Bolton Wanderers FC
Bolton Wanderers F.C. are an English professional football club. They are currently in the FA Premier League. In 2005–06 they participated in European competition for the first time but were knocked out of the UEFA Cup in the round of 32 by Marseille.
Bolton play at the Reebok Stadium, Bolton, Lancashire. They moved there in 1997. Their former home was Burnden Park. Wanderers' President is Nat Lofthouse and their manager is Sam Allardyce. Their other personnel include, Sammy Lee (assistant manager) and Ricky Sbragia (first team coach).
History
Early history
Bolton Wanderers was founded in 1874, originally named Christ Church FC. They were one of the original 12 founder members of the Football League. Having remained in the Football League since its formation, Bolton have spent more time in the top flight (FA Premier League/old First Division) than out of it.
Bolton reached two FA Cup finals on March 31, 1894 losing 4-1 to Notts County at Goodison Park and on April 23, 1904 losing 1-0 to local rivals Manchester City at Crystal Palace before they won at their third attempt on April 28, 1923 beating West Ham United 2-0 in the first ever Wembley final. Bolton's centre-forward, David Jack scored the first ever goal at Wembley Stadium. They became the most successful cup side of the twenties, also winning in 1926 and 1929.
Bolton Wanderers have not won a major trophy since 1958, when two Nat Lofthouse goals saw them overcome Manchester United in the FA Cup final in front of a 100,000 crowd at Wembley. The closest they have come to winning a major trophy since then is finishing runners-up in the League Cup, first in 1995 and again in 2004.
At the end of the 1986–87 season, Bolton Wanderers suffered relegation to the Fourth Division for the first time in their history. But the board kept faith in manager Phil Neal and they won promotion back to the Third Division at the first attempt. Neal remained in charge until the summer of 1992 when he made way for Bruce Rioch, who a few years earlier had won two successive promotions with Middlesbrough.
Bolton in the Premiership
Bolton reached the Premiership in 1995, under the management of Bruce Rioch, thanks to a victory over Reading in the Division One playoff final. After being 2–0 down at half time, two goals from Bolton in the final 15 minutes of the game forced extra time and they went on to win 4-3 and return to top division football after a 15-year exile. They had been on the losing side at Wembley a few weeks earlier, having lost 2-1 to Liverpool in the League Cup final.
Rioch left to take charge at Arsenal after the promotion success. He was replaced by Derby County manager Roy McFarland, who was joined by his former assistant Colin Todd. Bolton were bottom for virtually all of the 1995–96 Premiership campaign and despite several new signings, Bolton dismissed McFarland on New Year's Day 1996 and appointed Todd in his place. Todd was unable to save Bolton from relegation but the board kept faith in him.
The Bolton board's loyalty in Todd was rewarded when they won promotion back to the Premiership at the first attempt thanks to a season in which they achieved 98 league points and 100 goals in the process of securing the Division One Championship.
A second relegation
Bolton were relegated on goal difference at the end of the 1997–98 Premiership campaign, going down to Division One with the previous season's other two promoted sides—Barnsley and Crystal Palace. Bolton reached the 1999 Division One playoff final but lost to Watford. Colin Todd resigned as manager soon after and was replaced by Notts County's Sam Allardyce.
1999–2000 brought disappointment for Bolton under their new manager, they lost in the semi finals of the Division One playoffs, the League Cup and the FA Cup. But in 2000–01 Sam Allardyce and his team got it right by beating Preston North End 3-0 in the Division One playoff final.
Staying up
Bolton went top of the Premiership after winning their first three games of the 2001-02 season, but failed to keep up their winning ways and wallowed away to 16th place in the final table - just enough to secure their first-ever Premiership survival, and their first top flight survival since 1979.
Bolton struggled throughout 2002-03 but managed to stay up after winning their final game of the season and condemning West Ham United to relegation. In 2003-04, Bolton enjoyed their best season for some 50 years. They finished eighth in the Premiership and reached the League Cup final, losing 2-0 to Middlesbrough. But Bolton had finished much higher than most pundits had predicted them to finish when the season began.
Qualification for Europe
Bolton's impressive progress continued in 2004-05 and they secured an impressive sixth place finish - equal on points with European champions Liverpool - and qualified for European competition (the UEFA Cup) for the first time in their history. Bolton's recent renaissance continued into 2005-06 and they look certain to achieve another top-10 finish - possibly even another UEFA Cup place. These performances have seen Sam Allardyce's name constantly linked to the England manager's job, which will become vacant after the 2006 World Cup when Sven Goran Eriksson steps down.
Cup history
Bolton Wanderers were the first team to win the FA Cup at Wembley Stadium, beating West Ham United 2-0 in 1923 in what would be remembered as the White Horse Final.
They also won the FA Cup in 1926, 1929, and 1958.
In 1993 Bolton Wanderers beat FA Cup holders Liverpool 2-0 in a third round replay.
In 1994 Bolton Wanderers beat FA Cup holders Arsenal 3-1 in a fourth round replay, and went on to reach the Quarter Finals, bowing out 1-0 at home to local rivals Oldham Athletic.
In 2000 Bolton Wanderers reached the Semi Finals of the FA Cup at Wembley but were defeated by Aston Villa in a penalty shoot-out. Record-signing Dean Holdsworth scored his penalty but Allan Johnston and Michael Johansen saw their efforts saved by England goalkeeper David James.
Honours
FA Cup (4) - 1923, 1926, 1929, 1958
FA Cup runners up - 1894, 1904, 1953
League Cup runners up - 1995, 2004
Football League War Cup North - 1945
Football League War Cup - 1945
FA Charity Shield - 1958
Second Tier - Football League First Division Champions - 1997, Football League Second Division Champions - 1909, 1978
Third Tier - Division Three Champions - 1973
Sherpa Van Trophy Winners - 1989
Freight Rover Trophy runners up - 1986
Lancashire Cup winners - 1886, 1891, 1912, 1922, 1925, 1927, 1932, 1934, 1948, 1988, 1990
Central League Champions (reserves) - 1955, 1995
FA Premier League Asia Trophy - 2005
Memorable Games
1953 FA Cup Final vs. Blackpool - argued as the most exciting Cup Final ever. Bolton led for the majority of the game, but Blackpool eventually came from behind to beat the Trotters 4-3.
1958 FA Cup Final vs. Manchester United. - having suffered the Munich Tragedy which claimed many members of Matt Busby's team, United reached the final, only to lose to Bolton with two goals from Nat Lofthouse.
1993 FA Cup 3rd round replay vs. Liverpool - this game really kicked off Bolton's resurgence under Bruce Rioch. Having drawn at home, Bolton went to Anfield to beat the holders of the FA Cup, goals from Andy Walker and John McGinlay.
1993 Division 3 vs. Preston NE - a tense game, the teams separated by a penalty from John McGinlay which sent Bolton back to Division 2 (now the Championship/Division 1) for the first time since their fall from grace in the early 1980s.
1995 League Cup semi final (2nd Leg) vs. Swindon Town - Bolton love their cup games! Having lost the away leg, Bolton fell further behind in the second half of the Burnden leg before Jason McAteer and Mixu Paatelainen leveled the game for John McGinlay to poach the winner with five minutes remaining
1995 Division 1 Play Off Final vs. Reading - a true epic. Having gone 2-0 down in the first 15 minutes, Bolton saved a penalty before half time, then leveled the game in the second half with goals from Owen Coyle and Fabian De Freitas. Mixu Paatelainen and De Freitas with a second put Bolton 4-2 ahead in extra time before Reading gained a late consolation. This game earned Bolton promotion back to the top flight for the first time since 1979.
2001 Bolton beat Preston North End F.C. 3-0 at the Millennium Stadium in the division 1 Play off final.
2004 Bolton were beaten 2-1 by Middlesbrough F.C. to become runners up in the Carling Cup for the 2nd time in 9 years.
Colours and badge
Bolton Wanderers' home colours are white with navy trim, with white shorts. Their current away kit colours are navy. Bolton did not always wear the white kit they do today, in 1884 they wore white with red spots.
The Bolton Wanderers club badge consists of the initials of the club in the shape of a ball, with red and blue ribbons beneath.
New stadium
After 102 years at Burnden Park, Bolton Wanderers relocated to the new 28,700-seater Reebok Stadium (named after the club's long-term sponsors) which was completed six miles away near the Bolton township of Horwich for the 1997–98 season. It has so far staged Premier League football for six of the last nine seasons.