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Top 10 Best Wolverhampton Wanderers Players of All Time

The Wolverhampton Wanderers are an English football club that was founded in 1877. The club has won almost two dozen trophies during its nearly 150 years in the sport. Wolves currently play in the English Premier League and have done so since 2014. Listed below are the best Wolverhampton Wanderers players of all time and their accomplishments with the club.

Who Are the Best Wolverhampton Wanderers Soccer Players of All Time?

Steve Bull
Billy Wright
Ron Flowers
John Richards
Derek Dougan
Bill Slater
Derek Parkin
Bert Williams
Peter Broadbent
David Edwards

1. Steve Bull

Most goals in Wolves history
Most goals in a season in Wolves history
Most hat tricks in Wolves history

Steve Bull is the all-time leading goal scorer in the history of the club and holds many other goal-scoring records for Wolves as well. Bull joined the Wolverhampton Wanderers in 1986 after previously playing for Brighton and Hove Albion. The forward helped the club move towards the top of English football as the club won the fourth division in 1987-88 and then won the third division in 1988-89.

During the 1987-88 campaign, Bull scored a total of 52 goals across all competitions, which is the most in a single season by a player in the history of the Wanderers. The forward played for Wolves until 1999, appearing in 561 matches along the way. He appeared in the third-most matches for the club in its history. Bull scored the most goals by a Wolves player as he found the back of the net 306 times during his tenure. The forward’s 18 hat tricks are also the most in Wolverhampton’s history.

2. Billy Wright

1952 Footballer of the Year
Three-time English Champion
Two-time English Super Cup winner

Bill Wright won many trophies during his tenure with the club and was named the 1952 Footballer of the Year. Wright joined the Wolverhampton Wanderers in 1938 as a trainee, and he officially debuted for Wolves in 1945-46. The English player started his career as a winger but later reformed into a center-back. Wright helped Wolverhampton claim the English FA Cup as well as the English Super Cup in 1949. The defender was named the 1952 Footballer of the Year.

In 1954, Wright won the English Super Cup for the second time as well as his first English Championship with the club. Wright and Wolves were the champions of England in 1958 and 1959 as well. After winning back-to-back titles, the defender retired. Wright appeared in 541 matches, which is the fourth-most in the history of the Wanderers.

3. Ron Flowers

Three-time English Champion
Three-time English Super Cup winner
1960 English FA Cup winner

Ron Flowers is a highly decorated player in Wolves’ history and was with the club for 16 years. Flowers originally started his football career in the Doncaster Academy before joining the Wolverhampton Wanderers in 1951. The right midfielder was crucial to Wolverhampton’s success throughout the 1950s. The Englishman won his first trophies for the club in 1954 as he and the Wanderers claimed the English Super Cup as well as the English Championship.

Flowers won both the English Super Cup and English Championship two other times over the following six years. The midfielder also claimed the English FA Cup with Wolverhampton in 1960. On the international level, Flowers helped England win the 1966 World Cup, and he played 49 caps for the squad. The midfielder played with the Wanderers until 1967, and he retired just a few years later. Flowers made the fifth-most appearances for the club with 512, and he scored 37 goals during his tenure for Wolves.

4. John Richards

Two-time English League Cup winner
Second-most goals in Wolves history
1976-77 Second Tier English Championship

John Richards is one of the best goal scorers in Wolves’ history, and he won multiple trophies during his time with the club. Richards joined the Wolverhampton Wanderers as a trainee in 1969, and he made his debut for the club in 1970. The forward was well-known as an English talent, making six appearances for the England U-23 squad. Unfortunately, Richards only had one international cap during his pro career.

The forward scored the decisive goal against Manchester City in 1974 to give Wolverhampton the English League Cup that year. He also helped the Wanderers win the trophy in 1980. After falling to the second division in 1976, Richards was a key contributor to the club winning the second division title in 1977 and being promoted back into England’s first division of football. The Englishman played with the club until 1983, and he retired one year later. Richard’s 194 goals for Wolves are the second-most by a player in the club’s history.

5. Derek Dougan

1974 English Cup winner
Second Division Promotion in 1967
1971 Texaco Cup winner

Derek Dougan made 323 appearances for the club and was a staple for Wolves during his tenure. Dougan played professionally for several clubs in the United Kingdom before joining the Wolverhampton Wanderers in 1967. The center-forward helped the Wanderers return to the English first division in his first year with the club. After he arrived from Leicester City in March, Wolverhampton finished in second place in the second division and gained promotion.

Dougan helped Wolves win the Texaco Cup in 1971, and, in 1974, he won the English Cup with the club. The forward last played for Wolverhampton in 1975, and he later retired in 1977. On the international side, Dougan made 23 appearances for Northern Ireland, which included the 1958 World Cup. The forward made 323 appearances during his tenure with Wolves, and he scored 123 goals while playing for the Wanderers.

6. Bill Slater

1960 Footballer of the Year
Three-time English Champion
1960 English FA Cup winner

Bill Slater played at the club for eleven years and won many trophies and honors during his time with Wolves. Slater played for Blackpool and Brentford before joining the Wolverhampton Wanderers in 1952. The Englishman was a versatile defender who could play anywhere on the back line. Slater won three English Championships while with the club, with the first coming in 1954 and the others following in 1958 and 1959. The defender then helped Wolverhampton claim the 1960 English FA Cup in the next season.

Slater was also awarded the FWA Footballer of the Year Award during that year as well. The defender remained with the club until 1963 when he then returned to Brentford to play one final season before retiring. Slater played internationally for England as well, including in the 1952 Olympics. The defender made 339 appearances across all competitions during his time with the Wanderers, and he scored 25 goals.

7. Derek Parkin

Two-time English League winner
1976-77 Second Tier English Championship
Most appearances in Wolves history

Derek Parkin is the all-time leader in appearances for the club and won multiple trophies with Wolves. Parkin started his career for Huddersfield Town before joining the Wolverhampton Wanderers in 1968. At the time, the £80,000 transfer fee was the most ever for a center-back. The center-back was a part of the squad that won the 1974 English League Cup.

After falling out of the English first division in 1976, Parkin was a defensive anchor for Wolverhampton as they rejoined the first division just one year later. The Englishman won his second English League Cup with the Wanderers in 1980. Parkin played his last season for the club in 1982 before joining Stoke City for one year and then retiring.

The defender appeared in 609 matches across all competitions for Wolves, which is more than any other player in the history of the club. Parkin had five seasons with 50 or more games played as well while with Wolverhampton.

8. Bert Williams

1954 English Champion
1949 English FA Cup winner
Second-most appearances by a goalkeeper in Wolves history

Bert Williams played for 12 years with the Wolves and is considered to be one of the greatest goalkeepers in the history of the club. Williams joined the Wolverhampton Wanderers in 1945 after previously playing for Walsall. The English international made 24 caps and was also the starting goalkeeper during the 1950 World Cup. For the Wanderers, Williams won the 1949 English FA Cup.

The goalkeeper also did his job in the net so that Wolverhampton could take home the 1954 English Championship as well. Williams remained with the Wolves until 1959 when he decided to hang up his cleats after 12 seasons with the club. During his tenure with the Wanderers, the goalkeeper made 420 appearances across all competitions. Williams appeared in the second-most matches by a keeper in the history of the club.

9. Peter Broadbent

Three-time English Champion
1959 English Super Cup winner
1960 English FA Cup winner

Peter Broadbent is one of the top midfielders in the club’s history, and he won multiple awards during his time with Wolves. Broadbent played for Dover Athletic and Brentford before joining the Wolverhampton Wanderers in 1951. The attacking midfielder arrived at the club for a £10,000 transfer fee at 17 years old, which made him the most expensive teenager for England at the time.

The Englishman won his first trophy with the club in 1954 when he won the English Championship with the Wanderers. Broadbent also claimed the English Championship with the club in 1958 and 1959. The midfielder took home another trophy in 1959 as he also won the English Super Cup that year.

Broadbent won his final trophy with Wolverhampton in 1960 as the club claimed the English FA Cup. He played with the Wolves until 1965. Broadbent played for a few English clubs before retiring in 1971. During his 14 seasons with the Wanderers, the midfielder appeared in 497 matches and scored 145 goals.

10. David Edwards

Two-time English Second Tier Champion
2014 English Third-Tier Champion
307 appearances for Wolves

David Edwards made over 300 appearances during his time with the club, and he helped Wolves regain relevance during the 2010s. Edwards started playing in the Shrewsbury Academy before joining Luton and then the Wolverhampton Wanderers in 2008. The central midfielder joined Wolverhampton as the club was playing in England’s second division.

Edwards made 44 appearances for the Wanderers in 2008/09 as Wolves took the top spot in England’s Second Tier and were promoted to the Premier League. Edwards and the club spent the next three seasons in England’s top league before being relegated into back-to-back years.

The midfielder stayed loyal to the club and made 41 appearances in 2013/14 to get the Wanderers back into the English Championship. He remained with the club until 2017/18 as he left Wolverhampton to join Reading. Edwards received recognition for his efforts as Wolves were promoted during the same season that the midfielder left the club. Edwards appeared in 307 matches with the Wanderers, and he scored 44 goals.