This week the Jacksons brought their hits back to England. On Wednesday, Nov 11, they played The Civic at the Halls in Wolverhampton. Two nights later, on Friday, Nov 13, they played London’s Eventim Apollo.
London needs no introduction. Wolverhampton is a different story. Most Americans have never heard of it. But for Tito Jackson, this English city was something close to a second home.
Tito was one of Michael’s big brothers and a member of the Jackson 5. He passed away in 2024. Years before that, he developed a real soft spot for this place.
“Wolverhampton is one of the places I really like,” he told the local paper, the Express & Star, in 2017.
He meant it. That same year the paper reported he was “planning a move to Wolverhampton next year.” Tito said, “I’m planning to come to the UK for a while next year and spend some real time here.” There’s no proof he ever made the move, but he clearly thought about it.
In this 2017 clip, Tito talks about Wolverhampton himself, so you can hear how he felt about the place.
Tito Jackson talking about Wolverhampton in 2017
So what was the big attraction? A soccer team.
In England, “football” means soccer. Wolverhampton’s team is Wolverhampton Wanderers. Fans just call them Wolves. Their stadium is called Molineux.
In September 2017, Tito was a special guest at Molineux for Wolves’ draw with Bristol City. He was hooked. “I have been keeping up with their games,” he said afterward.
And here’s the wallet. According to the Express & Star, “he has kept the club’s fixtures on a card in his wallet so he can keep track of their schedule.” In England, “fixtures” means the list of upcoming games. So a guy from the Jackson 5 was walking around with an English soccer schedule in his wallet.
He even made a promise about it. “And if I move here I will be a supporter of Wolves at Molineux.”
What makes this even funnier is that Tito was new to the sport. “I came over here to do some work and had never been to a soccer game,” he admitted in 2019.
That July, ahead of a show in Birmingham, Tito went back to Molineux and brought his big brother Jackie with him. The two of them toured the stadium, walked out onto the pitch and met fans in the club shop. Each brother bought a T-shirt. Tito wore the brand-new home shirt. “I wanted to be one of the first to sport it to show Wolves fans I’m still supporting them,” he said.
Tito wanted the local saying “Wolves Ay We” on his shirt. “This is our favourite place to be,” he told the paper.
Jackie was a harder sell. He’s a fan of Chelsea, a big London team. Still, he softened a little. “I like Chelsea, but I like this team as well,” Jackie said.
Tito couldn’t resist teasing him. “I’m very happy with them and I got my brother here wearing Wolves clothes, but I’m sure he’ll go back [to Chelsea].”
Any family with brothers in it knows that kind of ribbing.
So when the Jacksons played Wolverhampton this week, they were back in the town Tito once talked about calling home, the one whose game schedule he kept in his wallet.