Richard Stearman: No limit to Wolves potential
Richard Stearman says there’s ‘no limit’ to Wolves’ potential as he congratulated his former club on promotion.
Wolverhampton-born Stearman made 254 appearances in gold and black over two spells, leaving the club for a second time last summer after a loan spell from Fulham.
He still holds a deep affection for the club and has many friends at Molineux.
The Sheffield United defender has watched Wolves’ rise to the top of the Championship and now promotion to the Premier League – and he called Nuno Espirito Santo’s team ‘a joy to watch’.
“They’ve done fantastically well, I’m thrilled for them,” he told the Express & Star.
“Obviously I’d have liked it to be myself and my team, but I’m delighted for them, the club and some of the friends I’ve still got there.
“I’ve been keeping a close eye on them – it’s hard not to, they’re everywhere!
“They’ve been a joy to watch... not so much play against!”
Wolves are likely to be one of the talking points of the summer with owners Fosun set to splash the cash in a bid to establish the team in the top flight.
There’s already plenty of talk of top 10 finishes and a push for Europe, with striker Benik Afobe stating this week that even the current squad without any additions can finish in the top half.
Stearman is equally positive about Wolves’ future. He said: “They’ve got the squad to easily survive and they’ll have the spending power to go again. There is no limit, I don’t think.”
Along with fellow ex-Wolves players Lee Evans and Leon Clarke, Stearman was part of a Sheffield United squad that has narrowly come up short in the play-off race.
The Blades were flying high at the start of the campaign and competing with Wolves in the automatic promotion places in the opening weeks.
However, injuries took their toll and Chris Wilder’s team are currently 11th in the Championship table, six points behind the top six with one game to go.
Stearman said that despite the disappointment of their play-off charge petering out, the Blades could still look back with pride on a good season overall.
“We’re a club with a bottom third budget competing near the top end against some very big-hitters,” the centre-half added.
“To take it to the last couple of games to still be with a chance of the play-offs, it’s a very big achievement.
“We’re disappointed to fall away, given the start we had, but that’s the strength of the Championship.
“No matter how hard we tried or played we couldn’t get it over the line, but that’s football.”
