Former Wolves fan of the year passes away aged 13

Joseph Thompson from Pensnett suffered Duchenne Muscular Distrophy, a muscle-wasting disease that left him wheelchair-bound, passed away yesterday after suffering a heart attack.

The youngster, whose condition limited his movement and meant he couldn't move his legs, had been admitted on Sunday, and died in hospital in Stoke.

Joseph idolised Wolves and was well known by the players and management after regularly meeting the team coach at away matches.

Wolves say they are planning a significant presence at the funeral, and many members of staff are said to be upset by the news.

Joseph won a standing ovation from more than 600 people at the club's end of season awards dinner when he was voted the Express & Star's Wolves fan of the year in 2014.

When he won the award, he hadn't missed a game for four years before being taken ill in March following a minibus crash which left him in intensive care in Birmingham Children's Hospital.

When he was well enough to attend a game again, the club treated Joseph and his family - all Wolves fans - to a trip to Molineux and they organised seats in an executive box in the Steve Bull Stand for the 3-0 win against Sheffield Wednesday on March 17.

Jospeh travelled with his dad Jason to every game home and away, despite operations which left him needing a colostomy bag and metal rods inserted in his spine to help him sit up straight.

Brierley Hill-based Batth – who is from a few streets away from the Thompson household – was Joseph's favourite player.

The club have contacted the defender who is said to be upset by the youngster's death after visiting him.

Joseph had one of Batth's Wolves shirts that the defender gave to him as a present hanging above his bed in his bedroom, as well as a jersey from winger Bakary Sako, his other favourite player.