Craig Dawson made an instant impact at Wolves after arriving from West Ham in January 2023, but was later exiled by new manager Vitor Pereira.
The experienced centre-back was brought in during a relegation battle, providing composure and leadership to a backline that had been struggling.
His arrival helped steady the ship, offering the sort of presence Wolves are now trying to replicate by using Matt Doherty as an experienced head among a young backline.
The British player barely featured under Pereira, and Wolves eventually terminated Dawson’s contract.
Despite this, he was a central figure during Gary O’Neil’s tenure, earning the respect of both his teammates and the fans.
O’Neil has revealed one attribute of Dawson’s game that surprised him most during their time together.
Former Wolves boss Gary O’Neil was surprised by Craig Dawson’s passing
Dawson’s reputation has long been built on his aerial strength and his tackling, with Wolves fans still remembering his man-marking masterclass against Erling Haaland.
He also impressed under Julen Lopetegui, who had been instrumental in bringing him to Molineux in the first place.
While much of the spotlight in Wolves’ 4-2 demolition of Chelsea at Stamford Bridge was on Matheus Cunha and Pedro Neto, Dawson quietly showcased a different side to his game.
O’Neil has now highlighted how his underrated passing ability caught him off guard, proving the defender had far more to his skillset than many had assumed.
Speaking on the Coach’s Voice, he said: “The quality of Craig Dawson’s diagonals was top drawer.
“He even surprised me when I arrived at the football with how good he was at hitting those long passes.”
Dawson’s impact at Wolves
When Dawson first arrived, there were questions over his signing, not least because of his history with rivals West Bromwich Albion.
However, he quickly won fans over, with his dominant display in the FA Cup derby win against Albion cementing his place in Old Gold hearts.
Injuries disrupted his rhythm and, as his Wolves spell progressed, his form inevitably dipped.
Dawson even admitted that he struggled to get out of bed with a groin injury, highlighting just how badly he was affected by injuries during the latter stages of his time at the Old Gold.
A recurring issue kept him sidelined, and one of his final memories came in the form of an unfortunate own goal at Everton in one of Gary O’Neil’s last games in charge.
Though exiled by Pereira, Dawson’s impact was hailed by Wolves fans, as he brought leadership and professionalism when the club needed it most.