On 13 December 1954, Wolves recorded a famous victory over Honved under the lights at Molineux in front of 55,000 fans; media coverage reflecting the huge interest in the match became a pivotal factor in the creation of what later became the UEFA Champions League…
In his early days as Sky Sports supremo, the late Vic Wakeling decreed that the word ‘friendly’ should not be used to describe non-tournament football internationals.
Yet it was just such a match 70 years ago this week which generated such excitement amongst Fleet Street’s finest that it prompted the start of what later became the UEFA Champions League.
Managed by Stan Cullis and led on the field by England captain Billy Wright, Wolverhampton Wanderers were Champions of England in 1954 when they beat the Hungarian side Honved in a thrilling match at Molineux.
The occasion is remembered so fondly in Wolverhampton that a new tribute by black country sculptor Luke Perry is set to be unveiled this week alongside statues which already honour Cullis and Wright.
Wolves have also launched a commemorative replica shirt. In 1954, Wolves wore a special shirt made of shiny material to show well under the lights.
In the early 1950s, international club football consisted of only profile international friendlies or exhibition matches but that was about to change.
Air travel was making it easier for teams to reach destinations across the continent midweek and still be back in time for the Saturday match.
In 1954, Hungary lost to West Germany in the World Cup final, but experts nonetheless considered them the best team. Many of their now-familiar stars played for Honved, including captain Ferenc Puskas.
They won Olympic gold at the 1952 Helsinki Games and were then invited to play England at Wembley.
The match, played in November 1953 had a seismic impact. Hungary won 6-3 to become the first continental Europeans to beat England’s national team on home soil.
Wright himself had been humiliated by Puskas, who scored a wonderful goal with a drag back. Geoffrey Green of The Times suggested that Wright “rushed past him like a fire engine going to the wrong fire.”
A few months later in Budapest, England were beaten again. This time the margin was 7-1.
In a time when many teams from behind the “Iron Curtain” visited Western Europe to play in exhibition matches, Honved were an attraction.
In October, they defeated FA Cup holders West Bromwich Albion 5-3 in a match in Brussels.
Wolves meanwhile beat the Soviet “Crack team” Spartak Moscow 4-0 at Molineux so when it was announced that Honved were coming to Molineux, everyone wanted to see them.
There was no ITV in those days so BBC Television had a clear run when it transmitted the second half of the match.
Honved had raced into a 2-0 lead by half-time. Cullis then ordered the Wolves apprentices into action.
Among them was Ron Atkinson, who admitted in The Guardian many years later: “There is no doubt in my mind that, had Cullis not ordered me and my mates to water the pitch, Honved would have won by about 10-0.”
In the second half, Wolves staged a comeback to score three goals for a thrilling victory.
The match was also broadcast on BBC radio but aware that the match was overrunning, the announcer – one Adrian Waller – faded it out. In the days before social media frenzies, Broadcasting House was besieged with angry telephone calls.
“This is a very repentant Adrian Waller saying I do realise I made a mistake in fading out the match,” ran an apology published in the newspapers.
By this time, the newspapers had given their verdict on the match.
Desmond Hackett of the Daily Express, never short of a superlative, declared: “Wolverhampton Wanderers became Wolverhampton ‘Wondermen’, club champions of Europe when they outfought and finally outplayed the star-spangled Hungarians at Molineux.”
“I may never live to see another greater thriller than this and if we see many more as thrilling, I may not live much longer anyway,” suggested Peter Wilson in the Daily Mirror.
Meanwhile the Daily Mail’s headline screamed: “Hail Wolves, Champions of the World.”
It reported that Cullis himself described his team in this way, but the following day there came a denial.
“I have never said Wolves were World Champions simply because they have beaten Spartak and Honved. Our victory must not be taken out of perspective,” retorted Cullis.
Even so, the rather bombastic headline had caught the attention and prompted a response from Gabriel Hanot of great French sports daily L’Equipe,
“We must wait for Wolves to visit Moscow or Budapest before we proclaim their invincibility. There are other clubs of international prowess, notably Milan and Real Madrid,” Hanot warned.
At this stage, UEFA had only just been founded and it seems that they rather dragged their feet at least until L’Equipe prodded them into action with an editorial which branded them “timid”.
Hanot also visited London where Football Association Secretary Sir Stanley Rous advised him to write to the football associations in each European nation.
It was perhaps significant that the Spanish were particularly enthusiastic.
“This project appeals to me enormously, and to my friend Santiago Bernabeu, President of Real Madrid,” said Spanish Federation President Juan Touzon.
Hanot enjoyed the support of fellow journalists Jacques Goddet and Jacques Ferran and with their support, the first European Champions Cup sprang into life in September 1955.
The first winners were indeed Real Madrid, but Fleet Street’s part in lighting the touchpaper ought not to be forgotten, nor should that ‘Old Gold’ night at Wolverhampton.
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