Mumbai, January 03: Former Wolverhampton Wanderers winger Terry Wharton passed away at the age of 83 after a short illness, the club confirmed on Saturday. A well-known and much-loved figure both on and off the field, Wharton remains one of Wolves' most recognisable players from the 1960s era.
Who Was Terry Wharton?
Wharton spent nine memorable years at Wolverhampton Wanderers between 1959 and 1968, making 242 appearances - more than for any other club in his career. Born in Bolton, Wolves were his first professional club. He signed for them on his 15th birthday and turned professional in October 1959.
He made his senior debut in November 1961 under legendary manager Stan Cullis, marking the occasion by scoring in a 2-0 win over Ipswich Town. From there, Wharton quickly established himself as the club’s regular right winger and held the position for five seasons.
One of the highlights of his Wolves career came in 1963, when he scored a hat-trick in a famous 7-0 victory over rivals West Bromwich Albion. Despite Wolves being relegated to the second division in the mid-1960s, Wharton played a key role in the club’s promotion back to the top flight in 1967, scoring 17 goals that season.
In the same year, Wharton also represented Los Angeles Wolves, helping them win the first official US soccer title in 1967. He later featured in a film made about that triumph and attended its premiere in Wolverhampton three years ago.
Wharton left Wolves in 1968 with an impressive record of 79 goals in 242 matches and went on to play for Bolton Wanderers, as well as Crystal Palace and Walsall. He retired from professional football in the mid-1970s.
After hanging up his boots, Wharton continued to live locally and stayed closely connected with Wolves. He regularly attended Former Players’ Association events and supported Wolves Foundation initiatives, especially the Molineux Memories programme.
As Wolves face West Ham United at Molineux on Saturday, players will wear black armbands, and a minute’s applause will be held before kick-off in his honour.
Wolverhampton Wanderers said their thoughts are with Terry Wharton’s wife Sue, and his family and friends, during this difficult time.
