Johnny Phillips: Plenty for Jody Craddock to draw his Wolves inspiration

Craddock is a talented artist and was commissioned by the club to produce the programme covers for all Wolves’ home games this season.

It followed on from a successful 2016/17 season, when another local artist designed the programme covers. They proved hugely popular, not just with home supporters but also officials and fans of visiting teams. Craddock had plenty to live up to this season, but the results have been fantastic.

Earlier this week, as part of a new behind-the-scenes documentary Sky Sports are making about Wolves’ successful season, the former centre-half invited me down to his art studio at home to film some of his work and get an insight into how he produces the programme covers.

Craddock had all 23 league match programmes ready for the start of the season, but for the final home game of the season against Sheffield Wednesday he has been asked to redesign the cover in anticipation of Wolves lifting the Championship trophy that afternoon. When we spoke he had an initial sketch drawn out and was just starting to get to grips with the new design.

“Based on what has happened we’ve had to change it, and Sheffield Wednesday changed their badge too so I’m working on another version now,” he said. “Fingers crossed they’ll be champions at that point.”

Craddock lifted that piece of silverware himself back in May 2009, when Wolves last won promotion to the Premier League under Mick McCarthy. The team of 08/09 was very different to this season’s promotion-winners. But just like the current crop, Craddock’s team-mates went top early in the season and stayed there.

“It’s a fantastic thing to do for any player. As a little kid, dreaming of being a footballer, it’s what you want to do – get to the Premier League. I do remember snippets of that season, but not a lot as I haven’t got the best memory of my playing days but I do remember lifting the trophy as if it was yesterday.

“It takes a big team spirit. The Championship is a tough, tough division and it takes a lot to get out of it. That bond and morale is built up over a season, maybe even two or three seasons. Without that team spirit you don’t achieve your full potential. I’ll stay in touch with the players from that season forever.”

Craddock painted the team’s trophy lift in May 2009 and admits it became a labour of love.

“That took me 70 hours. There were 22 faces to paint and they were all quite small, and that takes longer,” he explained. “I was really pleased with it. I had to splice a few images together so you won’t find that photo anywhere. I think Chris Iwelumo was the most disappointed because his face is obscured by the trophy lift!”

The 42-year-old now enjoys watching Nuno’s side from the comfort of the stands, when he isn’t watching his own kids playing in their Saturday and Sunday league football matches. He has been as impressed as everyone else by what has gone on at Molineux.

“Nuno has done a great job hasn’t he? He’s just got the boys playing for each other. They play some really good football and have been by far the best team in the league,” he adds. “You can spend a lot of money and expect them to do well but it’s never that easy. The Championship is a very physical division but they’ve been more than able to cope with the physicality of the league.

“Boly is big, strong and good on the ball. Jota has come in and done great, you can go on and on. I don’t like to pick individuals out, they’ve all done brilliantly.”

Craddock’s artwork for the season has proved popular with fans, with many framed originals snapped up already. He paints a variety of subjects and his work is showcased in galleries up and down the country, but it is a hard industry to crack.

“Oil paintings of statues with a bit of a twist are the main works I’m doing at the moment.

“I try and get them into galleries and art fairs but it’s a tough world. Put anything in front of me and I’ll paint it, but the selling is hard.You’ve got to have your own identity and have people who believe in you.

“I’m doing a painting but you’ve also got to get someone to part with their hard-earned money and buy it, which is where the galleries come in as they have the connections. But once something takes off it’s amazing. I love it, I’ve been doing it for years, it’s a hobby that became really serious. I could sit up here and paint all day.”

That is evident by the hundreds of canvases lying about his studio, some finished, some waiting to be worked on. But it is those now-iconic programme covers that have turned out to be the perfect accompaniment to a memorable season on the pitch.