More Memries of Bolton

[grafikhaus]

Having been knocked out of the FA Cup at Bristol City last Friday (25th Jan.) and only drawing at home to Reading last night (29th Jan.) there is only one target left for Bolton – survival. These are grim times for Bolton with fans’ protests against owner Ken Anderson a regular feature and, at last night’s match, fans were furious when manager Phil Parkinson brought on 17 year-old substitute Luca Connell – followed 4 minutes later with a goal for Reading. Link>>>

Chris Wilder’s reign at Bramall Lane began with a 0-1 defeat at Bolton in Division One on August 6th 2016.

The last time we met The Trotters (Bolton, not Wednesday) was almost five months ago at The Bolton Polytechnic-Pretending-To-Be-A-University Stadium, Bolton on 25th August 2018. Goals by Duffy, Freeman and Fleck saw United gain three points in a 3-0 win.

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Our recent fixtures versus The Trotters are:


Full History of Blades v Bolton

On 30th December 2017, fast-fading United lost 0-1 at home to Bolton – a defeat which saw us drop to 6th place in The Championship. Some bloke called Gary Madine scored the only goal in Bolton’s first away win in 999 days…

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Prior to that, our most recent meeting was at the Macron Stadium on 12th September 2017 in The Championship where a goal by Carter-Vickers secured a 1-0 win for The Blades.

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[grafikhaus]

On 25th February 2017, The Blades were riding high in League One and closing in on promotion. Despite some pre-match trash-talk by ex-Wednesday player Gary Madine regarding Billy Sharp, Madine was mysteriously left out of the Bolton team. The Blades won 2-0 with both goals scored by Billy Sharp (1 pen.)

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Also worth a watch is a matchday vlog from an over-excitable Bolton fan.

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On 6th August 2016 (our promotion season), the opening-day fixture – and Chris Wilder’s first league game in charge – ended with a Bolton 0-1 win at the Macron Stadium.

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4th December 2016 saw a meeting at Bramall Lane in Round 2 of the FA Cup. Despite goals from Coutts and O’Connell, Bolton won this game 2-3 in front of just 7,027. This was Bolton’s second triumph over the Blades in the 2016-17 season.

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[grafikhaus]

On 11th November 2006, the two sides met in the Premier League at Bramall Lane 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. Then-Bolton manager Sam Allardyce reacted to his Galacticos only getting a point with his usual charm. Some interesting names in the Bolton team sheet that day:


…and Iván Campo came on as sub. for Bolton in the 76th minute.

(Non-English commentary)​

History:

A train puffs past, high above an open terrace. Burnden Park, home of Bolton Wanderers, 1952​

Bolton played at Burnden Park – about a mile from Bolton town centre since 1895. Some good stuff here (including the photo above). 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 one of the goals and where being showered by coins, rocks, half-bricks etc. was routine.

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:

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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.

To date, our League results against Bolton read:

Home: P: 56 W: 34 D: 10 L: 12 F: 127 A: 69

Away: P: 57 W: 10 D: 12 L: 35 F: 64 A: 118

League Table:

United sit in third place while Bolton are second-bottom with just 23 points from 29 games.

Not including Preston v Derby (playing Friday February 1st)

Full Championship Table

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[grafikhaus]

Form Guide:

Mirroring their league position, United are in third place:



…while Bolton have just five points from the last eighteen.


Not including Preston v Derby (playing Friday February 1st)

Full Championship Form Guide

Bolton Top Scorers:


Remember me?

Clayton Donaldson goes close for Wanderers in the first half of their 1-1 draw with Reading last night​

The Manager:

Phil Parkinson remains in charge at Bolton.

 

[SW12 to S12 to S18]

Looks like a W.D. Austerity 2-8-0.

 

[Silent Blade]

November 1961 Bolton 2 Blades 0

 

[SouthEssexBlade]

I was there the day Keith Edwards got his head almost kicked off, scoring what we thought was just a consolation goal. After the infamous Hull game at the end of the season (won 2-0, needed 3-0) it was the goal that took us up.

 

[TTMeysh]

I have a rather odd memory of the 4-0 win in 1989. I saw nearly all the home fixtures that season, but for some reason not this one. Worse, I was in the vicinity of Bramall Lane as the game was being played so could hear the cheering as we scored (including the double cheer for a successfully converted pen). It was torture. For the life of me I can't remember what kept me away from the game or why I was within cheering distance of BDTBL.

My brother told me that one of the away games at Burnden Park in the 80s had some of the worst crowd trouble that he'd seen up close: anyone shed any light on this?

 

[benn5712]

Hulse. Good player, and look what happened. Kaz Richards too, although he wasn't here long enough to get the best from him.

Went to the behead Edwards game. Very hostile afterwards but I didn't see owt first hand. Some Blades I'd known since schooldays had to get through the bother to catch train or coach. I'd gone on me tod so I offered them a lift. They readily declined.
Tells me summert dunnit ?

Went this season, my son's first away game. Blades in charge start to finish. Fleck. Brilliant (can we have him back ?)

 

[Sparky]

Another misleading thread title. I was hoping to get teary eyed at stories about Joe

Joe! Joe! Joe! Joe!

One for the kids!

 

[Silent Blade]

I have a rather odd memory of the 4-0 win in 1989. I saw nearly all the home fixtures that season, but for some reason not this one. Worse, I was in the vicinity of Bramall Lane as the game was being played so could hear the cheering as we scored (including the double cheer for a successfully converted pen). It was torture. For the life of me I can't remember what kept me away from the game or why I was within cheering distance of BDTBL.

Peter Barnes played for Bolton that day and showed his anger at being subbed by thumping the sub board being held by one of the Bolton backroom staff. Phil Neal was Boton's manager at the time

 

[Maidenhead]

Went to Bolton on the day of my stag do, 27 Aug 1977.

We lost 2-1 and there was lot's of aggro.

Stuff flying into our section of the ground from outside and being redirected to the main stand, before this I had been in a pub that locked it's doors when the United coaches arrived and saw scenes of complete carnage outside.

 

[grafikhaus]

Looks like a W.D. Austerity 2-8-0.

I thought it was a Bolton F.C. 2-3-5.

Went to Bolton on the day of my stag do, 27 Aug 1977.

We lost 2-1 and there was lot's of aggro.

Stuff flying into our section of the ground from outside and being redirected to the main stand, before this I had been in a pub that locked it's doors when the United coaches arrived and saw scenes of complete carnage outside.

Jeez! Where did you go for your honeymoon? Aleppo?