Wolves hero Alex Brooks dreaming bigger after promotion glory

Promotion hero Alex Brooks believes Wolves’ fairytale rise into the professional ranks is only just the start.

Brooks played a key role in helping Wolves secure a historic promotion to Women’s Super League Two last Monday, making several crucial interventions between the sticks.

Their play-off success will see Wolves play professional women’s football for the first time and comes just a year after former Wolves chairman Jeff Shi failed to apply for a tier two licence, despite the club challenging for promotion.

After that setback, and having come so close to promotion in recent years, Brooks believes the club can now dream even bigger after their historic triumph.

She said: “It definitely is (just the start). The club itself, and from what I've seen, the backing that the ladies' team has now, it's unbelievable.

“The facilities that we're in - I think it's just the start and it's only going to get better.

“The girls have been through it. They've obviously been in this position before and not come out in the place that they wanted to, so to be a part of it and help them get that deserved promotion, it's amazing.”

The success followed four top-two finishes in the past five seasons and play-off heartbreak four years ago.

Supporters turned out in their numbers at the Pirelli Stadium in Burton-upon-Trent to watch Wolves make history, and Brooks hopes the achievement will inspire the next generation in Wolverhampton.

She added: “You've just got to look around at all the little girls - now they've got something to look up to and aspire to.

“Every week we've got the fan base here and the amount of girls that are here with Wolves tops on, it's unbelievable.

“To be able to give them something back now, and that they can go and watch big games, be able to watch a few on the TV and see that that's what they can achieve, it's amazing.”

The 31-year-old, who joined Wolves from Blackburn Rovers last summer, earned the player of the match award for her crucial role in the play-off win over Plymouth Argyle.

It came after a relatively quiet season in goal, with Wolves - who play their home matches in Telford - suffering just one defeat during the regular campaign.

“Obviously all keepers want to just relax and let everyone else do their work,” Brooks said.

“I've had a quiet season in terms of saves and stuff like that, so it felt nice.

“Dropping down to this level, it was different for me, I had to adapt. I was a lot quieter than what I needed to be when I was up in WSL2.

“To get back up there and play at a more competitive level and be more busy week in, week out, it's great.”