15 January 2015 | George Saville | Bristol City | 20 April 2015 |
| 23 January 2015 | Scott Dutton | Crawley Town | 21 February 2015 |
| 2 February 2015 | Ashley Carter | Chesterfield | End of season |
| 2 February 2015 | Leon Clarke | Wigan Athletic | End of season |
| 12 March 2015 | Michael Jacobs | Blackpool | 9 April 2015 |
| 21 March 2015 | Sam Ricketts | Swindon Town | End of season |
| 26 March 2015 | Jonathan Flatt | Chesterfield | 24 April 2015 |

## Management and coaching staff

| Position | Name |
| - | - |
| Head coach | Kenny Jackett |
| Assistant head coach | Joe Gallen |
| First Team Fitness and Conditioning coach | Tony Daley |
| Goalkeeping coach | Pat Mountain |
| Head of Football Development and Recruitment | Kevin Thelwell |
| Head of Recruitment | Stuart Webber |
| Academy Manager | Gareth Prosser |
| Club Doctor | Dr Matthew Perry |
| Club Physio | Carl Howarth |

## Kit

The season brought both new home and away kits again manufactured by supplier PUMA. The new home kit featured the club's traditional gold and black colours with black arms, which had been worn on the final day of the previous season, while the away kit was an all white design with black collar. Both shirts featured sponsor What House? for a second and final season.

