Wolves’ latest state-of-the-art pitch at their Compton Park training ground has been named in memory of a generous supporter who left a six-figure donation to Wolves Academy in his will.
Before passing away three years ago, David Keeling spent seven decades travelling across the country from his home in Buxton to watch Wolves every week, and the season ticket holder – who watched his first game during the golden Molineux era of Stan Cullis and Billy Wright – made an incredible final gesture to his beloved club.
In his will, David left a six-figure sum to the academy as he wanted to ensure the future generations of gold and black talent was looked after in the best possible way.
The club has put David’s substantial donation to good use, developing a Desso GrassMaster show pitch, which has been used already by several age groups throughout the academy, as well as Wolves Women and Wolves under-21s, when Telford and Kidderminster have been unavailable.
The pitch was also used by the England men’s team last summer and has dugouts, perimeter fencing and a small stand, and will now be known officially as the David Keeling Memorial Pitch.
Wolves sporting director Matt Hobbs said: “We have been extremely overwhelmed by David’s generosity and the astonishing size of his donation, which will go towards the aims of providing our players with the best possible facilities and support to help them to succeed.
“David’s gift demonstrates the love our supporters have for their club, as well as their pleasure in seeing academy players progress through the youth system and make that step up to senior level and represent the first-team.
“After such an extraordinary gesture, the least we could do was name Pitch 4 – our latest addition to the playing surfaces at Compton Park, which David’s contribution helped create – in his honour.
“We hope with this gesture of our own, it means David’s memory will live on at Wolves and ensure his name is forever associated with the club he had so much affection for.”
Born in Buxton in 1933, David attended Kents Bank Boys School, before undertaking two years of National Service and working in the planning department at Ferodo Brake Linings Factory in Chapel-en-le Frith for almost four decades.
Although he was a Derbyshire man, it was at Molineux where David would be found most weekends having become a Wolves fan while checking the pools coupon every Saturday with his father during the mid-1940s.
His friend Tony Barson has attended Wolves matches at Molineux and followed the team across the country with David since the 1970s. He said: “Dave was a very loyal and reliable friend, and although he kept himself to himself, he would offer to help anyone at any time.
“He enjoyed a beer and was very sociable. He also played darts for his local pub, The London Road, in Buxton. It was at that pub in the 1970s when I first met Dave. I noticed he was wearing a WWFC emblemed V-neck jumper. We got talking, as Wolverhampton was my original hometown, and we quickly made friends.
“After our initial meeting, we arranged to car share to games, as we had both previously travelled in by separate means of transport. During the 1950s and 60s, Dave would use the train to get to Molineux from Buxton via Stockport, with other friends from his workplace. But during the 80s, I became a chauffeur to Dave, as well as three other keen Wolves fans from the Buxton/Chapel area.
“Since we met, we’ve been to most games together, standing in the old South Bank, and well as also travelling very regularly to away games during the lower division years. When the Billy Wright Stand opened in 1993/94, we purchased season tickets there and two of us still watch games in that stand now.”
The donation to Wolves Academy is already benefiting the club’s young players, with the pitch used daily by the under-18s, providing the squad with an elite level surface to aid their development.
Barson explained that David’s love of Wolves and his delight at seeing the club bring through their own youth players would have been behind the reasoning for leaving such a large sum of money to the academy in his passing.
“Before the times of TV driven opportunities and money that is within the game today, Dave believed the academy portrayed the future for Wolves,” Barson added.
“He felt it was important that the academy would produce players for the first-team and bringing through our own players, such as Robbie Keane, Joleon Lescott and Matt Murray, would ensure a good level of ambition for the club in the future.”
The David Keeling Memorial Pitch was officially opened in a small invitation-only ceremony at Compton Park earlier this week.
