Goodbye Yellow Brick Road - Graham Taylor OBE

“Very few of us have any idea whatsoever of what life is like living in a goldfish bowl, 

except, of course, for those of us who are goldfish.”
Graham Taylor

It was 1995 at a London Welsh RFC dinner that a business partner ironically also named, Graham Taylor, arranged a table at the London Hilton on Park Lane for group of us. Our guests that evening were Graham and Rita Taylor, who at the time were living the aftermath of EURO 92 and the failure to qualify for USA’94 that previous summer. The two Graham’s were friends since the football mad had been at Aston Villa where had managed up to receiving the England call. The friendship only broken on January 12th 2017 when the footballing man was taken from us far too soon. Yet the man I first knew during those darker times now looks set to leave a legacy for those who didn’t know him so well in no doubt about his qualities as a human being. As well as the esteem with which he was held by those in the footballing game.

During life, he was armed with a deep understanding of people, the game of football, the issues that involve players and the challenges of club staff. Coupled with an innate pursuit of excellence that few associated him with until they worked up close and personal with him. The testament being awarded the OBE for services to the game which he secreted to me in a Heathrow Hotel when I was trying to get his view on football agents. An area where he had very strong thoughts and was passionately concerned about. In fact, directness was the way he dealt with most things in life, both the good and the bad. Yet concerned for people and singularly dedicated to his family; wife, Rita, daughters, Karen and Joanne and the grandchildren.

But like a man of his generation and from working class roots in Worksop, Taylor never feared a heavy work load or tough looking challenge. Over more recent years as a pundit he revelled in the workloads and radio schedules all offering him that continued involvement with the game that at one time had become fragile. Which in July 1992 he must have believed was all over when England were dumped out of the European Championships in Sweden. Especially as the Premier League had just been invented and his star was diminished since leaving the First Division heights with a strong reputation at Aston Villa. Though there was an improvement in the 1994 World Cup qualifying campaign initially it all unravelled at the end of 1993 against Holland in Rotterdam and then San Marino at Wembley. All of which became indelibly marked on the national psyche when the Channel 4 fly on the wall documentary – The Impossible job – brought him into the vernacular with the phrase – “Do I not Like that”. 

The latter the downside perhaps of Taylor’ amicable nature towards a media which was intending originally to make a positive story about qualification for USA’94 initially and delivered a close-up of what really goes on pitch side when England lost out. Showing the non-footballing public – who would not have been aware of what goes on I the dugout - the gory details. Let’s not forget this was pre-Sky Sports where now there are cameras everywhere and all at angles capturing all sorts of unacceptable phrases. But the consequences for Graham Taylor ensured a lifelong infamy and a certain unemployability in the game for the immediate post England term. Accompanied by a public outcry about lack of National success once again and ensuring his own mood was sombre for some time after he left the Wembley tunnel that last time. For there were few who could match his love for all things England – be it in football, cricket, athletics or any other sport. Resulting in a fall from grace that had only five years prior seen him taking his Villa side to runners-up spot behind Liverpool. 

The added complication of ending Gary Lineker’s career in that final match against Sweden, when he substituted the England striker, also ended the dream of equalling Sir Bobby Charlton’s goal scoring record. Only adding the negative news already in full flow on the Red Tops. Even if in truth Lineker didn’t look likely to score even if he had stayed all night and played through the midsummer solstice. But in what was deemed a courageous move the facts recorded a defeat for Taylor and an end to the EURO 92 campaign. Yet outstanding the measure of Lineker on hearing the sad news was one of genuine sorrow on Twitter for a man he no doubt at one time must have genuinely disliked. But that was the essence of Graham. A totally likeable man even if you didn’t agree always with his footballing view. 

At Watford I often attended in matches where Graham and Elton John had built that football dream that we all learned about through sat and Greavsie. And some days at the pre-match drinks, even during his second coming, it would be a who is who in the director’s area and all joined together by the enthusiasm of their club manager. Who had stirred the Hornets’ nest from the very first day he arrived in 1977 and led them to the FA Cup Final in 1984. Under his management and some very talented players the club moved from Division Four to the First over six seasons. No mean feat for a man so tagged with the label of the long ball. A term always to deride the successful style of play. Totally ignoring the names Luther Blissett and John Barnes within whom lay a serious level of talent and ability. In his second coming to Watford in 1996 he was accompanied by Blissett and at a later stage, Kenny Jacket, both of whom were vital parts that success in the 1980’s. 

A team that also included many others who became household heroes; the likes of Steve Sims, Pat Rice, Ross Jenkins, Dave Johnson and Gerry Armstrong. Many of whom would attended gatherings at his home where you could other legends just as easily. The likes of Peter Bonnetti coming to mind which highlighted the respect the former Lincoln City player had within the game. The reason undoubtedly being his personality and an intense love for the beautiful game to almost an academic level. Always reluctant to talk too much about himself and empathetic to those in his company. In fact, he took interest in other people and their families. So, it is no accident that our second daughter was named after his granddaughter Rhianna and never would a Christmas pass without a card from Graham and Rita - a lasting testimony to their generosity and friendship. 

Intermixed at times with some football chin wagging or quick fact checking about some job he might have been approached about. Or vice versa. Including the Republic of Ireland where whispers had reached him during the interregnum prior to the arrival of Giovanni Trapattonni that there was some interest and he sought my counsel. As always exchanges with Graham were direct, highly informative, courteous, and full of that unique wisdom he had gained from his life experiences. The post England era the most troubled for him as his faced the aftermath of The Sun’s hurtful front page headline. Undoubtedly that alone took its toll although he recovered for the most part. But it was never fully forgotten. Nor should it have been given the nasty content.

Yet it never clouded his dealings with football people, as he used to like to say. But certainly, made him more sceptical of the press. A sad thing for him given his father was a newspaper man at Scunthorpe Evening Telegraph and as he had so willing to help any journalist seeking his thoughts. It was that media familiarity too that enabled his rehabilitation take place almost unnoticed and a transition from exile back to front line punditry. Probably camouflaged by the treatment meted out to his successors at Lancaster Gate and subsequently at FA HQ in Soho Square. All of whom received less personal abuse perhaps but much the same pain and softened by more mega salaries that were not proffered in Grahams’ era. A benefit he was happy to enjoy when he made the return to Aston Villa in 2002 having never managed in the Premier League.

However, it was a return that started at a revamped Molineux when he was convinced to return to the game in late 1995 to work for Sir Jack Hayward at Wolverhampton Wanderers. Coming close to winning promotion in his first season with precious few changes to the club squad and unluckily losing out to Bolton Wanderers in the return leg at Burnden Park. At the beginning of his second season he turned to a former Villa favourite, Tony Daley, whom he capped for England, to make the move but any progress was marred by injury. Daley failing to deliver for Wolves alongside the other names he brought in; Dean Richards, Steve Froggat and Don Goodman. Leaving Graham unable to ignite the renewed playing squad and the added background noise increasing when Taylor tried to sell club legend Steve Bull to Coventry. The combined pressure to his resignation in November 1995.

During those days at Wolves he also bought the little-known Robbie Keane and I always remember Graham describing the young Dubliner’s bright eyes as the one thing that stood out from their first ever meeting. It was one of the many links this man from Worksop continued with Irish players over the years. Most notably fulfilled with Paul McGrath at Aston Villa and a player whose career was prolonged by the vision of Taylor and physio, Jim Walker, about training. Mostly based on protecting McGrath’s deteriorating knees with a balanced of rest and bike training. The programme allowing the Inchicore man to be part of that infamous Giants Stadium victory over Italy in USA 1994. A real surprise given an FAI doctor had told me in Sevilla in 1988 at a World Cup qualifying match that the former Manchester United player would have to retire early his knees were so bad. But that never happened until 1998.

It was Taylor who offered Villa as the refuge for McGrath when Alex Ferguson broke the Kevin Moran, Bryan Robson, Norman Whiteside and McGrath drinking club in the mid-nineties. The mutual affection the two men shared was always clear when Paul spoke and reflected the breadth of Taylor’s personality as well as his man management skills – always going beyond just the football. I also remember being at Vicarage Road one day when agent Mel Stein was in to extend a deal for Irish international David Connolly, a player Taylor inherited on his return to Watford. And faced with a stack of videos Graham was canvassing for an opinion on the Irish winger and I saw my life flash before me. But with Graham opinions were all worth something and he was earnestly seeking to learn other people’s views - if they had them – before happily making the decisions himself. 

The net result for Connolly was a move to Excelsior in Holland which proved better in terms of playing minutes and his longer-term career. As it was for the skilful former Finn Harps and Derry City goal scorer Kevin McHugh, who Graham brought on trial to Aston Villa for a few weeks. As always, he cared about these player’s welfare and recognising McHugh’s talent just felt that at the age he was a stint in the second team to get more experience was just coming at the wrong age for him. On that occasion getting Taylor’s feedback for Finn Harps was a lesson in people management and player welfare that many could – and should – emulate. The game is filled with too many damaged hopes and shattered illusions of young players who travelled to England in search of footballing fame.

Steve Staunton was the last of the Irish stalwarts to play at Villa on Taylors return in 2002 and the Drogheda man came back on a free transfer from Liverpool after his loan spell at Crystal Palace. The two-stayed close and Taylor pro-offered Stan advice often and more particularly when he was sacked as the Ireland manager only half way through his deal with the Football Association of Ireland. As both men, had walked the same line at a stage in their lives albeit the Irish man had much less experience on the bench given his extended playing career. Almost twice the years Taylor had played given his early retirement from injury at the age of 27. But that was Graham - always generous with his time and advice - to those who sought it. But it was the scarred people’s perception of him as a person for many years which came with a level of abuse that had little to do with football.

His term at England was not as bad as people believe in terms of results, or indeed in comparison to some of his successors. Yet Graham’s tenure was unforgivable simply for failure to qualify for USA’94 and the result against San Marino. Triggering that testy relationship with the media that has since ended the term of almost every England manager ever since. Starting with his immediate successor Terry Venables after Euro 96, then Glenn Hoddle after the France 98, and then Sven Goran Erickson and Steve McClaren. The latter being tagged as the Brollie Man. And highlighted again last summer with Roy Hodgson’s demise within hours of England’s’ exit in EURO 2006. However, the experience that Taylor and his family lived through post 1993 would suggest that the job is still an impossible one. Perhaps more sensible to offer it to International names who may be less emotionally involved in the fate of England. Which will be the big test for Gareth Southgate who would not be dissimilar to Taylor in some ways to his thoughts on the game or commitment to detail.

In 2002 Taylor chose to join the Premier League at Aston Villa after Doug Ellis made him an offer that ensured his role at the club would extend from just being a board member. Yet the longer-term aspirations Graham called for at the club - after finishing 16th in his first season - were not on his Chairman’s agenda. So, Taylor then stepped down and left a cub where he had also built a reputation. By this time, Graham had become softer on the eye for the most part and there was no more of the vitriol he had lived through after 1994. As a result, Graham became a regular pundit for the BBC and his voice illuminated many a game on the radio. Now as we reflect on his loss it is good to hear his life being recalled in its fullest glory by many friends. As indeed it should be.

For Rita, Karen and Joanne there are no unknowns with their husband, father and grandfather as Graham was a loving and kind man. But for the public there will be some new insights and this recognition is not only right – but natural justice. 

For those who knew him well – and there are many – there is little consolation for his shockingly sad early passing and the loss of a truly good man. But it is refreshing that finally his life’s work can be seen in a more complete form. His humanity applauded, a love of family lauded and his contribution to the beautiful game so highly valued. 

"So goodbye yellow brick road

Where the dogs of society howl

You can't plant me in your penthouse

I'm going back to my plough"

Sir Elton John

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Graham Taylor OBE 1944 - 2017

Graham Taylor is widely regarded as Watford’s greatest ever manager and, despite a turbulent and ultimately doomed spell in charge of England, became one of football’s most respected figures during a career that spanned almost 50 years.

Taylor was born on September 15th, 1944 in Worksop in Nottinghamshire to his mother Dorothy, a postwoman, and father Thomas, a sports reporter for the Scunthorpe Evening Telegraph and from whom he first learned his love of the game.

Taylor joined the youth ranks at Scunthorpe but transferred to Grimsby in 1962, the club where he reverted from an inside-forward to full-back and went on to play 189 league matches.

In 1968, Taylor was bought by Lincoln for £4,000 and he played 151 games for the Imps, captaining the side before retiring in 1972 due to a serious hip injury.

A premature end to a respectable, if unspectacular, playing career gave Taylor the chance to pursue a long-held interest in coaching, having already qualified as the youngest-ever Football Association staff coach aged 21.

He took the manager’s job at Lincoln and guided the club to the Fourth Division title in 1976.

Taylor had gained a reputation as one of the country’s brightest young coaches and in 1977 was approached by Watford chairman Elton John, who had initially wanted Bobby Moore, but turned to Taylor on the glowing recommendation of England manager Don Revie.

Taylor was not immediately convinced. After all, Watford were languishing in the Fourth Division, from which he had just earned promotion, and when John stated his ambition for the Hornets to be playing in Europe, Taylor rolled his eyes.

Hoping to dampen the pop star’s lofty expectations, Taylor said it would cost the club almost a million pounds.

Five seasons and three promotions later, Watford had finished second in the First Division, ahead of Manchester United, and qualified for the Uefa Cup.

It was one of the most rapid and remarkable surges English football has ever seen. Inspired by the young winger John Barnes and a lethal striker in Luther Blissett, Watford beat Arsenal twice, Tottenham, Liverpool and Everton.

They finished runners-up, second only to Bob Paisley’s Liverpool, while Blissett ended the campaign top scorer with 27 goals in the league, 33 overall.

Taylor forged a team that was not only successful on the pitch but engaging off it, a ‘community club’ in the true sense of the phrase in a way that would be unrecognisable today.

Players regularly visited supporters at work, free of charge or any marketing motive, and when Taylor first arrived he took to the streets of Watford to ask fans for their views. At a time when football was plagued by hooliganism, the club stood as a beacon of cohesion and local harmony.

Taylor steered Watford to the third round of the Uefa Cup the following season as well as the FA Cup final, where they lost to Everton, but despite establishing their status in the First Division, they could never match the heady heights of 1983.

Taylor sought a new challenge at Aston Villa, whom he led to second place in 1990, an achievement that prompted the FA to come calling.

Early scepticism about Taylor’s lack of major trophies eased when England lost just once in his first 21 games at the helm but things quickly turned sour at Euro 92 when a surprise 2-1 defeat to Sweden ensured the team failed to make it out of their group.

Taylor was heavily criticised for his decision to substitute Gary Lineker with the score at 1-1 and the Sun’s reaction was particularly vicious, their headline ‘Swedes 2 Turnips 1’, accompanied by a picture of Taylor’s head as a turnip. It became the enduring emblem of his tenure.

On the pitch, an ageing and injury-afflicted England then failed to qualify for the 1994 World Cup following a miserable campaign that included crucial defeats to Norway and Holland.

Key absentees and unfortunate refereeing decisions certainly played their part but Taylor never extracted the maximum from his most talented players and later admitted the job came too soon in his coaching career. 

A television documentary called ‘An Impossible Job’, granted behind-the-scenes access to Taylor’s final months in charge, revealed in graphic detail the strain he had endured.

After a brief period at Wolves, Taylor returned for a second spell at Watford, where he recovered his old touch with back-to-back promotions to the Premier League.

This time, however, the Hornets could not avoid relegation and Taylor announced his decision to retire in 2001 — although not before becoming only the third manager to oversee 1,000 league games in England, following Brian Clough and Jim Smith.

He was tempted out of retirement and back to Aston Villa in 2002 but it was a short stay and a move Taylor later admitted he regretted.

In retirement, Taylor spent his time working as a television and radio pundit for the BBC while also helping Watford through a period of financial difficulty.

He served as the club’s chairman from 2009 until 2012 and a stand at Vicarage Road was renamed the Graham Taylor Stand in his honour in 2014. Taylor remained a cherished contributor to the town’s charity and community events and he was made an Honorary Freeman of the borough in 2001. 

Graham leaves his wife Rita and two daughters, Joanne and Karen.

#RIP

#Grismby #Lincoln #Watford #AVFC #Wolves # England

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Jack Taylor 1930 - 2012

The Football League announced that Taylor OBE, who they described as 'perhaps the finest English referee of all time', had passed away at his Shropshire home.

Taylor officiated in more than 1,000 matches during a career than lasted more than 30 years. He also took charge of more than 100 international fixtures, including the 1974 World Cup final between West Germany and Holland in Munich, where he made history by awarding the first-ever penalty in a World Cup final.

He also left a lasting impression on fellow official Howad Webb, who in 2010 became the first Englishman since Taylor to referee a World Cup final when he took charge of the clash between Spain and Holland in Johannesburg.

Webb said: 'Jack was the referees' referee: he was a cool character who exuded authority.

'The great thing about him was that he always had time to pass on advice and I don't think my career would have progressed the way it did without Jack.

'I'm very sad that I'll no longer be able to turn to him for advice and laughter but refereeing in this country is much richer for Jack Taylor.'

Mike Riley, general manager of the Professional Game Match Officials, echoed those thoughts, saying: 'Every referee of our generation looked up to Jack Taylor because he set the standard. His performances at the 1974 FIFA World Cup inspired a whole generation of referees in this country.

'I was fortunate to travel to the 2010 World Cup Final in South Africa with Jack for him to watch Howard Webb. He was incredibly proud that another Englishman had taken charge of the biggest game in world football.

'But then that was Jack, he was not only very well respected throughout the game by players and managers, he was also an extremely nice man and wonderful fun to be around.

'And he never stopped inspiring match officials. Over the last five years he has played an important role for PGMOL passing on his many years of experience to tomorrow's referees. We will miss him greatly.'

Taylor was inducted into FIFA's Hall of Fame before working with the Football League following his retirement from refereeing, which included serving on The League's Referees Committee.

Football League chairman Greg Clarke said: 'Jack Taylor set the benchmark for refereeing, not just in this country but across the world, and in later life he applied the same levels of integrity, commitment and sheer love of the game to his other roles in football.'

Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore added: 'Jack was one of English football's finest ambassadors who reached the pinnacle of refereeing and, until his very last days, continued to help the development of young referees. The game has lost a great servant and a true friend.'

Wolves also paid tribute to Taylor, who was born in Wolverhampton and had a spell as commercial manager at Molineux in the 1980s following his retirement, as well as being involved in matchday television work in recent years.

Wolves announced their players will wear black armbands during tomorrow's friendly at Walsall and flags at Molineux will be lowered to half-mast.

#RIP

Wolves appointed Stale Solbakken

The Norwegian, who was sacked by Cologne last month, will be officially paraded as Mick McCarthy's permanent successor next week.

Solbakken, 44, who played for Wimbledon during the 1997-98 season, had held talks with the club on Thursday.

He said: "I am delighted to be taking up the important challenge to manage Wolves."

Chief Executive Jez Moxey confirmed that the new manager would be formally introduced to the media on Monday.

Terry Connor will manage the team for the final game of the season against Wigan on Sunday, completing the agreement made when he took on the position in February.

Connor, who took over on a caretaker basis following McCarthy's dismissal, is expected to be retained on the coaching staff.

Former Sunderland manager Steve Bruce and ex-Charlton boss Alan Curbishley were both interviewed for the job before Connor's appointment.

Solbakken moved into coaching just a year after being "technically dead" when he suffered a cardiac arrest in a 2001 training session while playing for FC Copenhagen where he was coached by England manager Roy Hodgson.

Following the Norwegian's recovery, he returned to the club in 2006 as manager and led them into the last 16 of last season's Champions League, as well as five league titles in six years.

Solbakken's success earned him a move to the Bundesliga with Cologne, but he was replaced by his predecessor Frank Schaefer shortly before the club were relegated from the German top flight.

The ex-midfielder won 58 caps for Norway as a player and represented his country at the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000 finals.

Wolves' relegation from the Premier League was confirmed at the end of last month.

Stale Solbakken factfile

Born: 27 February, 1968

Playing honours: 58 international caps for Norway; Danish league title 2001.

Managerial honours: Danish league title 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011; Scandinavian Royal League winners 2006.

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Wolves in a bit of Moxey

Wolves chief executive Jez Moxey has defended the club's decision to replace sacked manager Mick McCarthy with his assistant Terry Connor.

Connor has failed to win any of his 10 games in charge, and Wolves were relegated on Sunday.

"An experienced manager agreed to come and then had a change of heart," Moxey told BBC Radio 5 live.

"Terry took the job because we felt he was then the best man of the small number of candidates available."

Wolves interviewed other candidates, believed to include Alan Curbishley,before appointing the inexperienced Connor.

Moxey said: "Had that manager been appointed, the process we followed in February would have been a textbook process and everyone would have said Wolverhampton Wanderers couldn't have dealt with that better.

"Our team and all of us have not been good enough. It's a collective responsibility. I'm not pointing the finger at Terry Connor or an individual. We simply have not been good enough."

Moxey also believes it was right not to line up a replacement for McCarthy before his dismissal.

"We are a loyal organisation who like to do things properly and professionally," he said.

Moxey confirmed the managerial position and the future of the Wolves players will now be discussed after the end of the season.

"We need to address the manager situation at the end of the season," he said.

"Once we have a permanent manager in place we will then address the issue of the squad. It needs changing and freshening up.

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City Hope Wolves Can Open Door

Manchester City will be looking to keep the pressure on title rivals Manchester United when they visit bottom club Wolves on Sunday after the Reds drew  4-4

with Everton at home.

City now kick off at Molineux knowing that three points are really needed to revive any Premier League title hopes.

The City boss may have already conceded the Premier League title but convincing wins over West Brom and Norwich - scoring 10 goals in the process - have renewed belief among supporters.

They go into this weekend five points behind United and another morale-boosting win here would send Sergio Aguero & co into the title showdown with their neighbours on April 30th in confident mood.

Wolves' relegation has not been mathematically confirmed yet but they go into the weekend eight points from Premier League safety and the players themselves have already admitted they are playing for pride and dignity at this stage.

Terry Connor is still waiting for a first win as Wolves manager but did succeed in ending a run of seven consecutive defeats with a goalless draw at Sunderland last weekend.

Connor's men have lost their last nine matches at Molineux and it will take something special here to avoid that sequence of home results reaching double figures on Sunday.

Team news

Wayne Hennessey is out after damaging cruciate knee ligaments at the Stadium of Light.

Dorus de Vries will make his Premier League debut as Hennessey's replacement, with the recalled Carl Ikeme set to be on the bench.

Jamie O'Hara remains unavailable but Sebastien Bassong is back after suspension. Ronald Zubar and David Edwards are also pushing for recalls.

Matt Jarvis is set to return to the starting line-up in place of Anthony Forde, while Kevin Doyle could oust Sylvan Ebanks-Blake from the team.

City are expected to continue with the on-form Argentine duo of Sergio Aguero and Carlos Tevez, so Edin Dzeko will again be on the bench.

Mario Balotelli serves the third game of his ban for the red card he received at Arsenal earlier this month.

Few changes are expected from the team that hammered Norwich last week, although Micah Richards may return at right-back.

Kick off is at 16:00hrs at Molineux.

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Wolves Reach Rock Bottom

Arsenal strengthened their bid for a third-placed Premier League finish after triumphing 3-0 over 10-man Wolves to heap more misery on the rock-bottom strugglers.

The Gunners struck twice inside a minute in the first half as Robin van Persie converted a penalty before Theo Walcott doubled their lead.

Arsene Wenger's men had been handed a spot-kick after Wolves defender Sebastien Bassong was given his marching orders in the eighth minute for bringing down Walcott in the area.

The visitors sealed the success after the break when Yossi Benayoun latched onto an Alex Song pass to fire home from the edge of the box.

The win lifts the Gunners five points clear of nearest rivals Tottenham in third place, while Terry Connor's floundering Wolves remain rooted in the basement of the standings with relegation beckoning after seven consecutive defeats.

The two early goals and Bassong's departure effectively killed the game as a contest, although the home side could not be faulted for effort with Kevin Doyle impressing as the lone striker.

Arsenal's turnaround has been remarkable as they registered a ninth win in 10 games after trailing Spurs at the start of February by eight points.

Van Persie had the first attempt on goal after his own corner had been cleared straight back to him, but the striker's low volley was comfortably dealt with by Wolves goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey.

Matt Jarvis posed the first moment of danger to the Gunners but his probing centre just eluded Doyle at the far post.

After eight minutes Van Persie put Arsenal ahead from the penalty spot as Wolves were reduced to 10 men.

Bassong was adjudged to have brought down Walcott as he raced onto Benayoun's pass and was sent off by referee Neil Swarbrick.

Van Persie stepped up and coolly dinked the ball over Hennessey after he had dived to the right for his 34th goal of the season and first in five matches.

Wolves made an instant substitution with centre-back Christophe Berra replacing midfielder David Davis as they reverted to a 4-4-1 system.

However, they could not handle the pace of Walcott and he doubled Arsenal's lead after 10 minutes.

The England player exchanged passes with Van Persie before curling the ball past Hennessey into the corner of the net.

In a rare Wolves attack Berra had a header deflected wide from a Michael Kightly corner.

Santos screwed a shot across the face of goal but the Gunners looked to have lost some of their early intensity, such was their control of the game.

Arsenal were soon back on the offensive in the second half and Aaron Ramsey had a shot blocked by Richard Stearman after a run into the box before Mikel Arteta teed up a good chance which Van Persie fired wide.

Wolves were showing plenty of fight and a superb save from Wojciech Szczesny denied Doyle.

Jarvis sent over a perfect cross for the Republic of Ireland international but his header was palmed away by Szczesny at full stretch.

However, Benayoun ended the mini revival by making it 3-0 after 68 minutes. Milijas lost the ball in midfield and Song teed up Benayoun 20 yards out to beat Hennessey with a low drive.

Doyle had a shot blocked by Johan Djourou as Wolves searched for a consolation goal.

Arsenal substitute Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain then had an effort from the edge of the box deflected past the post as his side ended the match on the offensive.

Wolves ended with a flourish as Szczesny turned aside a Milijas drive in injury-time, but they were well beaten.

Hunt Heads Back to Specialist

Wolves winger Stephen Hunt is to pay a second visit to a specialist in an effort to get to the bottom on a nagging groin complaint.

The Republic of Ireland international has been unable to shake off a problem that has been affecting him for several weeks.

Things came to a head on Tuesday when he was forced to pull out of training, and Wolves are keen to seek further medical advice as a result.

It is possible that the 30-year-old will require surgery, forcing him onto the sidelines for a prolonged period of time.

Wolves boss Terry Connor is hoping that will not be the case, with Jamie O'Hara and Jody Craddock having already been ruled out for the remainder of the season.

General consensus

He is, however, aware that the relegation-threatened club cannot expect Hunt to play through the pain barrier.

Connor said: "Stephen pulled out of training (on Tuesday) and he's seeing a specialist. It's the ongoing stuff with his groin.

"He felt it in training on Monday and, although he trained on Tuesday, the general consensus was that he should get it looked at.

"We feel the best thing is for the doctors to take another look and see if they can get to the root of the problem.

"I don't know if he will need surgery or not but it's clear something is still bothering him. Rather than keeping going, the best thing is to seek another medical opinion."

O'Hara Ruled Out for Season

Wolves midfielder Jamie O'Hara has been ruled out for the rest of the season after undergoing surgery on a persistent groin injury.

The 25-year-old, who had an operation on a double hernia in December, last played in the loss to Blackburn, which prompted a heated exchange with fans.

Recovery will take six to eight weeks and he will now miss his team's fight for Premier League survival.

Jody Craddock will also be out for five weeks after a hamstring surgery.

"Both Jamie and Jody have undergone successful operations," the head of Wolves' medical department Steve Kemp confirmed to the club's official website. 

"Jamie has been struggling with a groin problem for several months and every attempt had been made to maintain his availability whilst trying to strengthen and rehabilitate the groin at the same time.

"Unfortunately this was not possible and it is hoped that surgery should rectify the problem.

"Jody has also undergone a minor procedure on a persistent hamstring problem and, while it is always difficult to predict, he is hoping to be available again within five weeks if his rehabilitation progresses well."

Terry Suffers Bolton Molineux Win

Former Wolves player Mark Davies was at the centre of controversy after he won a penalty that sparked Bolton into claiming a 3-2 win at Molineux.

Steven Fletcher had three glorious opportunities to fire Wolves ahead in the first-half but it was Michael Kightly who put them in front after the interval.

Davies then won the penalty after he went down under Roger Johnson's challenge but replays showed very little contact.

Martin Petrov scored the spot kick as Marcos Alonso and substitute Kevin Davies made the points safe. Matt Jarvis notched a late goal to ensure a nervy finish but the game was already lost.

The result - Bolton's third win on the bounce against fellow strugglers after their league triumphs over QPR and Blackburn - means the Trotters move up a place to 16th in the Premier League, but remain a point clear of the drop zone.

The picture is more bleak for Wolves, who are now six points adrift of safety at the foot of the table and have taken only one point from a possible 18 under manager Terry Connor, suffering five losses in a row.

The midlands outfit's remaining home matches are against Arsenal, Manchester City and Everton and Connor's predecessor Mick McCarthy had described this contest as a "must-win" game.

Win they did not - although for long periods it seemed as if this was destined to be Connor's first victory.

Wolves made a positive start, with Kightly looking a threat down the right flank and a couple of corners causing panic in the Bolton box.

Kightly then lofted a free-kick forward which Fletcher did well to keep in and the ball came to Sylvan Ebanks-Blake, who brought a save out of Adam Bogdan with a snap-shot.

The Trotters served a warning at the other end, Petrov seeing an effort blocked by Richard Stearman and miscuing an attempted volley moments later, but the hosts were soon back on the offensive as Fletcher headed Jarvis' corner wide before Ebanks-Blake drilled off target from distance.

Bolton forward David Ngog sent a shot harmlessly wide just prior to the half hour mark and there was a nervier moment for Wolves soon after as Petrov just cleared the crossbar having cleverly flicked the ball over Johnson.

Bogdan then did brilliantly to claw away Fletcher's header, but the hosts were looking vulnerable at the back and after Trotters striker Ivan Klasnic was allowed to get a shot away, Wolves skipper Johnson and goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey squared up to each other.

Referee Jon Moss did his best to calm the pair down and within moments, Fletcher had come close to scoring again, the Scotland international's header being cleared off the line by Ryo Miyaichi.

Fletcher then had another near miss just before the interval as he nodded Kightly's cross against the bar.

Wolves looked to pick up where they left off as the second half got under way and Johnson produced a header which was easily caught by Bogdan, but they then survived a scare as David Wheater glanced Miyaichi's cross just the wrong side of the post.

The hosts' dominance finally paid off eight minutes after the restart as Kightly received the ball from Ebanks-Blake, darted past Alonso and arrowed a shot beyond Bogdan into the corner of the net.

The home supporters breathed a sigh of relief, but within 10 minutes, Bolton had equalised as ex-Wolves man Mark Davies went down after being challenged by Johnson in the box and Petrov buried the resulting spot-kick.

As part of his celebration, the Bulgarian revealed a T-shirt displaying a message of support for his compatriot and namesake Stiliyan, the Aston Villa captain who has been diagnosed with acute leukaemia.

The Trotters wide man then almost added another, unleashing a stinging drive that Hennessey managed to save, and struck a free-kick at the goalkeeper moments later.

With just under 15 minutes to go, Jarvis blew a chance to put his side back in front by heading wide when he should have done better, and it proved costly.

Three minutes later Ngog headed Petrov's cross against the bar and Alonso had little trouble converting from close range.

Bolton then swiftly extended their lead as one substitute Chris Eagles had the space to find Kevin Davies who slotted past Hennessey.

Jarvis gave Wolves hope by pulling one back two minutes from time but it was too little too late.