Sorry Noni Madueke, you’re wrong. Wolverhampton is NOT ‘s***’… here are five reasons why

It’s safe to say Noni Madueke had one of his busier weekends in senior football last week. 

The Chelsea star, having made the trip from plush west London to Wolverhampton, was less than impressed with what he was met by after travelling 140 miles to the Black Country, taking to social media to share his view on the West Midlands city.

‘Everything about this place is s***,’ he posted in a hastily-deleted Instagram message, later explaining that he made the comment on the ‘wrong account’. 

Having failed to impress in his 47 appearances for the Blues before Sunday’s Premier League contest against Wolves, it was all set up to spectacularly backfire on the 22-year-old when Enzo Maresca‘s side took to Molineux.

As it was, Madueke enjoyed his finest performance in a Chelsea shirt, netting a second-half hat-trick to help his side defeat Gary O’Neil’s men 6-2.

Madueke declared that ‘this place is s***’ in an eyebrow-raising, now-deleted social media post

Chelsea winger suggested he accidentally shared the post to the ‘wrong Instagram account’

Inevitably, the post-match narrative turned to Madueke getting one over the entire city of Wolverhampton, by first rubbishing its very existence, before dispatching its flagship football team. 

And while Madueke might have had the last laugh on the pitch, he is wrong – Wolverhampton is a great city and has plenty of hidden gems that did not catch the eye of the £50,000-per-week footballer on his flying visit. 

Here, Mail Sport looks at five reasons why Wolverhampton is NOT ‘s***’. 

Green spaces

Wolverhampton boasts plenty of green spaces, including the unspoilt West Park, one of the few remaining Victorian municipal parks in the country.

Just a 10-minute walk from the city centre, the 17 hectare park was one of the first in England to provide areas for specific sporting activities including bowls, archery and cricket.

These days, the park has hosted cycling time trials during the Commonwealth Games two years ago and has tennis courts, a boating lake and a children’s play area.

For those who want to explore further outside the city centre, Wightwick Manor and Gardens and Penn Common offers stunning sights to enjoy. Penn Common’s neighbouring golf course, as it happens, was regularly frequented by Scottish football legend Andy Gray during his time at Wolverhampton Wanderers.

In fact, six parks in Wolverhampton – West Park, East Park, Bantock Park, Pendeford Mill Nature Reserve, Phoenix Park and Fowlers Park – are named among the world’s best.

All are recipients of the Green Flag Award, an international quality mark which recognises outstanding parks and green spaces.

Wolverhampton’s West Park hosted cycling time trials during the 2022 Commonwealth Games

Strong community spirit

Wolverhampton might not be Madueke’s cup of tea, but 10 million people think otherwise.

That’s right, the total number of people to visit the West Midlands city eclipsed eight figures last year, in a clear indication that Wolverhampton has plenty to offer in terms of attractions.

Wolverhampton is also home to one of the friendliest communities in the country. 

According to a 2017 survey by Unbroken Britain, the city ranked as the eighth friendliest in the country, ahead of Liverpool, Oxford, Newcastle and Manchester.

Local resident Joyce, 92, has lived in Wolverhampton her whole life and believes that the strong community spirit that exists in the city is the foundation for its people’s friendly nature. 

‘The people are nice and we’re well integrated,’ she told Mail Sport. ‘We don’t have any trouble.’

Joyce is referring to the ugly riots that swept the nation following the Southport tragedy earlier this summer. In contrast to a number of other places, the people of Wolverhampton did not involve themselves in the devastating carnage. 

There is a warm and multicultural feel about Wolverhampton – emphasising its inclusiveness 

Culture

Wolverhampton offers a vibrant cultural scene that caters for all. 

For those of a theatrical persuasion, Wolverhampton Grand Theatre hosts a variety of performances throughout the year and has played host to a number of famous faces. Graham Norton, for example, is visiting next month. 

A brisk walk up the road and you will find the Wolverhampton Art Gallery, home to a huge collection spanning centuries, including sculptures, oil paintings, maps and archaeology. Better still, entry is free.

The city’s local market has seen a resurgence in recent years, too, after undergoing a modern transformation, with local traders selling cheese, meat, poultry and fish out of old shipping containers four days a week. 

Wolverhampton also possesses a number of famous old houses including the aforementioned Wightwick Manor, a Victorian house that is owned by the National Trust, as well as Bantock House, which boasts a museum that documents Edwardian life.  

Wolverhampton Grand Theatre hosts a variety of performances throughout the year

Wolverhampton Art Gallery is home to a huge collection spanning centuries

History 

There is a rich history that courses through the streets of Wolverhampton, with its football club the source of immense pride in the city.

While the famous Old Gold may not be at the pinnacle of English football in 2024, the club certainly paved the way for football as we know it today. 

Back in the 1950s, Molineux played host to a number of enthralling football matches that led to the Champions League. 

Fixtures against Honved, Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund under the lights in Wolverhampton proved there was an appetite for European football, culminating in the glamorous continental competition as we know it today.

At the time, the team was led by inspirational captain Billy Wright – the first men’s footballer to accrue 100 international caps – who also led his nation to two separate World Cups.  

The city also has a proud industrial heritage, with the city’s old Goodyear tire factory an historical and cultural icon for the area, while Banks’s beer is still going strong just a stone’s throw from Molineux. 

Wolves fans have enjoyed many a fond memory over the years at their iconic Molineux ground

Billy Wright celebrates with his Wolves team-mates after guiding them to the 1949 FA Cup

Music

Wolverhampton has a lively music scene and has developed a number of world famous musicians, with Beverley Knight and rock band Slade leading the way.

While Led Zeppelin’s Robert Plant was technically born in West Bromwich, he has been claimed by the city due to his fierce support of Wolves.

The newly-revamped Civic Hall has also attracted high-profile visitors including the Gallagher brothers, Blur, The Stranglers and Kings of Leon. Bob Dylan is also due to perform there.

Singer Beverley Knight is among the famous faces to have come out of Wolverhampton

‘Wolverhampton is important to me, it is precious, it is special,’ Knight said of her hometown last year. ‘I will talk about Wolverhampton because people need know in this corner of the world there is things going on.

‘Wolverhampton is part of my self identity. I come back as often as I can, I like being around normal people who speak normally.

‘My perfect day in the Black Country would include walking around my favourite park, Bantock Park, and a trip to Dudley’s Black Country Museum.’