GP Books

The first Wolverhampton Wanderers player chosen to represent England took the field in 1887. In the intervening 134 years, 36 men from Molineux have proudly donned their country’s shirt in thirteen decades spread over three centuries, with the most recent appearance in 2021. Bob Bannister, a supporter of the club since 1945, has written an authoritative book on this subject with detailed accounts of each and every one of the players. Details of in excess of 300 Wolves related international games are provided, with reports, line-ups, goal scorers as well as updates of Wolves history during this period. This is a unique Wolves story and one which every supporter who follows this great club will enjoy.

Bob Bannister was born in Wolverhampton at the start of the Second World War, and he started to support the Wolves during the Central League era of 1945-1946. All went well with Wolves reserves being undefeated until Good Friday 1946. On that day Liverpool reserves were the winners and after the game, walking the 145 yards to his home at the top of New Hampton Road East, he began to cry. His father clipped him around the ears and threatened not to take him again if that was the way he behaved, which brought on another flood of tears.

Since then he supported the Wolves first team from the boys’ pen in the corner of the old “Cowshed” end of the ground, now the site of the Stan Cullis Stand. Having enjoyed the great days of the club in the 1950s, his seventy-five years of support includes six decades as a season ticket holder, first in the Waterloo Road Stand and now in the Steve Bull Stand.

He is the author of three books, including the History of the Midland Football Combination and the History of St Mark’s Church, Wolverhampton, where the vicar for many years was the father of Wolves legend Kenneth Hunt.

Happily married with one son and two grandchildren, a family that includes three further season ticket holders, Bob has lived in Coventry for many years.