Wolves are saddened to learn of the passing of former prolific striker Hugh Curran at the age of 82.
Scottish international Curran made just shy of 100 appearances in gold and black during the late 1960s and early 1970s, scoring an impressive 47 goals throughout his time at Molineux.
Born in Lanarkshire in Scotland, Curran began his career at Home Farm in Ireland after his family moved to Dublin when he was 11 years old, before stints in the youth set-ups of Shamrock Rovers and Manchester United.
After being released by Man United at 19, Curran returned his native Scotland to join Third Lanark before a spell at Corby Town saw him spotted by Millwall scouts. It was at the Den where Curran would sign professional forms for the first time. Leading the Lions to promotion into the third tier in his first season, after scoring 19 goals, he moved to Norwich in 1966.
Curran spent three years at Carrow Road in the second tier, scoring 53 goals in total, while being names the Canaries’ player of the year in 1968, ahead of signing a £60,000 deal at Molineux the following January.
Joining a first division attacking force which included the likes of Derek Dougan, Dave Wagstaffe and Peter Knowles, Curran – an incredible header of the ball – scored his opening goal in gold and black at home to Manchester United in February 1969.
He finished his first full season at Wolves as the club’s top scorer with 23 goals – despite having to be carried off the pitch on a stretcher following injury against Nottingham Forest in the December.
A popular, if underrated, figure during his time at the club, Curran’s running power and scoring prowess was appreciated by the fans at Molineux as “They call him Hughie, Hughie, faster than lightning” was the chant which could regularly be heard ringing out around the stands.
Curran also played a key role in mentoring a young John Richards, with the pair first leading the line together in Richards’ debut away at the Hawthorns in February 1970, as Curran scored twice in a 3-3 Black Country derby draw.
It was during his time at Molineux where the striker also earned his five international caps for Scotland, making his debut in November 1969 in a World Cup qualifier in Austria, before scoring his only goal for his country against England in May 1971, coming in a 3-1 loss at Wembley.
Curran would add another 20 the following campaign as the Old Gold would finish fourth in the league and qualify for the inaugural 1971/72 UEFA Cup.
Although the emergence of Richards and his prolific partnership with Dougan would see Curran’s appearances in gold and black limited that season, with the Scot playing just eight times. His final outing for Wolves would come in the second leg of the UEFA Cup final, as his side fell at the final hurdle against Tottenham Hotspur.
Curran would go on to enjoy two spells at Oxford United either side of a stint at Bolton Wanderers, before retiring due to injury in 1979.
After retirement Curran returned to his hometown of Carstairs where he ran a hotel, as well as becoming a landlord of four pubs – all called The Red Lion – across Oxfordshire and London, and remained in regular contact with several of his Wolves teammates ahead of his passing this week.
The thoughts of everyone at Wolves are with Hughie’s family and friends at this sad time.
