On 11th November 2006, the two sides met in the Premier League with the game ending in a 2-2 draw. United’s goals came from Rob Hulse and Colin Kazim-Richards in front of a crowd of 28,294. (Non-English commentary)
Bolton played at Burnden Park – about a mile from Bolton town centre since 1895. By 1992 the club's directors had decided that it would be difficult to convert Burnden Park into an all-seater stadium for a club of Bolton's ambition, as the Taylor Report required all first- and second-tier clubs to do. A decision was made to build an out of town stadium in the suburb of Horwich, with the eventual location chosen 5 miles due west of the town centre. The stadium opened in August 1997, as a modern, all-seater stadium with a capacity of around 29,000. In recognition of the club's former ground the stadium stands on "Burnden Way". It has four stands, though the lower tier seating is one continuous bowl. It was originally known as the
Reebok Stadium after long-time team sponsor, Reebok. This was initially unpopular with many fans, as it was considered impersonal, and that too much emphasis was being placed on financial considerations. This opposition considerably lessened since the stadium was built. In April 2014, the stadium was renamed as part of a four-year deal with new sponsors Macron sportswear.
The old Burnden Park, although charismatic, was a shithole where home and away fans shared a large open terrace behind on of the goals and where being showered by coins, rocks, half-bricks etc. was routine.
Both Bolton the town and Bolton the team are throwbacks to a bygone age. Think Royston Vasey on a bad day.
My earliest recollection of games versus Bolton came on 14th January, 1978. In a League Division Two game at Bramall Lane, Bolton beat ‘Happy’ Harry Haslam’s Blades 1-5. Back then, both home and away fans ‘shared’ the all-standing lower tier of the Bramall Lane stand. When one of Bolton’s goals went in, a mass fight broke out (think the final scene in ‘Blazing Saddles’!) The fighting continued all the way back to Midland Station with a spectacular ‘ambush’ of the Bolton coaches on waste ground that would eventually become Ponds Forge.
A memorable FA Cup third round tie in 1963 was postponed many times due to a very
severe winter. Here’s the programme:
As you’ll see, the cover was overprinted with ‘finally played Wednesday 20th February, 1963’, but then they added ‘Or so we thought until one hour beforehand’. And then…
‘AT LAST! Wed. 6th March…’ The original date was 5th January
so a delay of over 2 months. The Blades finally won the tie 3-1.
Ones to watch:
The odious
Gary Madine (see here leaving court – again) is Bolton’s top scorer with seven goals.
Next highest – with three goals – is
Sammy Ameobi, currently on loan from Newcastle.
the ex-Blades goalie – occasionally features and another ex-pig who plays for the Trotters is
Mark Beevers.
Form Guide:
Based on the last six league games, Bolton are currently 16th and United are 19th.
Full list.
To date, our League results against Bolton read:
Home: P: 55 W: 34 D: 10 L: 11 F: 127 A: 68
Away: P: 56 W: 9 D: 12 L: 35 F: 61 A: 118
anyone go??
