2021 has been very up and down for Wolves.
The 2020/21 season was a real struggle, and it culminated in Nuno Espirito Santo leaving the club in May.
Bruno Lage has come in and done a pretty good job given he arguably wasn’t totally backed in his first transfer window.
The calendar year has been a bit of a rollercoaster, and here are the three moments from the ride…
#3 Fans return to stadiums
The Covid-19 situation is sadly still rumbling on.
For many football fans, one of the best moments of 2021 will have come when they attended their first game back after matches had been played behind closed doors.
For Wolves fans, that first game back with fans present came against Manchester United on May 23. Molineux couldn’t be full (4500 were permitted), but it was a brilliant moment for those who were able to go.
The club’s first Premier League home game of 2021/22 was against Tottenham Hotspur, with Nuno Espirito Santo returning as the opposition manager.
With rules permitting full attendance once again, it made for quite the occasion. Wolves played unbelievably well but unfortunately lost the game in the end.
For many though, simply being back at Molineux for a Premier League fixture was special.
#2 Raul Jimenez scores the winner against Southampton
Raul Jimenez scoring his first Premier League goal of the 2021/22 campaign was always going to be an emotional moment.
After taking some time to get up to speed after missing more than half of last season following a skull fracture, that moment arrived at St. Mary’s Stadium against Southampton on September 26.
Jimenez collected a long ball from Jose Sa and twisted two Saints defenders before finishing brilliantly into the corner.
There had been fears for Jimenez’s life following that awful incident at the Emirates Stadium.
So to see the £30 million star scoring a goal in old gold again was an amazing moment.
#3 Ruben Neves scores’ last-gasp free-kick against Aston Villa
Few things in football can hold a candle to the feeling of a last-minute winner. Especially against a local rival.
Wolves had played pretty poorly against Aston Villa back in October. The team found themselves 2-0 down with just 10 minutes plus injury-time to go at Villa Park.
Out of nowhere, defenders Romain Saiss and Conor Coady scored to level things up.
Then, in the 95th minute after Adama Traore had been fouled, Ruben Neves stepped up to score with a deflected effort from a free-kick.
The moment prompted scenes of absolute bedlam in the away end, and goalkeeper Jose Sa sprinted the length of the field to join in the celebrations.