Craddock out to stake summer claim

Wolves veteran Jody Craddock has vowed to do all he can to earn a new deal at the club for next season.

The defender hopes to extend his stay at Molineux into a tenth year after being invited back for pre-season training by new boss Stale Solbakken this summer. Craddock's injury woes last term restricted his appearances in the Premier League and at one point it looked like he would be allowed to move on but now the hope is that the 36-year-old, whose son Toby was recently sadly diagnosed with Leukemia, will do enough in the early part of pre-season training to secure an new one-year contract. "I do want to carry on playing. I won't deny that I was within a whisker of retiring with what has happened to Toby but he's doing well and it's going to be a long course of treatment when hopefully things will settle down," he told the club's website. "So I want to carry on playing football, particularly after a disappointing season, to prove to myself and everyone else that I can still do it. "It does seem strange to come in for to train for a couple of weeks at a club where I have been for nine years but that is life and I do understand the decision. Craddock, who has had a few tentative offers from elsewhere, added: "I don't think you can assess someone's football ability in that short a time but you can their fitness levels so hopefully I will be able to show I am fine. "I'm feeling good now and have got over my injury problems and will be doing everything I can to come back fit and ready."