Irwin bids emotional farewell

Denis Irwin admitted feeling emotional after finally bringing his glittering 22-year career to an end at Molineux today.

The Corkman was given a standing ovation when he was substituted one minute from the end of Wolves’ 2-0 defeat to Tottenham, for whom Robbie Keane and Jermain Defoe scored in either half.

But he remained adamant it was the right time to retire after his 902nd league and cup match.

Irwin said: “I was quite emotional when I came off at the end because I knew that was it but I will have a few drinks and get over it.

“I think it will begin to really hit home when the new season starts in August but I have got no regrets and I know I have done my bit”.

Wolves boss Dave Jones praised Irwin as a model professional who will be badly missed at the club next season.

Jones said: “The biggest honour I can give Denis is that he has trained this week as if it was his first.

“He is a great credit to himself and to all the clubs he has served throughout his career.”

Jones shrugged off the controversy surrounding Paul Ince’s sending-off, saying only: “The referee was as consistent today as he has been all season.”

His next task is to sit down with the board on Monday and plan the rebuilding programme for next season’s Division One campaign.

Jones said: “We will talk with the guys like Ince in the next few days to see what’s going to happen.

“We know our targets and it is just the case of whether we manage to get them.

“The board have backed me for the last three years and I don’t see any reason why they won’t back me again”.

David Pleat said he was satisfied with Tottenham’s performance which allowed them to end a disappointing sea high.

But he refused to shed light upon his own White Hart Lane apart from confirming that he will not remain there in his current caretaker capacity beyond the summer.

Pleat said: “I am certainly not continuing. All I am doing now is getting the bus and looking forward to spending time with my family”.

However, he believes he will end his reign with the club in a healthy position and a group of good young prospects.

He added: “We had enough about us today and we proved we have got good players who can express themselves.

“We just got caught in a trap this season of a number of bad results but we have done a lot of good things since then and put the club in good order.”