Fitting tribute to Wolves chairman Jack Harris
The Shropshire man who helped bring stability to Wolves during one of the club's most testing periods has been immortalised after the unveiling of a bronze bust in his image.
The sculpture of former Wolves chairman and vice president Jack Harris takes pride of place in the club's museum.
It was created by James Butler, the same artist who made the iconic Billy Wright statue on Waterloo Road in Wolverhampton and the Stan Cullis statue that sits in front of the museum.
The bust was unveiled at a special ceremony before Wolves game with Derby which was attended by Mr Harris' son, John, who lives in Ludlow, and Wolves vice-president Rachael Heyhoe Flint.
Mr Harris, who lived in Cressage, was Wolves chairman between 1988 and 1992, and guided Wolves through a period where the club was battling financial insecurity and languishing in the old Third Division.
He handed over the reigns to Jonathan Hayward when he retired, at which point Sir Jack Hayward asked him to become a director of the club.
In 1993 the South Bank was renamed the Jack Harris Stand in recognition of his hard work in preserving the future of the club. He died in January 2005 at the age of 79.
John Harris, who runs J A Harris engineering in Telford, is himself a former director of the club, and said he was delighted his father's work had been recognised in this way.
"It's a great honour to my father's work, he would have been very proud," he said.
"It's been a long time in the making, I remember Sir Jack speaking to me about it nine years ago, after they had already named the stand after him.
"His first love was always Wolves, and he guided the club between 1986 and 1990 when there was little money about, football wasn't fashionable, and there was little interest from people in trying to do something for Wolves."
Mr Harris Junior added that he regularly visited Molineux with his family.
Wolves spokesman Matt Grayson said: "Jack was chairman through a crucial period in our history and his role is pivotal in the Wolves story.
"This bust recognises that fact and will bring Jack to the attention of fans who may know him from the name of the stand, rather than his contribution to the club."
A Wolves fan through and through, Mr Harris last visited Molineux in the weeks before his death in 2005 to see Wolves beat West ham 4-2.
