Karl was delighted to join his home-town club during the week that led to the start of the 2006/07 campaign.

The midfielder was out of contract at Stoke City but, as he was under 24, a compensation figure was agreed, with Wolves paying the Potteries club £100,000 plus extras depending on appearances.

After signing the three-year deal, Karl made his full debut at Plymouth on the opening day of the season. He started with Stoke as a trainee in 1999 and, apart from a five-month loan to Cheltenham Town in 1994, he remained with the north Staffordshire club until his switch to Wolves.

Karl was appointed team captain in December until Jody Craddock recovered from injury.

After playing at both right-back and in the centre of midfield, Karl's influential first season came to a dramatic end when he suffered a potential life-threatening injury in the game at Luton in March. Karl bruised his spleen and was forced to sit out the remainder of the campaign but he has been fit to challenge once more in the early weeks of 2007/08.