After Wolves’ 2-1 defeat to Burnley at Molineux, angry fans rounded on the club as a second successive relegation looms.
They would be the 11th club to suffer back-to-back demotions from the top-flight — and the first to have done so twice.
Sportsmail’s Midlands football correspondent looks at how Wolves come to be 23rd in the Championship before the last game of the season on Saturday . . .
Blow: Burnley beat Wolves 2-1 at Molineux on Saturday to the despair of the home crowd
Fury: Wolves fans invaded the pitch to vent their anger following the home defeat by Burnley
Upset: One young Wolves fan breaks down in tears
Slide: Dean Saunders' side travel to Brighton for their final game on Saturday
1. Why has it all gone wrong?
There is no single reason but the removal of Mick McCarthy 14 months ago was ill judged and caretaker Terry Connor couldn’t save them from Championship football. Subsequent appointments of Stale Solbakken, sacked in January after the FA Cup exit at Luton Town, and Dean Saunders failed to stop the slide.
Departed duo: Mick McCarthy left Wolves 14 months ago and Terry Connor couldn't keep them up
Brief: Stale Solbakken took over as manager in the summer but he was axed in January
2. Who is to blame?
Everybody. Owner Steve Morgan, a succession of managers and, of course, the players. Saunders took 10 games to register his first victory. By the time Wolves’ season had started to pick up, they were fighting the drop.
3. When does Saunders think the rot set in?
‘You have a couple of bad years and a losing mentality sets in,’ said Saunders. ‘You change your manager and the best players from the team that is relegated are sold; in this case, Matt Jarvis and Steven Fletcher.
Threat: The 2-1 defeat by Burnley leaves Wolves in 23rd place and in real danger of relegation to League One
Intervention: Policemen and stewards line up in an attempt to stop the pitch invaders
Drained: Struggling Wolves manager Saunders
‘The players still here are disappointed no-one has taken them. A new manager comes in; there’s uncertainty all round.
‘It’s been a question of juggling four managers’ groups of players. If you worked in Boots the chemist and had four different managers, your staff wouldn’t know whether they were coming or going.’
4. What now?
It’s a mess. There are players in that dressing-room, such as Roger Johnson, Jamie O’Hara, Kevin Doyle and Karl Henry, who have long, expensive contracts to maintain in League One. The wage bill is £26million — Peterborough’s is £3m. It’s going to take years to do what is required. Some players have contracts with three years to run.
5. Time for a new boss?
The official line is that Saunders stays — no matter what.