Ultimately, the ceremony to induct Diogo Jota into the Wolves’ Hall of Fame was as modest and unassuming as the man himself.
And it felt perfectly fitting that his Hall of Fame commemorative picture board – prepared by Wolves Museum staff and seeing Jota join so many club legends inducted since the initiative began in 2009 – was put in place following an intimate and informal event which carried very little fuss.
Again, just like the man himself.
A sprinkling of museum and club staff and Hall of Fame committee members joined together for the official inauguration of Jota, with club legend John Richards, whose picture adorns the very same wall, doing the honours by placing the board.
It was befitting of the player’s humble and unassuming nature which somehow masked a fierce determination and will-to-win that propelled him right to the top of the sport, initially at Wolves and then later – as a Premier League champion – at Liverpool.
Three years at Wolves undoubtedly makes him the player with the least amount of service to have been inducted into the Hall of Fame. But that is both a measure of the incredible impact during what will go down such a golden spell in the club’s recent history, and the tragic circumstances in which he and brother Andre Silva lost their lives in a car accident last summer.
The Hall of Fame committee, which is independent but works closely with Wolves and includes club historian Peter Crump among their number, normally spend many arduous hours debating which heroes from across so many years deserve a place among the treasured few.
As committee chairman and Wolves Former Players’ Association admin manager Richard Green explains, with Jota, it was different.
“Our meeting was not long after the tragic passing of Diogo and his brother Andre, and as soon as we started, it soon became clear that there was a groundswell of opinion that we should induct him,” says Green.
“It took just a few minutes and everyone agreed that it was the right thing to do.
“From there we spoke to the club who quickly endorsed the recommendation, and it was agreed to make the announcement there and then rather than wait until we hold our next dinner.”
“It was decided between the Hall of Fame committee and the club, but to a large extent it was also decided by the supporters,” added Richards.
“When we arrived for that meeting back in July, I think we were all overwhelmed by the number of tributes that had been left outside the stadium, and the strength of feeling supporters had for Diogo.
“In the time he was here, he contributed a lot to Wolverhampton and to the club, which is why he’s so fondly remembered.
“But it wasn’t just for his footballing achievements. Since his tragic passing, everyone I have spoken to at the club, from the tea ladies to the management, they’ve all said what a lovely man Diogo was.
“He was very sociable, very charming, very polite, always wanting to help, and that’s the mark of a true person and this, even though in so many ways it is heartbreaking, it is also all the more satisfying that we were able to induct him into the Hall of Fame.”
Many of those tributes mentioned by Richards, including shirts, scarves and messages, have been gathered and lovingly preserved by Wolves Museum staff, now set up as a permanent tribute and memorial to Jota in the club’s Museum.
There will undoubtedly be more fuss and attention paid to Jota’s legacy when the next Hall of Fame dinner takes place, likely during the 2026/27 campaign, to also include several other new attendees.
But for now, the intimate but poignant way in which his name in the club’s history was cemented, felt perfect for the occasion.
As Richards concluded: “We’ve been very proud to have been able to do this, and hope that in some way, it gives the family and his friends comfort in knowing that all his achievements for Wolverhampton Wanderers and his memory will forever be remembered here at Molineux.”
PICTURES COURTESY WOLVES FC
