A look back to July 1999 and an article featuring Hereford United manager Graham Turner talking about Steve Bull.
GRAHAM Turner believes Steve Bull turned down a fortune to stay loyal to the Wolves faithful reports the Sports Argus.
The former Molineux boss reckons Bull's affection for his own fans was the reason he stayed so long when millions beckoned from the top flight and abroad.
But he believes Bull's lasting regret in football was that he never made it to the Premiership.
Turner was the man who took Bull to Molineux and began one of the greatest eras in the club's history.
Few could have realised that when Turner signed Bull and Andy Thompson from Albion, a legend was about to be born.
It was under Turner that Bull enjoyed some of his best years as Wolves began their revival after slumping to the depths of the old Division Four.
Bull helped Wolves back into what was then the Second Division, but the top flight eluded them, as it has done to this day.
And with the announcement that Bull was giving up football because of a knee injury, went any chance he had of mixing it with the best.
"I think that'll be the biggest disappointment about the whole thing for him," he said.
"It would have been tremendous to see him at that level because you don't know what he would have achieved."
Turner soon realised he had somebody special on his hands, but says the Tipton Terror never changed his outlook.
"That's what impressed me most about Bully," he said.
"I've seen players change when they start to gain recognition from the big teams and the national press. But Steve wasn't like that. He stayed down to earth throughout my time at Wolves.
"And that's why he kept the respect of the dressing room as well."
But Turner said it was the Wolves fans who really won Bull over, and kept him at Molineux for life.
"The supporters worshipped him, and that's what kept him at Wolves," he said.
"Steve recognised that, it's a rare thing in this day and age, but he stayed loyal to Wolves for that reason."
Bull's prolific goalscoring form attracted the attention of a host of clubs, but despite all the speculation, Turner knew he would be able to hang on to his player.
"He was happy here and that's all that mattered to him," he said.
"There were the stories linking him with a move to Italy after he'd made the England squad for the World Cup in 1990 but they came largely from agents."
Villa and Coventry, among a string of top flight clubs, all wanted Bull to join them. He would have made a fortune, but Bully stuck to his guns.
However, Turner reckons Bull can be proud of what he achieved in the game.
Not only is he the club's record goalscorer, but he also gained an England cap while still a player in the old Third Division.
Bull made his debut for England against Scotland and scored at Hampden Park.
He then followed that up with two goals against Czechoslovakia at Wembley.
"I remember Bully scoring against Scotland because we were at the airport in Majorca," he said.
"The team had been away on a post-season tour but Bully and Andy Mutch had stayed behind. Mutchy was with the B team and Bully was in the senior squad.
"I phoned home from Majorca to find out what was happening, and was told Steve had scored.
"I went back and told the lads and they were all delighted. It got better when he scored twice against the Czechs, although I reckon he might have got a hat-trick."
Turner is now Hereford United supremo and, ironically, his favourite Bully goal came against the Edgar Street side.
"It was the one where he turned from about 30 yards out and ran on before scoring with a shot that would have been unstoppable at any level," he said. **Watch the goal below**
"But possibly the best game I ever saw him play for us was in the Sherpa Van Trophy semi-final against Notts County which got us to Wembley in 1988."
The former Molineux boss reckons Bull's affection for his own fans was the reason he stayed so long when millions beckoned from the top flight and abroad.
But he believes Bull's lasting regret in football was that he never made it to the Premiership.
Turner was the man who took Bull to Molineux and began one of the greatest eras in the club's history.
Few could have realised that when Turner signed Bull and Andy Thompson from Albion, a legend was about to be born.
It was under Turner that Bull enjoyed some of his best years as Wolves began their revival after slumping to the depths of the old Division Four.
Bull helped Wolves back into what was then the Second Division, but the top flight eluded them, as it has done to this day.
And with the announcement that Bull was giving up football because of a knee injury, went any chance he had of mixing it with the best.
"I think that'll be the biggest disappointment about the whole thing for him," he said.
"It would have been tremendous to see him at that level because you don't know what he would have achieved."
Turner soon realised he had somebody special on his hands, but says the Tipton Terror never changed his outlook.
"That's what impressed me most about Bully," he said.
"I've seen players change when they start to gain recognition from the big teams and the national press. But Steve wasn't like that. He stayed down to earth throughout my time at Wolves.
"And that's why he kept the respect of the dressing room as well."
But Turner said it was the Wolves fans who really won Bull over, and kept him at Molineux for life.
"The supporters worshipped him, and that's what kept him at Wolves," he said.
"Steve recognised that, it's a rare thing in this day and age, but he stayed loyal to Wolves for that reason."
Bull's prolific goalscoring form attracted the attention of a host of clubs, but despite all the speculation, Turner knew he would be able to hang on to his player.
"He was happy here and that's all that mattered to him," he said.
"There were the stories linking him with a move to Italy after he'd made the England squad for the World Cup in 1990 but they came largely from agents."
Villa and Coventry, among a string of top flight clubs, all wanted Bull to join them. He would have made a fortune, but Bully stuck to his guns.
However, Turner reckons Bull can be proud of what he achieved in the game.
Not only is he the club's record goalscorer, but he also gained an England cap while still a player in the old Third Division.
Bull made his debut for England against Scotland and scored at Hampden Park.
He then followed that up with two goals against Czechoslovakia at Wembley.
"I remember Bully scoring against Scotland because we were at the airport in Majorca," he said.
"The team had been away on a post-season tour but Bully and Andy Mutch had stayed behind. Mutchy was with the B team and Bully was in the senior squad.
"I phoned home from Majorca to find out what was happening, and was told Steve had scored.
"I went back and told the lads and they were all delighted. It got better when he scored twice against the Czechs, although I reckon he might have got a hat-trick."
Turner is now Hereford United supremo and, ironically, his favourite Bully goal came against the Edgar Street side.
"It was the one where he turned from about 30 yards out and ran on before scoring with a shot that would have been unstoppable at any level," he said. **Watch the goal below**
"But possibly the best game I ever saw him play for us was in the Sherpa Van Trophy semi-final against Notts County which got us to Wembley in 1988."