Neville Hamilton, a former Wolves and Leicester midfielder’s son, is considering becoming a father for the first time
soon.
“When things happen that I would love to talk to him about, that’s when I miss him the most,” he says.
It brings everything back, and since it’s the kind of event when you want your dad to be there, it’s an emotional
moment.
“I learned a lot from him, and we were very close.”
Neville Hamilton, who tragically died in 2009 at the age of 48, will be remembered during a Wolves vs. Leicester
match.
Since he began his career with his hometown team and made a few appearances before returning as a coach in the
development setup and developing players like England striker Emile Heskey and Wolves promotion winner Richard
Stearman, Foxes supporters are more familiar with him than Wolves supporters.
Unfortunately, with Wolves, it was a case of what could have been.
Hamilton had arrived in Molineux in the summer of 1984, little over forty years prior.
This was his big chance after he had learnt his craft correctly and gained notoriety with stints at Mansfield and
Rochdale.
Hamilton, a winger or wide midfielder, was one of four new players signed by new manager Tommy Docherty after
making an impression in a number of friendlies.
His new teammates are the only ones more so.
Legendary Wolves defender Geoff Palmer remembers that although Neville had just come, he had already adapted
and was performing well.
He was an excellent player, a physically fit young man who moved over the field, played football, and completed his
tasks.
“I have no doubt that he would have made the first team when the season began and had a positive impact because
he was impressing.”
With the new season only a few weeks away, tragedy happened on a typical training day at Castlecroft.
“I think it was a little practice match, and Neville was just running towards me,” Palmer continues.
“All of a sudden, he just collapsed, and fell to the floor. None of us knew what was going on and it was really
frightening.”
Hamilton had suffered a heart attack. And this was a time when there was nothing like the specialist equipment of
today, a defibrillator, or numerous members of staff all trained in up-to-date lifesaving techniques if such an
emergency should occur.
Denis Conyerd is now 82. Having initially worked in private practice, he became Wolves’ physio after answering a
call put out by Derek Dougan in the local press.
He can still clearly recall almost every detail of that dangerous and maybe fatal scenario at Castlecroft on that
preseason June morning.
Denis, who worked with club doctor Bill Tweddell, remembers, “I was based out of the Castlecroft training ground at
the time; previously it had been at Molineux but Tommy wanted me down at Castlecroft.”
“I was going about my day as usual when Jim Barron, the assistant manager, burst in and announced that Neville
had passed out.
He was lying in the center circle as I hurried out, and I recall simply switching to autopilot and checking for a pulse,
but there wasn’t one.
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