Jody Craddock today expressed his delight at putting pen to paper on a new one-year contract declaring: "It's one of the best achievements of my career."

 

The no-nonsense defender, who turns 34 next month, is to prolong his Wolves stay into a seventh season after agreeing the new deal which follows captaining the team during the crucial final stages of the Championship-winning campaign.

 

And his experience could prove vital given he is one of only four members of the current playing staff to have previously plied their trade in the Premier League.

 

"I'm delighted to have signed the new deal," said Jody.

 

"I see this as probably one of the biggest achievements of my career.

 

"I'm nearly 34 and so to earn this contract is massive for me.

 

"I feel very happy with how I've done as a player in my career and pleased with what I've achieved but this is another great new challenge.

 

"I've had the privilege of playing in the Premier League twice before with Sunderland and with Wolves and am really looking forward to going back in there again."

 

Jody has made 182 appearances in his six seasons at Wolves, scoring 11 goals.

 

And although there have been times in recent seasons when it perhaps looked as if his Molineux career was coming to an end, he has always bounced back in impressive style.

 

None more so than last season, when after suffering a broken metatarsal in the first home game with Sheffield Wednesday, he had to bide his time after recovering before returning to steady the ship and help Wolves clinch the title.

 

"There have certainly been a couple of times when people might have wondered whether I'd still be involved at Wolves," Jody added.

 

"A couple of seasons ago I went off to Stoke on loan and and then last year unfortunately I missed out for a long time through injury and then not getting back in the team.

 

"Both times I've come back though I've managed to win my place back which has been great.

 

"Obviously I don't know what is going to happen next season but I'm just happy to be here and fighting for a place.

 

"I know it's going to be tough for me again and I know there will be new defenders brought to the club but it's never been any different.

 

"It's the Premier League and it's a difficult challenge but I know what I'm signing up for."

 

Jody arrived at Molineux in the summer of 2003, prior to the club's one and only season in the Premier League so far.

 

 

That ended in the disappointment of relegation, but there were happier times at Sunderland when before they dropped into the Championship when he made 34 Premier League appearances in the 2001/02 season when they finished seventh.

 

"I feel now I've got more experience than the last times I've been in the Premier League," he explains.

 

"The older you get the more experienced you get which certainly helps but it also becomes harder physically and you have to work that much more to stay at that level.

 

"Hopefully I'll be able to use that experience next season, especially with some of the fantastic strikers in the Premier League.

 

"I've been in the Premier League and had good times with Sunderland and bad times with Sunderland and some bad times with Wolves.

 

"I know what it's about and how difficult it can get and what it's like when you're losing games.

 

"We're trying to stay up there with the big boys and it's tough but hopefully that experience I've got will help around the place."

 

Jody becomes the fourth Wolves player to extend his contract this summer with Karl Henry, Kevin Foley and Sylvan Ebanks-Blake all having agreed new deals.