Wolverhampton Wanderers goalkeeper John Ruddy sent a heartfelt tribute to the club’s fans following Sunday’s Black Country derby triumph against West Bromwich Albion at Molineux.

Fer Lopez capitalised on a crucial blunder by West Brom center-back Nat Phillips barely five minutes into the second half, giving Cesar Peixoto’s side their full rewards for a largely dominant display.

The victory not only ensured bragging rights for Wolves fans over their Albion counterparts, but it also saw the Portuguese side leapfrog James Morrison’s men in the Championship table heading into the three-week international break, placing them fourth on goal difference.

Ruddy had been a part of Nuno Espírito Santo’s WV1 team that won the second tier eight years ago and went on to compete in the UEFA Europa League.

And it’s safe to say that his post-match social media reaction, in which he hooked up with two previous Molineux legends, would have been well received by fans.

After winning the West Brom derby with Rúben Neves and Romain Saiss, John Ruddy sent a message to Wolves.

Ruddy, 39, rejoined Wolves on a one-year contract in July after leaving Newcastle United, bringing experience to the club’s goalkeeping ranks behind Jose Sa and Joao Virginia.

The experienced Championship campaigner is yet to make his second appearance for the club, but he was nonetheless present for Sunday’s important win over the Baggies.

John Ruddy’s Wolves record (as of September 21, 2026)

Appearances

72

Goals were conceded.

59

Clean sheets.

34

Among the crowd were two iconic figures of Wanderers’ recent past: 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, claimed that he still watches as many Wolves games as possible owing to his current contract with Al-Hilal, whereas Saiss most recently worked for Qatari team Al-Sadd.

Ruddy took to Instagram after the match to say, “What a win and team performance today, lads were excellent.”

“It was also great to spend the game with these two legends,” he wrote, sharing a photo of himself with his former teammates.

Kieran Trippier reveals John Ruddy’s effect on Wolves’ victory over West Brom.

While Ruddy did give some crucial moments for Wolves during their previous promotion campaign, it is apparent how much his experience is now valued under Peixoto.

When asked about his first experience in this particular grudge match, Kieran Trippier, a former England international, was not hesitant to mention the goalkeeper’s influence before the game.

“It was amazing, the build-up to the game. John Ruddy, for example, spoke before the game about how important it is,” the right-back said.I’ve played in a lot of derbies over my career, but this one is definitely up there.”

Wolves will seek to continue building momentum in October.

When reviewing his team’s attacking performance over the first eight games of the season, Peixoto can point to a lot of positives, but there is still room for growth in other areas.

However, Sunday’s victory was his team’s first clean sheet of the season at home, and it must be built on in the coming weeks and months if Wolves are to establish themselves as the promotion contenders that many believe they are.

With the Championship table still crowded at this early stage, if the West Midlands side can collect more momentum on the other side of the international break, they might be in a strong position in the promotion chase.

Their next game, against Middlesbrough on Saturday, October 10th, will also be considered a ‘acid test’.