Wolverhampton Wanderers have delivered a stunning statement of intent just days after their opening day draw in the Championship unveiling a historic fan ownership scheme that hands power back to the Molineux faithful as the club begins its quest for an immediate return to the Premier League.
The announcement comes just 48 hours after Wolves’ dramatic 2-2 draw with Blackburn Rovers at Molineux a match that marked new head coach Cesar Peixoto’s first competitive game in charge. The club’s hierarchy have set an internal target of securing promotion within two seasons.
In a move that has sent shockwaves through English football, the club announced “The Old Gold Share” a groundbreaking initiative granting supporters binding voting rights on key club decisions, effective immediately.
The announcement makes the Wanderers the first club in the EFL to voluntarily cede decision-making power to its fanbase a bold statement of ambition as a new era begins under Peixoto.
WHAT THE SCHEME MEANS FOR SUPPORTERS
Under the new initiative, which takes immediate effect:
· A Fan Advisory Board of three elected supporters will attend quarterly board meetings and hold binding votes on non-football operational matters, including:
· Ticket pricing structures for domestic and cup fixtures
· Final approval of annual kit designs
· Community investment and charity partnerships
· A £1 million ring-fenced fund, drawn from the club’s commercial revenue, will be placed under fan-led management to finance community projects across the Black Country.
The scheme builds on recent progress in repairing the relationship between the club’s owners Fosun and the supporters with interim chairman Nathan Shi having already announced a 25% cut in season-ticket prices and committed to regular meetings with fan groups.
The scheme will be formally ratified during Wolves’ upcoming home fixture, where a giant screen message will address the Molineux faithful.
CESAR PEIXOTO: ‘A NEW DAWN’
An excited Cesar Peixoto, speaking just days after taking charge of his first competitive match, described the announcement as the perfect start to his tenure.
“This is a new dawn for Wolverhampton Wanderers,” Peixoto said.
“I took charge of my first game on Saturday, and now just days later, we are taking this huge step forward. Our fans are the heartbeat of this club, and giving them a genuine voice in how we move forward is exactly what this great club deserves. This is just the beginning.”
Peixoto, who was appointed as Wolves’ new head coach following Rob Edwards’ shock sacking, is understood to have been fully behind the proposal from the moment it was presented to him.
“I may have only just arrived, but I already know what this club means to people,” Peixoto added.
“We have a big job ahead of us getting this club back to the Premier League where it belongs. But with the fans alongside us, with a real seat at the table, that job becomes so much easier.”
CHAIRMAN: ‘FANS AT THE HEART OF OUR FUTURE’
Interim chairman Nathan Shi framed the decision as a defining moment for the club’s future.
“We are changing the way we do things at Wolves,” Shi said in a recent statement.
“It must always be football first and around that we are building greater clarity, accountability and longer-term thinking to create a better future.”
“Today, we give our fans a formal role in shaping that future not as spectators, but as partners. This is the beginning of an exciting new chapter.”
FAN REACTION ‘THIS IS OUR CLUB’
Within minutes of the official statement, the hashtag #OldGoldShare exploded across the Black Country and among Wolves’ global supporter base.
Dave Edwards, 59, a lifelong season-ticket holder from Wednesfield, told our reporter outside Molineux:
“I’ve been coming here for over 40 years, and I’ve never felt more connected to this club than I do today. Saturday wasn’t the result we wanted under the new gaffer, but the fight we showed that’s what this club is about. And now this? A new manager and we finally have a say in how our club is run. What a time to be a Wolves fan!”
Rachel Jones, 31, from Tettenhall, who travels to every home game with her father, said:
“Saturday was a rollercoaster with the new manager in charge, but now with this announcement? This is exactly the kind of bold thinking we need. New energy, and now the fans are part of it too.”
Former Wolves captain Conor Coady posted on social media.
“A brilliant move from the club. The fans are what make Wolves special and giving them a voice is the right thing to do. With a new manager at the helm, exciting times ahead.”
The Wolves Supporters Trust called the move “a landmark moment for the club,” with chair John Gough adding.
“This is exactly the kind of progressive thinking we want to see. The Old Gold Share is a genuine step forward and a sign that the club truly values its supporters. The relationship has been fractured, but moves like this show real intent to repair it.”
A spokesperson for the Football Supporters Association added:
“Wolves have set a marker here. This is a positive step for fan engagement in English football, and we hope other clubs will follow their lead.”
WHAT THIS MEANS FOR THE SEASON AHEAD
With the Championship campaign now underway and Peixoto’s first competitive match now behind him excitement is building in the Black Country.
Wolves have made key signings so far this summer, with the head coach confirming that more business is expected before the transfer window closes.
“Things are going to happen,” Peixoto said.
“There are delays because of the World Cup, but we know what we need, we know what we are doing. We’re going to bring more players to help us build a strong team, a quality team.”
Reflecting on his first match in charge the 2-2 draw with Blackburn Peixoto said “It’s not the result we wanted. We were better in the first half, but in the second half we played more with heart than with our heads. But the effort of the players was good. We showed big heart to fight until the end.”
One fan, Paul Morris, 46, from Wolverhampton, summed up the mood:
“Saturday was a rollercoaster under the new gaffer. A draw wasn’t ideal, but the fight was there. And now the fans finally have a say. We might be in the Championship, but this is going to be a season to remember.”
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT
The club has confirmed that a full governance document outlining the scheme’s legal framework, voting thresholds, and election procedures will be published within 14 days.
For now, all eyes turn to Molineux where Wolves will continue their promotion charge with a newly-appointed manager at the helm and a fanbase empowered like never before.
One thing is clear: a new era has begun at Wolverhampton Wanderers.
