What do they say about him?

Matt Perry, a 64-year-old team doctor who has played for Wolves for 23 years, officially bid farewell to Wolves last week. (23 years of potency!) Wolves behind the scenes legend team doctor Matt Perry says goodbye to Molino)

Let's hear what 6 Wolves guys have to say about the hero behind the scenes:

Cody, Captain of the Wolves

"Matt Perry has had an incredible impact on the club over 20 years at Wolves. What he and I, my family and everyone at this football club have done will never be forgotten. Whenever my child or my wife needed medical help, he was always the first to call me. I've been with Wolves for seven years and he's been one of the best employees here, and he's also a really nice guy, you can always talk to him about anything that's going on in your life, and he's a guy you can always turn to, especially during the pandemic. The last few years have been really tough for him because a lot of things have fallen on him during the pandemic and as a player we understand his toil over the years, it's been a tough time and everything he's done for the club during the pandemic will never be forgotten. We were all sad to see him leave, but we also understood his situation. I was incredibly proud to know him and to call him a very close friend, a great doctor, a great man. ”

Scott Silas, Wolves technical director

"I've been with Wolves for seven years, so it's sad to see Matt Perry leave. It's always sad to see good people leave, but I understand why. Perry loves it so it was a huge decision for him to leave here. He has been able to dedicate himself to the club for so many years and we have been very lucky. Not only did he do a great job personally, but he also tried to push to improve medical standards across the Premier League and I will always be grateful to him. During the pandemic, his approach, his calm mindset, and the work his team did were impeccable. For all of us, the pandemic was stressful and painful, but he did a good job of pushing the club to handle the response properly. Wolves will always welcome him back, and I will miss his expertise and his affinity for people and things. His departure is a huge loss for Wolves, but of course we hope he has all the best in the future. ”

Matt Murray, former Wolves player

"Matt Perry was deeply trusted and respected by us and I was touched by his care for me when I was injured and even after I left the club he still gave me a lot of help. He's a complete Wolf guy, all the players trust him, he says we do what we want to do. Once at the derby County home stadium, Darren Porter was being treated and the coach was speaking and it was busy and we put the bed in the shower so the coach could speak to the player who was being treated. Perry stood by the shower, not knowing who touched and turned it on, and in order not to let the player get wet, he blocked the shower in front of the shower and was drenched in cold water until the shower was empty, which I remember vividly. Another thing is Old Trafford in 03/04: we've been beaten by Blackburn, Charlton in a row, and then to Old Trafford, and the odds of United beating us 10-0 before the game are lower than the odds of our winning. John O'Shea scored with a header in the first half and Wolves trailed 1-0. Head coach Dave Jones tried to tell Henry Kamala, who only speaks French, not to let Gary Neville compete for the header. Camara couldn't understand, so the head coach and Perry said, 'Doctor, you speak French.' So Perry started speaking French to Camara, and everyone laughed, and we didn't concede another goal in the second half. ”

Oliver Lipper, a first-team physiotherapist

"Matt Perry has been here for so many years and I can't count them all, during which time he has had a huge impact on the club. We will definitely miss him because his knowledge is second to none in football. If you look at all the team doctors in the Premier League, I don't think anyone can match Perry. I've only been with Wolves for five years, but before I came, Perry was pushing the club to equip ultrasound scans. In the years of the pandemic, it was sometimes difficult to go to the hospital for MRI, but we were able to scan players with our own ultrasound machines, which was helpful. Before I came to Wolves, I had never worked with a doctor who was so skilled in these areas, which allowed us to do a good job managing player injuries. His experience and knowledge will be something that will benefit england U21 players in the future. He has worked for the FA in the past and if he excels in the U21, maybe he will have the opportunity to play with the senior team at the End of last Year's World Cup, with the England emblem on his chest, representing his country, which will give him a huge sense of pride and I am sure he will enjoy it all because he loves football and loves the game. ”

"I'm in tune with him at work, we play when a player is injured and we play, we have a very clear and natural division of labor, especially compared to some of the doctors I worked with before coming to Wolves. He was born to work on the pitch and was a calm presence. The players have a lot of respect for him because they know that with Perry treating them, everything will be easy. I can't imagine anyone else who, as he did during the pandemic, not only for the team, but even for the city of Wolverhampton as a whole, through Fosun, he helped equip local hospitals with ventilators from China. He spared no effort to be able to provide our players with the right information and personal protective equipment at that time. I think we were very lucky to have someone like him lead us through that time and we seemed so organized when talking to other clubs or other organisations. Being able to handle everything so quickly and professionally is all thanks to Matt Perry. He is a man you will always be happy to meet, a true gentleman, an irreplaceable person. All wolves will miss him terribly and the whole club will be grateful for his dedication over the past 20 years. ”

Matt Wilder is general manager of Wolves' soccer operations

"The club lost, in my opinion, one of the most important employees. One of my deepest memories of Perry was in January 2020, when he called a small group of us into the chairman's office to explain a disease called the coronavirus, which is sweeping through Wuhan, China. I remember thinking at the time that it would certainly not have any serious impact on the UK. I was wrong, and I still thank Perry for that meeting and for his work over the next two years. The COVID-19 pandemic has completely changed the way clubs operate during training and matchdays, and it has been an extremely difficult time for us, with countless operational challenges for the club. However, Perry's professionalism, combined with his calm character and reassuring voice, has given us the conviction to overcome the pandemic, for which we will always be grateful. During this time, he was a real hero. ”

"Later on at the Emirates Stadium in November 2020, a terrible night, but even in such a terrible moment, I still remember Perry in the players' tunnel telling us what happened to Jimenez in a very calm tone. Waiting in the hospital for Jimenez to come out of the operating room feels like waiting for a lifetime, but because Perry is there, it feels so reassuring that it makes you feel like everything is going to be okay, and I think that's the biggest compliment I can give Matt Perry. Wolves are certainly Perry's beloved, but I also know he's always wanted to slow down, work on other projects, and spend more time with his family, and I'm glad he's got this opportunity now. Thanks for all he did for Wolves! ”

Carl Iqm, former Wolves player

"I usually call him Doctor and have known him since I came to the club as a little kid. All these years at Wolves, his door was always open for me, and if I had questions to ask him, his phone was always open. He is really kind-hearted and thoughtful, and he is willing to answer the phone at any time even if I ask questions about my child's discomfort. Having leukemia was a very important thing for me, when he noticed something was wrong during the physical examination and acted quickly. Throughout my recovery, he will answer my various questions and will visit me regularly to help me and my family through a very difficult time, and I will always be grateful for all he has done for me personally. He's a truly loving great guy and his departure will be a big loss for the club, but he gave everything for Wolves and is highly respected from anyone who has had the privilege of working with him. ”