Matt Doherty’s Wolves form eases regret of discarding Fulham’s Scott Malone for £150,000

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The Fulham left-back has been in inspired form this season – should Wolves have kept him?

With Fulham left-back Scott Malone rewarded for his fine performances across the campaign with a well-deserved place in the Championship Team of the Season, according to Sky Sports, it would be understandable for Wolves fans to question why their club let him go.

A one time winner of the club’s Academy Player of the Season gong, the talented left-back was never really given an opportunity at Molineux. In fact, when he completed his permanent move to Bournemouth for just £150,000 in 2011, Malone departed Wolves having never made a senior appearance, the Express and Star reported.

All despite then Wolves boss Mick McCarthy insisting to the Birmingham Mail that Malone was a first-team star in waiting following an impressive performance for the England Under-19s two years earlier.

Now, in his debut season at Fulham via spells with Millwall and Cardiff City, you can make a case for the dynamic, technically gifted 25-year-old to be the best in his position outside of the Premier League. The bigwigs in charge of the EFL awards, plus the journalists and pundits they consult along the way, seem to think so anyway.

Fortunately, however, Wolves are the proud owner of one of Malone’s nearest challengers. Like the Fulham star, Matt Doherty emerged through the youth ranks at Molineux but, after loans at Bury and Hibernian, achieved what his predecessor could not – he cemented a first-team berth at the club.

In his fourth season as a regular in the starting XI, the versatile Irishman, who can play in either full-back position, has been one of the club’s most under-rated players this season. In fact, with four goals and four assists to his name, Doherty has contributed to more goals than Malone in 2016/17.

He is often the club’s most creative outlet, too, while his defensive ability has steadily improved.

Consequently, though Wolves fans may have some questions about the club’s transfer business in recent times, Doherty’s rise means the decision to get rid of Malone has not cost them too dearly.