John Ruddy drops Wolves reaction ft Ruben Neves after win v West Brom - fans will love this | OneFootball

The Portuguese cult hero returned to Molineux for Sunday's Black Country derby

Wolverhampton Wanderers goalkeeper John Ruddy has issued a passionate message to the club's supporters following Sunday's Black Country derby victory over West Bromwich Albion at Molineux.

It was the Old Gold and Black's following who were sent home happy as Fer Lopez pounced on a major error from West Brom centre-back, Nat Phillips, just five minutes into the second half to give Cesar Peixoto's side their just rewards for a largely dominant performance.

Not only did the victory ensure bragging rights for Wolves fans over their Albion counterparts, it saw the Portuguese's outfit leapfrog James Morrison's men in the Championship table heading into the three-week international break, as they now sit fourth on goal difference.

Ruddy has been no stranger to momentous occasions in WV1, having been a part of Nuno Espírito Santo's side which won the second tier eight years ago, before going on to feature in the UEFA Europa League.

And it's fair to say his post-match reaction on social media would have gone down a treat with supporters as he linked up with two former Molineux heroes.

John Ruddy issues Wolves message after West Brom derby win with Rúben Neves and Romain Saiss

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Ruddy, 39, returned to Wolves on a one-year deal in July after leaving Newcastle United, adding further experience to the club's goalkeeping ranks behind Jose Sa and Joao Virginia.

The seasoned Championship campaigner is yet to make his second debut for the club, but was still present for Sunday's crucial victory over the Baggies.

Also amongst the crowd were two iconic figures of Wanderers' recent past, in the form of Portuguese midfield maestro, Rúben Neves, and Moroccan defender, Romain Saiss.

Last month, Neves, who scored 30 goals in 253 appearances for the club between 2017 and 2023, revealed that he still watches as many Wolves games as possible due to his current stint with Al-Hilal, whilst Saiss most recently plied his trade with Qatari said, Al-Sadd.

Taking to Instagram post-match, Ruddy said: "What a win and team performance today, lads were excellent.

"Great to spend the game with these two legends too," he added, posting an image of himself with his former colleagues.

Kieran Trippier reveals John Ruddy influence in Wolves' win over West Brom

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Whilst Ruddy certainly provided some clutch moments for Wolves in their last promotion campaign, it is clear to see how much his experience is currently valued under Peixoto too.

When asked about his first experience in this particular grudge match, former England international, Kieran Trippier, wasn't afraid to namedrop the goalkeeper's influence pre-game.

"It was amazing, the build-up to the game. John Ruddy, for example, spoke before the game about how important it is," said the right-back.

"I've played in many derbies in my career, but this is certainly up there for sure."

Wolves will hope to continue gathering momentum in October

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In the first eight matches of the season, there have been a number of positives for Peixoto to take when assessing his side's attacking work, but there is still room for improvement in other aspects.

That said, Sunday's win was his team's first clean sheet of the season on home soil, and that must be built on in the coming weeks and months if Wolves are to assert themselves as the promotion contenders which many expect them to be.

With the Championship table still congested at this early stage, if momentum can be gathered further on the other side of the international break, the West Midlands side could be in a very healthy position in the promotion race.

Their next fixture will also be seen as an 'acid test' too, as they travel to Middlesbrough on Saturday, October 10th.