Eight decades a fan, Wolves fan Mike Davis gets the chance to say farewell to Molineux

Mike was one of three generations of the Davis family to cheer on Wolves for the final time under Nuno Espirito Santo during the manager's last game in charge against Manchester United.

The 87-year-old, who lives in Shrewsbury, first watched his beloved team during World War I and followed them religiously through the 1950s and beyond, even travelling home and away during the infamous Bhatti-led tumble to the fourth tier in the 80s.

His love for Wolves transferred down to son Ian, 56, and grandson Cameron, 20, who now travel to watch the side home and away.

But Mike has dementia and, while the love, knowledge and passion for his club has not waned, the prospect of being part of a packed-out Molineux crowd from next season is unrealistic given his condition.

They watched the 2-1 defeat to United from the North Bank, where there were fewer steps to negotiate. Mike's season ticket was in the Billy Wright Stand.

"We went as three generations of a family, it's the last game he'll be able to go to really," said Ian, who lives in Priorslee in Telford.

"He has dementia. He can't work out his first game exactly, but he knows it was war time. He reckons he was 10, and he was born in '33.

"He was excited about going to see them against Man U as his last game. He has come to terms with it being his last one."

Mike suffered a stroke in 2019 and has also had a heart attack. He retained his season ticket and attended games when the weather was warmer before Covid-19. He has not missed a kick on television at home.

Son Ian, who runs the popular Facebook fan group 'We Are Wolves' where Mike recently had hundreds of fond messages, added: "It's great for him that he could say bye to Molineux with 4,000 people in it, because he couldn't cope with 30,000 anymore.

"He can remember everything about teams from the 1950s. It's just at a stage where it's difficult physically.

"He'll still rattle off the team from years ago – Parkes, Shaw, Bailey, Munro, McAlle, McCalliog, Richards, Dougan, Wagstaffe. Billy Wright was his favourite.

Mike, who worked as Shropshire County treasurer and later as chief executive of Shropshire County Council, lives at home in Shrewsbury with wife Patricia, who Ian says has 'lived 75 years as a football widow'.

He took son Ian, who was six at the time, to his first game in May 1970 against Lazio in the Anglo Italian Cup.

Ian recalls being taken aged six to stand on the South Bank to see Gordon Banks after the 1970 World Cup for his first league match against Stoke.

They watched UEFA Cup ties against Juventus together. The father and son travelled home and away following their side for years.

Ian smiled when revealing he has held it against his dad for not taking him to the 1973 FA Cup semi-final against Leeds at Maine Road.

"We did every single game before that but he didn't take me to the semi-final!" he said. "But for him I'd imagine it (the highlight) were the cup finals, 1974 (League Cup), and he went to the 1949 FA Cup final – he saw all the cup finals. He was at the World Cup final in '66 as well.

"He's enjoyed the Nuno era. He loved Bully's time and the time around Graham Turner for his connection with Shrewsbury.

"He always said Graham Turner's team reminded him of the way Wolves played in the 50s."

Football-obsessive Mike would divide his weeks in the late 1970s and early 80s between Wolves' home fixtures and those of his hometown club Shrewsbury, where he would see future Molineux boss Turner guide Town to the Third Division title before holding their own in the second tier in the Shropshire club's heyday.

Son Ian's life has also revolved around the beautiful game. As well as his Wolves commitments, he coached Telford side Admaston Juniors, who son Cameron played for, from the age of five to 18. Cameron's first Wolves game was a friendly against Liverpool aged six months.

It seems the passion for Wolves will remain in the Davis family for some time to come.