Anna 
A 100-year-old World War Two veteran and lifelong Wolverhampton Wanderers fan, Sydney Ball, enjoyed watching his team from the directors’ box at the weekend—thanks to more than six decades of loyal support.
Living in Ipswich, Mr. Ball had not attended a game in years, but his friends nominated him for a special Wolves Wish. Originally, they only requested a birthday card signed by the players, but the club went above and beyond, inviting him to see his beloved Wolves take on Ipswich Town at Portman Road on Saturday.
Wolves made an exciting comeback to beat Ipswich, and Mr. Ball couldn’t have been happier. “I totally enjoyed Wolves beating Ipswich,” he said. “The game itself had everything.”
The Wolves Wishes initiative is run by the Wolves Foundation, the club’s charity, and aims to give back to loyal fans worldwide. It proved to be a memorable experience for Mr. Ball, a former Lancaster bomber pilot with the RAF, who became a Wolves fan after World War II while living in London with his wife and son, both of whom have since passed away.
“My son Jeff became a Wolves fan for some reason, and we followed him from there,” Mr. Ball explained.
His friends, Gemma and Paul Chenery, who are Ipswich fans and run Mr. Ball’s favorite pub, were the ones who nominated him. “He lost his wife and son, both big Wolves fans, and he’s shared many stories about watching the team,” said Mrs. Chenery. “I thought I’d just ask for a card, but it snowballed into this incredible experience.”
For his 100th birthday, the club sent him gifts and a personal message from former Wolves and England striker Steve Bull. He was also invited to be the guest of honor at the Ipswich match.
“When we picked him up, he had his Wolves tie and scarf on,” Mrs. Chenery said. “It didn’t matter what the score was; it was an amazing day seeing him enjoy it.”
During the match, Mr. Ball met club directors and even rock legend Robert Plant, a lifelong Wolves fan. “He kept smiling the whole day, saying how he couldn’t believe what was going on,” Mrs. Chenery added.
Mr. Ball has also been invited as a special guest to see Wolves play Tottenham Hotspur at Molineux on Sunday. “It’s been a long time since I last went to Molineux,” he said. “Tell them I’m coming, and they’ve got to win.”
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