Fan column: Increasing disenchantment damaging Wolves

The departure of Jeff Shi was conducted surprisingly quickly and his demise left the prime target for abuse out of the equation. 

There were no animated pre-match protests outside the Billy Wright Stand last Saturday in contrast to the fevered response prior to the Manchester United game. The numbers were fewer, the absenteeism mirroring the increasing disenchantment. 

The agitation was notably muted; there were no symbolic late entries to the stadium; the vast number of empty seats at kick-off remained unoccupied for the entire duration of the game. Three seats empty to my right and another couple to my left; fans apathetic and disillusioned voting with their feet.  

Even the predicable ‘Fosun Out’ chants seemed to be devoid of the usual vehemence. The ‘Our Club’ leaflet protest at two specific times passed off without much apparent visual impact; well-intentioned but not dramatic, lost in the dejection overwhelming Molineux. 

Mind you, finding a spark of enthusiasm amidst the mind-numbing tediousness of the entire first-half was an impossible task. 

Despite the goalless stalemate, we all knew the inevitable outcome leaving the South Bank to adopt a more subtle approach to express their discontent. Temporarily leaving aside the vitriol and seemingly inspired by a visitation from the ghost of Christmas past, they burst into a collection of serenades celebrating some of the superb players who have graced the club in recent seasons. 

Spontaneous, from the heart, witty and firmly delivered. It should have made the club’s hierarchy wince as controlled and well-argued remonstration often does. More likely, they missed the point entirely and that is at the entire nub of the catastrophic mess that we are being forced to endure. 

The ghost of Christmas past might be benevolent, but those of Christmas present or worse still, Christmas to come are terrifying. 

One of the former players saluted by the South Bank was Diogo Jota. How sad that pre-kick off, Ethan McLeod was remembered in a desperately similar way. Jota was a Wolves’ hero, a Hall of Fame inductee, McLeod not so well known but his tragedy every bit as poignant. 

The minute of silence in his memory was observed impeccably; not a sound to be heard. The visitors from Brentford commendably respectful; Rob Edwards spoke afterwards about retaining perspective after participating himself in the tribute to Ethan McLeod; and he was correct.