McCarthy's style wins over defender Halford

Jul 4 2009 by Mathew Kendrick, Birmingham Mail

WOLVES new boy Greg Halford revealed that Mick McCarthy’s eagerness to sign him was a major factor in him jumping on the old gold and black bandwagon.

The Sunderland defender was being lined up for a permanent switch to Sheffield United, where he spent last season on loan.

But Wolves expressed an early interest in the 24-year-old which persuaded him to join for a fee believed to be in the region of £2 million.

Halford, who has signed a three-year contract with a further year’s option in the club’s favour, is Wolves’ third arrival in a week. He follows Reading striker Kevin Doyle who joined for a record fee on Tuesday and Southampton midfielder Andrew Surman who was unveiled the following day.

In a hectic schedule at Molineux, Serbian international captain Nenad Milijas has also been recruited from Red Star Belgrade while American goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann has been snapped up from Reading.

“I know there has been interest from Wolves for a while and apparently a call went in not long after the play-off final,” he said. “That went a long way to making up my mind, to be honest, how keen the manager was to get the deal done.

“Trying to prove myself at the top level is another main reason for the move. I thought I did well in the Championship last season but want to do well in the Premier League as well.”

Halford burst on to the scene at Colchester and, after helping them into the Championship, became Reading’s record signing for £2.5 million in January 2007. The Chelmsford-born full-back/midfielder quickly moved on to Sunderland for £3.5m but made only three appearances. At Sheffield United last term he turned out 41 times and scored four goals.