Conor Coady will be remembered as one of the best Wolves defenders in modern history, captaining the club through their most recent period of success.
Coady was part of Nuno Espirito Santo’s Championship title-winning campaign in 2018, and then captained Wolves to successive seventh-place finishes following promotion.
The Englishman was incredible in the heart of their defence, utilising his ball-playing skills and leadership qualities to become a crucial figure under Nuno.
The 32-year-old, who currently plays for Championship side Leicester City, experienced some unbelievable highs during his time at the club from 2015 to 2023.
Unfortunately, some joyous moments such as qualifying for the Europa League were also supplemented by low points.
Conor Coady was ‘upset’ after missing out on Wolves history in 2020
Coady was ever-present under Nuno and rarely ever saw his levels drop, becoming a mainstay in the Wolves starting lineup from 2017 to 2020.
In 2020, he had an opportunity to break Phil Parkes’ record of 127 straight league appearances for the Old Gold, but sadly, due to coming into contact with someone who had Covid-19, the defender had to isolate in November 2020.
Coady had made 122 consecutive league appearances for Wolves, but being forced to isolate saw him miss the 1-1 draw against Southampton and, unfortunately, the chance to break Parkes’ record.
After being six appearances away from creating history, Nuno spoke of Coady’s heartbreak during his post-match press conference.
“He was really upset because he felt he could compete well and he was upset he wasn’t able to be on the pitch to help the team,” said Nuno via The National.
“He was upset because he’s a competitor as he has shown before, all the game and training sessions he’s been available. It was a tough moment for him because he was away from his natural environment – here with us.
“He accepts he has another chance, it’s part of football and you always have another chance. “It was tough news to have the moment I was informed he had to go away from the England squad.”
Up until that point, Coady had not missed an appearance for Wolves since September 2017, with Covid-19 protocols also forcing him to withdraw from the England squad.
Coady looks set to join Rangers
Fast-forward to the present day, and Coady is on the verge of leaving Leicester City after just two years at the King Power Stadium.
Rangers have held talks with Coady, and it seems inevitable that he joins Russell Martin’s project at Ibrox after an indifferent spell with the Foxes.
Now aged 32, the centre-back is looking for a move that excites him and the prospect of European football at Rangers is an enticing opportunity.
In January, Wolves were linked with a sensational return for Coady, but the longer the time moves on, the less chance of him making the switch back to Molineux.