Wolverhampton Wanderers head coach César Peixoto has paid direct tribute to the 5,600 supporters making the journey to Deepdale for his side's Championship fixture at Preston North End, saying simply: "We play for them."

The figure is a sizeable travelling contingent by any second-tier standard, and Peixoto was keen to acknowledge it publicly in an interview with Radio WM. The tone was less press-release gratitude and more genuine weight: Wolves have not won a league match away from home in 489 days, and the coach appears acutely aware that those fans are backing a team still searching for that breakthrough on the road.

A drought that needs ending

Four hundred and eighty-nine days without an away league win is the kind of statistic that follows a dressing room around. It spans results across more than one season, and it means that, wherever Wolves have gone in the league, points have not come back with them. Deepdale is next in a sequence that the squad and their supporters will be desperate to break.

Preston, for their part, come into the fixture having already featured in a high-profile Championship opener. Deepdale is rarely an easy venue, and the home side will carry their own momentum into the match. Whether Wolves' travelling support translates into the kind of atmosphere that gives the players genuine lift remains to be seen, but 5,600 voices in an away end make a difference, and Peixoto clearly believes it.

Injuries and squad disruption

The Wolves head coach also addressed injuries to key defenders, which complicates his preparations. He did not detail the full extent of the problems in the Radio WM interview, but the plural is notable: losing more than one defender simultaneously limits cover and can force tactical adjustments that the rest of the squad have little time to rehearse.

There has also been movement in the goalkeeping department. Dan Bentley has departed the club, leaving Peixoto to manage with what remains between the posts. The timing, heading into a fixture where a run of poor away form needs reversing, adds another layer of difficulty to the head coach's planning.

Jordan James arrives

On a more positive note, Peixoto confirmed the signing of midfielder Jordan James, formerly of Birmingham City. James is a Welsh international who brings physical presence and technical ability to the centre of the pitch, and his arrival gives the head coach an additional option in a position where Championship football demands high work-rate and durability across a long season.

The signing was described in the interview as a completed deal, though the club had not yet issued detailed contractual terms at the time of broadcast. He is understood to be available for selection as Wolves build their Championship campaign.

The supporters' case

The broader picture here is one that supporters in the Black Country know well. Wolves are a club with a large fanbase relative to their current standing in the second tier, and the willingness of 5,600 of them to travel to Lancashire on a midweek or weekend fixture speaks to an attachment that outlasts any particular run of results. Peixoto's decision to lead his Radio WM interview with that acknowledgement rather than tactical deflection suggests he understands what the relationship between town and club actually means.

Whether or not the away drought ends at Deepdale, the 489-day figure will remain part of the conversation. Wolves and their supporters will be hoping it becomes a footnote rather than a milestone.

Frequently asked

When did Wolves last win a league game away from home?
According to head coach César Peixoto, Wolves have not won a league match away from home in 489 days as of their trip to Preston North End in August 2026.
Who is Jordan James and why has he signed for Wolves?
Jordan James is a midfielder who previously played for Birmingham City. He has signed for Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Championship, giving head coach César Peixoto an additional option in the centre of the pitch.
How many Wolves fans are travelling to Preston?
Around 5,600 Wolverhampton Wanderers supporters are making the trip to Deepdale for the Championship fixture against Preston North End.