'Absolute legend!' Ex-Wolves man Matt Murray's tribute to Peter Bonetti

Bonetti, who passed away at the weekend after a long battle with Alzheimer’s, is most known for being Chelsea’s star shot-stopper throughout the 1960s and 70s – making more than 700 appearances.

But after his playing career ended, he worked for Wolves as a part-time keeper coach and played a huge role in the development of Matt Murray in the late 90s and early 2000s.

Murray famously went on to help Wolves win promotion to the Premier League in 2003 with a stunning display in the play-off final, and he insists it was Bonetti who gave him the confidence to really kick on as a teenager.

“I always remember my first session with him as a schoolboy – on Mondays and Fridays he would come in,” said Murray.

“I did one session with Mike Stowell and everyone, and goalkeeper coaches weren’t common then, or at least they weren’t full-time.

“But Peter had that reputation as a legend, and getting to work with him was special.

“I was a schoolboy and joined with a session with Hans Segers, Stowelly.

“And then when I became full-time, Pete took me for a session – one-on-one – over West Park.

“He said to me ‘you have got a real chance’, and that gave me a lot of confidence. It was just me and him with a bag of balls, and we set up this session diving around in the park, by the ground.

“Not long after that I had my England trials and he said to me ‘If you don’t get in, I will be very surprised’, and again that gave me real confidence – and I went to the trial and got selected.”

Bonetti, who lived the later years of his life in Streetly, oversaw the development of Wolves’ keepers until Bobby Mimms was brought in on a full-time basis by Dave Jones.

Nicknamed ‘The Cat’ during his playing days, he played seven times for England and was back-up to Gordon Banks as England lifted the World Cup in 1966. For Murray, getting to learn from a keeper of such pedigree during the early stages of his career was priceless.

Bonetti even had the kindness to bail Murray out after being a ‘bit cheeky’ during one training sessions.

“I’ve been on the phone to Stowelly and Michael Oakes, reminiscing about those Monday sessions,” said the 38-year-old.

“Bobby Mimms came in when Dave Jones got the job and was full-time, but before that, we didn’t have a full-time goalie coach.

“I remember one day where Peter saved me as I was being a bit cheeky in training one day to a lad called Ryan Price, who was at Birmingham and would come and join in with our sessions as they didn’t have a keeper coach.

“I saw Ryan had got a 5/10 in the paper, and I said ‘You get that for turning up, right?’

“I was only 16, a first-year apprentice, so when the session finished, Hans, Stowelly and Ryan stole my clothes.

“Luckily, Peter gave me his tracksuit bottoms and jacket so I didn’t have to walk around in my birthday suit.”

Murray made 100 appearances for Wolves in a career curtailed by injuries and has since found success as a TV pundit.

And he has always been thankful for the help he received from Bonetti.

The two last ran into each other when Wolves played Chelsea in the FA Cup a few years ago but, by then, Bonetti was suffering with Alzheimer’s.

“To see Peter like that was sad as he was part of my early career and a lovely, lovely guy – a really nice guy,” said Murray.

“He was such a nice guy. I really enjoyed his sessions as he gave me pointers and taught me a lot of things.

“He told me that whenever I felt nervous, to just take a deep breath and calm down, and then go again.

“That was something I used throughout my career, something he gave me.

“Those little pointers were really helpful, even though he was of a very different build to me.

“He taught me how to deal with the stick you get, that it comes with the territory.

“It was a real talk, but he was always encouraging you and joining in with the small-sided games.”

Murray added: “He was an absolute legend, always had time for you, gave us those special insights. Very, very humble.”