Former Wolverhampton Wanderers manager Graham Hawkins has died at the age of 70, the club has announced.

During his playing career as a defender, Hawkins made 35 first-team appearances for the Midlands side between 1964 and 1967, helping them to promotion to the top flight in 1966-67 before departing for Preston North End.

Stints at Blackburn Rovers and Port Vale followed before he hung up his boots in 1979, then joining Shrewsbury Town as assistant to Graham Turner.

Hawkins then returned to Wolves as a manager, guiding them to the top flight once again in 1982-83 before being dismissed as the club slumped back to the second tier after one season.

"Graham made a huge contribution not only to Wolves but to football in general during his career," said Wolves MD Laurie Dalrymple. "He made 450 league appearances for his four clubs and ensured his place in Wolves' history books by managing the team to promotion to the top flight in the 82-83 season.

"He was widely respected and well-liked, both inside and outside of football. Not just because of the very successful career he forged but his character off the pitch and the time he had both for professionals in the game and for supporters.

"Everyone at Wolves would like to extend their deepest condolences to Graham's wife, Jane, his sons, Ian and Richard and the rest of his family and friends."

Hawkins, who had been battling non-Hodgkin Lymphoma since 2009, will be honoured with a minute's applause at Molineux on Saturday before Wolves' encounter with Norwich City.