Neill Collins today bid a permanent farewell to Wolves insisting he will always have fond memories of the spell at Molineux which gave him some of the highlights of his career so far.
The versatile defender has put pen to paper on a three-and-a-half year deal to join Preston for an undisclosed fee, having become a regular at Deepdale during four months on loan.
It's ironically three years to the day since the 26-year-old Scot joined Wolves on a permanent deal, having arrived on loan from Sunderland the previous November.
In total he made 97 appearances in Wolves colours, scoring ten goals, and picked up a Championship winners' medal as a result of his 23 league outings last season.
"I've got so many fond memories of my time at Wolves," Neill told WOW.
"The group of lads in the dressing room during my time there were fantastic and I have to say the spirit at the club is second to none and not like anything I had experienced before.
"There are some great people there throughout the club from the senior level down to the Academy and I've made some really good friends.
"From a football point of view to have made almost 100 appearances for a club the size of Wolves is something I am very proud of.
"And there were some really good times with reaching the play-offs in my first season and then obviously being in the squad as we won the Championship last year.
"In a way it was disappointing not to be involved so much over the last few months of the season but it just wasn't to be.
"I still look back on my time at Molineux as providing some of the high points of my career so far.
"There was always a special atmosphere at Molineux when the fans got behind you and it was a fantastic place to play.
"I've got nothing but good things to say about my time at the club."
Of Neill's double figure haul during his spell with the club, five proved to be winners, with his late effort at Doncaster on Boxing Day of 2008 proving particularly crucial in securing Wolves another three points enroute to the title.
It was particularly fitting given he only came into the squad when Michael Mancienne was withdrawn through illness shortly before kick off, prompting the Troon-born stopper to be labelled as the model professional by boss Mick McCarthy.
"The Doncaster goal was a particular highlight because it was such an important win," he recalls.
"It was a great day all round and I'll never forget the atmosphere in the changing room afterwards.
"We had so many great days during the first few months of the season, winning games and scoring a lot of goals.
"That was certainly the best Championship side I've been involved in during the first few months of that season.
"We played some great football and it was with such a young and energetic team.
"You could see all along what Mick McCarthy was building and the club got their rewards with the title.
"They are a great club and I've made a lot of friends who I will stay in close contact with."
There are no regrets though about moving on to pastures new.
The ever-committed defender, who played in all positions across the back four while at Wolves, is not one for kicking his heels when not involved in the first team.
A desire for more regular football took him to Deepdale, and has paid dividends courtesy of 17 appearances already including the 7-0 FA Cup win against Colchester at the weekend which has secured a fourth round tie at home to holders Chelsea.
"This is a good move for me," he acknowledges.
"Obviously it's always going to be difficult to leave a club like Wolves and I loved my time there but I'm the sort of player that wants to play regular football and that's happened for me at Preston.
"It was clear it was going to be difficult to feature at Wolves and Preston is another big club with great history.
"Over the last ten years or so Preston are a team who have done consistently well at this level and perhaps over-achieved a little bit and it's an exciting challenge to be joining now.
"The Championship this season is as tight as ever.
"I think we're eight points off play offs and eight points off relegation.
"A couple of wins and we could be right up there.
"The situation reminds me a bit of Wolves in my second season when we'd done really well to reach the play-offs in the first.
"Then in the second season it was a bit more difficult but if we carry on working hard and stick together then we've a chance of moving up the table.
"We've got more experienced players than we had at Wolves which might just make a difference."
Wolves will of course be one of the other major results Neill will be looking out for over the coming weeks and months.
Having played under Mick at both Sunderland and Wolves, and remaining close mates with many still among the current Molineux squad, there are bonds which will not be broken by his departure up the M6.
There was also relief that having not featured last season following a January sending off at Reading, he was able to enjoy a runout in the Carling Cup tie at home to Swindon in August in which his successful penalty in a shootout win provided a fitting swansong to his Wolves career.
"I've worked under Mick McCarthy for a number of years and I will always appreciate everything he has done to help me," he explains.
"And with knowing so many of the boys I obviously want the club to do well.
"I hope they manage to stay up this season and consolidate in the Premier League.
"And who knows? Maybe if we beat Chelsea in the cup we'll get drawn against Wolves in the next round!
"I'd certainly love the chance to go and play at Molineux again one day.
"I'm just pleased that my last action for Wolves was to score the decisive penalty in the shootout against Swindon earlier this season - right into the top corner!
"It wouldn't have been good to have gone out on my sending off at Reading so at least getting that chance against Swindon finished things off nicely."
