The Official Bristol City v Bolton Wanderers Match Day Thread

[havanatopia]

Good morning one and all.

Bolton, 'Supera Moras' or 'overcome difficulties' is the Town's motto from as early as the 14th century when it was called Bolton-super-Moras. Flemish weavers helped to ensure Bolton became a thoroughbred boomtown when they arrived introducing the weaving of cotton and wool and at its zenith in 1929 the town had over 200 mills. Sadly it has largely been all down hill ever since. And now the turn of the football team.

Death is a fact of life, that much we do know. Bolton's graveyards are filled with the burial stone evidence of its illustrious past; a source of history and inspiration. These hallowed grounds are the final resting places of a successful Bolton, the town, and how it dominated a very important part of our industrial revolution. Crompton, Hargreaves and Arkwright to name a few. That industrial past was the enabler that gave the town the football team, one of the original 12 founder members. They have, however, never won the top flight title and have spent the longest number of seasons, more than any other team, trying to do it, about 72 seasons. The decline of milling, the huge hemorrhaging of jobs that resulted was largely mirrored by the fall from grace of Bolton the team. They fell out of the top flight in the early sixties and, apart from a two year stay at the end of the 1970's *, it was not until the Premiership came along that Bolton's route back was, perhaps, made a little more straightforward. They soon became the see-saw team however; promoted in 1995 they made an automatic return to level 2 at the end of the season but then bounced straight back but again were relegated after just one season not returning for 3 years with Sam Allardyce taking them up. 

That Bolton started living beyond its means is self evident but when it happened requires further investigation. I suspect it was during this rather successful and elongated 11 seasons when the team repeatedly seemed to defy the odds. Overstating the achievement of the team under the reign of Sam Allardyce would be hard. I recall reading Sam's remarks in his last season with Bolton; He said he asked Phil Gartside to loosen the cheque book to enable Bolton to push for a place in Europe. The answer was no, Sam walked and the rest is history.

On one hand Phil Gartside was probably right to say no to Sam given the fact that while entering Europe may mean glory it does not provide the proverbial cash cow that Premier League prize money does. On the other hand he must have known he risked losing the best manager the club had had probably since the 1950's. And so the precipitous fall began. 

Bolton Wanderers are just another sad example of how the Sky deal has created greed or irresponsibility or poor judgement. Or, perhaps, a combination of all three. And maybe the inevitability of their looming relegation to the third tier is merely a consequence of the new paradigm of football. One where the false sense of security derived by such riches can be a poisoned chalice and only shrewd operators with genuinely large scale fan bases and the ability to grow them in a sustainable and long standing manner can survive in the long term. Bolton may find in the future, and not just now, how this new playing field will affect them by being squeezed from all sides of an overcrowded football conurbation that is Greater Manchester. In short, they may very well find that their chance of playing with the big boys has now gone for at least a generation. I suspect we might see another change of ownership at Bolton in the fairly near future.

None of my rather depressing thoughts for Bolton and indeed the wider game of football will make an iota of difference on the pitch today however when I suspect the once grand old club from old Lancashire will be tough opposition. In spite of that I think we will win.

For those who want reminding of the thread in Bolton earlier this season here is the link:-

* In Bolton's first game back in the top flight since 1964 they won, at Burnden Park. No points for guessing why they played... Us. They won 2-1 on August 19th, 1978.

Interestingly we played them in the reverse fixture less than two months later, on November 11th, with a far more favourable outcome; we thrashed them 4-1. And in fact our record against Bolton, won 25, drawn 16 and lost 17, is rather decent.

For those of you who have time over a morning coffee, toast and thick cut marmalade here is that match from November 1979. 

Come on City fans... inspire the 11 on the pitch today to win by that sort of classy margin.. don't you just love hearing those City names all over again? It is never tiring for me. UTC.

 

[BigAl&Toby]

I went there once. Nearly 20 years ago. Mid week game. A soul less windswept place in the middle of nowhere.

Big win today. 6 more points on the Johnson trip to safety 

[havanatopia]

Just noticed Peter Reid playing and crocked near the end. He'll be in the dug out today.

Correction: - we WON at Bolton on that first match day in 1978.. but i cannot correct it now.

Edited March 19, 2016 by havanatopia

[Marina's Rolls Royce]

Bolton not winning away in the league. Club in deep trouble. Caretaker Manager in charge of first match after  a long winless run. City at home.

What could possibly go wrong?

[pongo88]

Havana - As ever,  pure joy to read your excellent prose. Just one question. You mentioned "Hargreaves and Arkwright". Is this an earlier version of the financial services company, Hargreaves Lansdown" and if so why did Steve Lansdown leave Bolton to set up with Peter Hargreaves in Bristol?

[Garland-sweden]

Let the good time roll. 2-0 City. Always Believe. COYR!!!

[havanatopia]

43 minutes ago, Marina's Rolls Royce said:

Bolton not winning away in the league. Club in deep trouble. Caretaker Manager in charge of first match after  a long winless run. City at home.

What could possibly go wrong?

I know Rolls... It has banana skin written all over it which is why the players should watch the video of us thrashing them in 1978 as a bit of extra inspiration

Edited March 19, 2016 by havanatopia

[BigTone]

2 hours ago, havanatopia said:

Good morning one and all.

Bolton, 'Supera Moras' or 'overcome difficulties' is the Town's motto from as early as the 14th century when it was called Bolton-super-Moras. Flemish weavers helped to ensure Bolton became a thoroughbred boomtown when they arrived introducing the weaving of cotton and wool and at its zenith in 1929 the town had over 200 mills. Sadly it has largely been all down hill ever since. And now the turn of the football team.

Death is a fact of life, that much we do know. Bolton's graveyards are filled with the burial stone evidence of its illustrious past; a source of history and inspiration. These hallowed grounds are the final resting places of a successful Bolton, the town, and how it dominated a very important part of our industrial revolution. Crompton, Hargreaves and Arkwright to name a few. That industrial past was the enabler that gave the town the football team, one of the original 12 founder members. They have, however, never won the top flight title and have spent the longest number of seasons, more than any other team, trying to do it, about 72 seasons. The decline of milling, the huge hemorrhaging of jobs that resulted was largely mirrored by the fall from grace of Bolton the team. They fell out of the top flight in the early sixties and, apart from a two year stay at the end of the 1970's *, it was not until the Premiership came along that Bolton's route back was, perhaps, made a little more straightforward. They soon became the see-saw team however; promoted in 1995 they made an automatic return to level 2 at the end of the season but then bounced straight back but again were relegated after just one season not returning for 3 years with Sam Allardyce taking them up. 

That Bolton started living beyond its means is self evident but when it happened requires further investigation. I suspect it was during this rather successful and elongated 11 seasons when the team repeatedly seemed to defy the odds. Overstating the achievement of the team under the reign of Sam Allardyce would be hard. I recall reading Sam's remarks in his last season with Bolton; He said he asked Phil Gartside to loosen the cheque book to enable Bolton to push for a place in Europe. The answer was no, Sam walked and the rest is history.

On one hand Phil Gartside was probably right to say no to Sam given the fact that while entering Europe may mean glory it does not provide the proverbial cash cow that Premier League prize money does. On the other hand he must have known he risked losing the best manager the club had had probably since the 1950's. And so the precipitous fall began. 

Bolton Wanderers are just another sad example of how the Sky deal has created greed or irresponsibility or poor judgement. Or, perhaps, a combination of all three. And maybe the inevitability of their looming relegation to the third tier is merely a consequence of the new paradigm of football. One where the false sense of security derived by such riches can be a poisoned chalice and only shrewd operators with genuinely large scale fan bases and the ability to grow them in a sustainable and long standing manner can survive in the long term. Bolton may find in the future, and not just now, how this new playing field will affect them by being squeezed from all sides of an overcrowded football conurbation that is Greater Manchester. In short, they may very well find that their chance of playing with the big boys has now gone for at least a generation. I suspect we might see another change of ownership at Bolton in the fairly near future.

None of my rather depressing thoughts for Bolton and indeed the wider game of football will make an iota of difference on the pitch today however when I suspect the once grand old club from old Lancashire will be tough opposition. In spite of that I think we will win.

For those who want reminding of the thread in Bolton earlier this season here is the link:-

* In Bolton's first game back in the top flight since 1964 they won, at Burnden Park. No points for guessing why they played... Us. They won 2-1 on August 19th, 1978.

Interestingly we played them in the reverse fixture less than two months later, on November 11th, with a far more favourable outcome; we thrashed them 4-1. And in fact our record against Bolton, won 25, drawn 16 and lost 17, is rather decent.

For those of you who have time over a morning coffee, toast and thick cut marmalade here is that match from November 1979. 

Come on City fans... inspire the 11 on the pitch today to win by that sort of classy margin.. don't you just love hearing those City names all over again? It is never tiring for me. UTC.

 

Another masterpiece

[BigTone]

2 hours ago, havanatopia said:

Good morning one and all.

Bolton, 'Supera Moras' or 'overcome difficulties' is the Town's motto from as early as the 14th century when it was called Bolton-super-Moras. Flemish weavers helped to ensure Bolton became a thoroughbred boomtown when they arrived introducing the weaving of cotton and wool and at its zenith in 1929 the town had over 200 mills. Sadly it has largely been all down hill ever since. And now the turn of the football team.

Death is a fact of life, that much we do know. Bolton's graveyards are filled with the burial stone evidence of its illustrious past; a source of history and inspiration. These hallowed grounds are the final resting places of a successful Bolton, the town, and how it dominated a very important part of our industrial revolution. Crompton, Hargreaves and Arkwright to name a few. That industrial past was the enabler that gave the town the football team, one of the original 12 founder members. They have, however, never won the top flight title and have spent the longest number of seasons, more than any other team, trying to do it, about 72 seasons. The decline of milling, the huge hemorrhaging of jobs that resulted was largely mirrored by the fall from grace of Bolton the team. They fell out of the top flight in the early sixties and, apart from a two year stay at the end of the 1970's *, it was not until the Premiership came along that Bolton's route back was, perhaps, made a little more straightforward. They soon became the see-saw team however; promoted in 1995 they made an automatic return to level 2 at the end of the season but then bounced straight back but again were relegated after just one season not returning for 3 years with Sam Allardyce taking them up. 

That Bolton started living beyond its means is self evident but when it happened requires further investigation. I suspect it was during this rather successful and elongated 11 seasons when the team repeatedly seemed to defy the odds. Overstating the achievement of the team under the reign of Sam Allardyce would be hard. I recall reading Sam's remarks in his last season with Bolton; He said he asked Phil Gartside to loosen the cheque book to enable Bolton to push for a place in Europe. The answer was no, Sam walked and the rest is history.

On one hand Phil Gartside was probably right to say no to Sam given the fact that while entering Europe may mean glory it does not provide the proverbial cash cow that Premier League prize money does. On the other hand he must have known he risked losing the best manager the club had had probably since the 1950's. And so the precipitous fall began. 

Bolton Wanderers are just another sad example of how the Sky deal has created greed or irresponsibility or poor judgement. Or, perhaps, a combination of all three. And maybe the inevitability of their looming relegation to the third tier is merely a consequence of the new paradigm of football. One where the false sense of security derived by such riches can be a poisoned chalice and only shrewd operators with genuinely large scale fan bases and the ability to grow them in a sustainable and long standing manner can survive in the long term. Bolton may find in the future, and not just now, how this new playing field will affect them by being squeezed from all sides of an overcrowded football conurbation that is Greater Manchester. In short, they may very well find that their chance of playing with the big boys has now gone for at least a generation. I suspect we might see another change of ownership at Bolton in the fairly near future.

None of my rather depressing thoughts for Bolton and indeed the wider game of football will make an iota of difference on the pitch today however when I suspect the once grand old club from old Lancashire will be tough opposition. In spite of that I think we will win.

For those who want reminding of the thread in Bolton earlier this season here is the link:-

* In Bolton's first game back in the top flight since 1964 they won, at Burnden Park. No points for guessing why they played... Us. They won 2-1 on August 19th, 1978.

Interestingly we played them in the reverse fixture less than two months later, on November 11th, with a far more favourable outcome; we thrashed them 4-1. And in fact our record against Bolton, won 25, drawn 16 and lost 17, is rather decent.

For those of you who have time over a morning coffee, toast and thick cut marmalade here is that match from November 1979. 

Come on City fans... inspire the 11 on the pitch today to win by that sort of classy margin.. don't you just love hearing those City names all over again? It is never tiring for me. UTC.

 

Condensed Version

Bolton

Town full of Flem, infested blisters, dead people & a broke football team

Edited March 19, 2016 by BigTone

[Aizoon]

Bolton. Town that used to be a prominent shithole, but lost its status in 2009 and has so far failed to regain that lofty position. 

[Son of Fred]

2 hours ago, havanatopia said:

Good morning one and all.

Bolton, 'Supera Moras' or 'overcome difficulties' is the Town's motto from as early as the 14th century when it was called Bolton-super-Moras. Flemish weavers helped to ensure Bolton became a thoroughbred boomtown when they arrived introducing the weaving of cotton and wool and at its zenith in 1929 the town had over 200 mills. Sadly it has largely been all down hill ever since. And now the turn of the football team.

Death is a fact of life, that much we do know. Bolton's graveyards are filled with the burial stone evidence of its illustrious past; a source of history and inspiration. These hallowed grounds are the final resting places of a successful Bolton, the town, and how it dominated a very important part of our industrial revolution. Crompton, Hargreaves and Arkwright to name a few. That industrial past was the enabler that gave the town the football team, one of the original 12 founder members. They have, however, never won the top flight title and have spent the longest number of seasons, more than any other team, trying to do it, about 72 seasons. The decline of milling, the huge hemorrhaging of jobs that resulted was largely mirrored by the fall from grace of Bolton the team. They fell out of the top flight in the early sixties and, apart from a two year stay at the end of the 1970's *, it was not until the Premiership came along that Bolton's route back was, perhaps, made a little more straightforward. They soon became the see-saw team however; promoted in 1995 they made an automatic return to level 2 at the end of the season but then bounced straight back but again were relegated after just one season not returning for 3 years with Sam Allardyce taking them up. 

That Bolton started living beyond its means is self evident but when it happened requires further investigation. I suspect it was during this rather successful and elongated 11 seasons when the team repeatedly seemed to defy the odds. Overstating the achievement of the team under the reign of Sam Allardyce would be hard. I recall reading Sam's remarks in his last season with Bolton; He said he asked Phil Gartside to loosen the cheque book to enable Bolton to push for a place in Europe. The answer was no, Sam walked and the rest is history.

On one hand Phil Gartside was probably right to say no to Sam given the fact that while entering Europe may mean glory it does not provide the proverbial cash cow that Premier League prize money does. On the other hand he must have known he risked losing the best manager the club had had probably since the 1950's. And so the precipitous fall began. 

Bolton Wanderers are just another sad example of how the Sky deal has created greed or irresponsibility or poor judgement. Or, perhaps, a combination of all three. And maybe the inevitability of their looming relegation to the third tier is merely a consequence of the new paradigm of football. One where the false sense of security derived by such riches can be a poisoned chalice and only shrewd operators with genuinely large scale fan bases and the ability to grow them in a sustainable and long standing manner can survive in the long term. Bolton may find in the future, and not just now, how this new playing field will affect them by being squeezed from all sides of an overcrowded football conurbation that is Greater Manchester. In short, they may very well find that their chance of playing with the big boys has now gone for at least a generation. I suspect we might see another change of ownership at Bolton in the fairly near future.

None of my rather depressing thoughts for Bolton and indeed the wider game of football will make an iota of difference on the pitch today however when I suspect the once grand old club from old Lancashire will be tough opposition. In spite of that I think we will win.

For those who want reminding of the thread in Bolton earlier this season here is the link:-

* In Bolton's first game back in the top flight since 1964 they won, at Burnden Park. No points for guessing why they played... Us. They won 2-1 on August 19th, 1978.

Interestingly we played them in the reverse fixture less than two months later, on November 11th, with a far more favourable outcome; we thrashed them 4-1. And in fact our record against Bolton, won 25, drawn 16 and lost 17, is rather decent.

For those of you who have time over a morning coffee, toast and thick cut marmalade here is that match from November 1979. 

Come on City fans... inspire the 11 on the pitch today to win by that sort of classy margin.. don't you just love hearing those City names all over again? It is never tiring for me. UTC.

 

Was there with my old fella that day in the open end........oh yesterday,leave me alone.

[Atyeo's Love Child]

At that game, but only very young... the only player I don't remember is the number 10.

Did the commentator say John Vaine?

[bobbyhutchscurlymullet]

Bristol City, nuts are we

We've all been to Wember-ley,

We showed Bolton what to do,

We scored 3, Riley got 2,

Scored a goal and went back........

(next line not very PC!)

[ciderbeans]

Everything points to a win for us which is why it's worth sticking money on a Bolton win and we have a knack of buffering the easiest things up

[cidered abroad]

2 hours ago, pongo88 said:

Havana - As ever,  pure joy to read your excellent prose. Just one question. You mentioned "Hargreaves and Arkwright". Is this an earlier version of the financial services company, Hargreaves Lansdown" and if so why did Steve Lansdown leave Bolton to set up with Peter Hargreaves in Bristol?

Trouble at mill?

[Ryan_BCFC]

Must win game today against a poor Bolton side. Come on City!!!

[cheshire_red]

NOTLOB as known by Lancashire Rivals perhaps referring to a backwards Town.

Edited March 19, 2016 by cheshire_red

[EstoniaTallinnRed]

4 hours ago, havanatopia said:

Good morning one and all.

Bolton, 'Supera Moras' or 'overcome difficulties' is the Town's motto from as early as the 14th century when it was called Bolton-super-Moras. Flemish weavers helped to ensure Bolton became a thoroughbred boomtown when they arrived introducing the weaving of cotton and wool and at its zenith in 1929 the town had over 200 mills. Sadly it has largely been all down hill ever since. And now the turn of the football team.

Death is a fact of life, that much we do know. Bolton's graveyards are filled with the burial stone evidence of its illustrious past; a source of history and inspiration. These hallowed grounds are the final resting places of a successful Bolton, the town, and how it dominated a very important part of our industrial revolution. Crompton, Hargreaves and Arkwright to name a few. That industrial past was the enabler that gave the town the football team, one of the original 12 founder members. They have, however, never won the top flight title and have spent the longest number of seasons, more than any other team, trying to do it, about 72 seasons. The decline of milling, the huge hemorrhaging of jobs that resulted was largely mirrored by the fall from grace of Bolton the team. They fell out of the top flight in the early sixties and, apart from a two year stay at the end of the 1970's *, it was not until the Premiership came along that Bolton's route back was, perhaps, made a little more straightforward. They soon became the see-saw team however; promoted in 1995 they made an automatic return to level 2 at the end of the season but then bounced straight back but again were relegated after just one season not returning for 3 years with Sam Allardyce taking them up. 

That Bolton started living beyond its means is self evident but when it happened requires further investigation. I suspect it was during this rather successful and elongated 11 seasons when the team repeatedly seemed to defy the odds. Overstating the achievement of the team under the reign of Sam Allardyce would be hard. I recall reading Sam's remarks in his last season with Bolton; He said he asked Phil Gartside to loosen the cheque book to enable Bolton to push for a place in Europe. The answer was no, Sam walked and the rest is history.

On one hand Phil Gartside was probably right to say no to Sam given the fact that while entering Europe may mean glory it does not provide the proverbial cash cow that Premier League prize money does. On the other hand he must have known he risked losing the best manager the club had had probably since the 1950's. And so the precipitous fall began. 

Bolton Wanderers are just another sad example of how the Sky deal has created greed or irresponsibility or poor judgement. Or, perhaps, a combination of all three. And maybe the inevitability of their looming relegation to the third tier is merely a consequence of the new paradigm of football. One where the false sense of security derived by such riches can be a poisoned chalice and only shrewd operators with genuinely large scale fan bases and the ability to grow them in a sustainable and long standing manner can survive in the long term. Bolton may find in the future, and not just now, how this new playing field will affect them by being squeezed from all sides of an overcrowded football conurbation that is Greater Manchester. In short, they may very well find that their chance of playing with the big boys has now gone for at least a generation. I suspect we might see another change of ownership at Bolton in the fairly near future.

None of my rather depressing thoughts for Bolton and indeed the wider game of football will make an iota of difference on the pitch today however when I suspect the once grand old club from old Lancashire will be tough opposition. In spite of that I think we will win.

For those who want reminding of the thread in Bolton earlier this season here is the link:-

* In Bolton's first game back in the top flight since 1964 they won, at Burnden Park. No points for guessing why they played... Us. They won 2-1 on August 19th, 1978.

Interestingly we played them in the reverse fixture less than two months later, on November 11th, with a far more favourable outcome; we thrashed them 4-1. And in fact our record against Bolton, won 25, drawn 16 and lost 17, is rather decent.

For those of you who have time over a morning coffee, toast and thick cut marmalade here is that match from November 1979. 

Come on City fans... inspire the 11 on the pitch today to win by that sort of classy margin.. don't you just love hearing those City names all over again? It is never tiring for me. UTC.

 

I was there, was great to see Royle score two after a barren spell, those were the days!

[Offside]

It's a very winnable game today, but I hope our players aren't complacent. A performance like the ones against Cardiff or the 1st half at Fulham and we could easily become unstuck.

Wish I didn't always feel so worried before each game!

[havanatopia]

25 minutes ago, Offside said:

It's a very winnable game today, but I hope our players aren't complacent. A performance like the ones against Cardiff or the 1st half at Fulham and we could easily become unstuck.

Wish I didn't always feel so worried before each game!

Time machine yourself back to last season; works for me every time.

[Aizoon]

10 minutes ago, Tomarse said:

Just saw the Bolton squad coming out the double tree Hilton at Yatton. Good to see they are keeping the costs down 

That's it then. They'll have been out on the lash in the nightclubs of Yatton. Put your houses on City, guys...

[Nogbad the Bad]

We haven't scored more than 2 at AG in any game this season, and only scored 2 four times in those 19 games.

We've failed to score in 4 of our last 5 home games.

Surely high time for City fans to enjoy watching a cascade of goals nestling in the opposition net, be celebrating an unassailable lead by half time with huge smiles all round in the concourse, and being able to relax in the 2nd half?

It's a home game against the bottom club after all.

Or will Bolton go ahead, with furrowed brows, fixed scowls and near silence in the agitated h/t queues, and we endure a long miserable 2nd half struggle trying to get a point?

Can't be too confident with our miserable home record, but come on City, just do it.

 

 

 

[reddogkev]

5 hours ago, havanatopia said:

Good morning one and all.

Bolton, 'Supera Moras' or 'overcome difficulties' is the Town's motto from as early as the 14th century when it was called Bolton-super-Moras. Flemish weavers helped to ensure Bolton became a thoroughbred boomtown when they arrived introducing the weaving of cotton and wool and at its zenith in 1929 the town had over 200 mills. Sadly it has largely been all down hill ever since. And now the turn of the football team.

Fantastic intro to the thread, with some classic detail as ever, Hava.  Well done, sir.

In my book, City absolutely have to win today - a point at home to the team dead at the bottom would be a massive disappointment and leave us all despondent before the Easter break.

I'm sure City will oblige us and win the game 2-0.

COME ON YOU REDSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

[Davefevs]

2 hours ago, Atyeo's Love Child said:

At that game, but only very young... the only player I don't remember is the number 10.

Did the commentator say John Vaine?

John Bain.

[Nogbad the Bad]

3 minutes ago, Tomarse said:

Don't think we've scored more than two goals home OR away this season have we?  3-1 will do me fine 

No we haven't.

Fair enough to expect 3 (or more) at home at least once in a season.

Hopefully today's the day. 

[robin_unreliant]

I recall one poster being so confident we would win at Fulham that he/she planned to put their total profit from this season's bets on city. 

Would be interested to hear if you actually went through with it and whether you would do the same today.

 

[Aizoon]

1 minute ago, Tomarse said:

Getting hammered on vibe till 3am 

Very prolly. Then on to the Yatton Striparama  

[BigTone]

29 minutes ago, Aizoon said:

Very prolly. Then on to the Yatton Striparama  

Then Kenn Moor for a bit of night fishing and a visit to the Blue Flame

[bristolcitysweden]

Any signs of cameras down the gate?

[bristolcitysweden]

**** BREXIT