Bolton Wanderers Football Club

Bolton is part of the clubs that were playing in the first English’s championship. It was in 1888 when the Premier League was called Football League. The club was created on August 28, 1877. It is the product of a club called FC Turton created in 1871 and bought back by the Christ Church School who created then Christ Church FC. Three years later, the club will become Bolton Wanderers FC. The name of Wanderers was chosen because at that time the club didn’t own any pitch. The team were playing randomly on land Park Recreation Ground, Cockle's Field and Pike's Lake Ground before finally set at Burnden Parkin 1895.

The club got its professional status in 1880 and then joined the League since its start in 1888.

The 20’s – Golden Age

Despite his history and his pioneering role Bolton has never won the Championship in England. However Bolton won the National Cup several times and more specifically the FA Cup. In the 20’s Bolton was even a specialist as they won three trophies during this decade. Previously the club had reached the finals in 1894 and 1904. A few decades later Bolton won another Cup in 1958 facing Manchester Utd (same year as the Munich disaster).

29 years in a row in the elite

After the successful period of the 20’s during which Bolton will inaugurate the Wembley stadium on April 28, 1923 by winning the FA Cup, the club will be relegated then regained its place among the elite in 1935. He didn’t leave the Premier League for the next 29 seasons. Throughout these years a player will become a club’s legend. Between 1946 and 1961 Nat Lofthouse became the best scorer in the history of the club with a total of 255 goals. Record is still in place.

The years "lifts"

The following years will be less bright for Bolton. In 1965 the club is relegated to the Second League and will alternate between the 1st 2nd and 3 rd division for another few years. The club will even be relegated to Division Four at the end of the season 86-87.

The club goes up the slope

After this past season in the depths of English professional football, the club made a come back and was present in the elite at the time of the creation of the current Premier League. But Bolton stayed only one season and started going back and forth between the Premier League and the Division One before settling permanently in the Premier League since 2001 after a victory in play-off facing Preston 3-0.

Sam Allardyce

Sam Allardyce arrived from Notts County early in the season 99-00. He is a retired player who played for Bolton since he was 15 in 1969. Since its first season at Bolton he leads the team in the semi-finals of the FA Cup and League Cup. The next season will be good for "Big Sam" and his team. They finished 3rd and played the play-offs against West Brom in the semi-finals and beat Preston in the final at Cardiff Millennium. Bolton regains its spot in the Premier League.
The manager then puts in place a new policy. Unlike its predecessors, Sam Allardyce will bring in experienced players who have experience at the top level. With experience British players as well, the Trotters manager puts in place a team which will become one of the strongest formations of the Premier and one of the most cosmopolitan. Players like Djorkaeff, Ivan Campo, Fernando Hierro, El-Hadji Diouf, Bruno N'Gotty, Gary Speed and Greek Giannakopolous and pearl Nigerian Jay-Jay Okaocha will arrive to help Davies Nolan or other high hopes club’s player. Sam Allardyce will over the years shaped his team, giving him his own style, and bring it to the 6th place of the Premier League in 2004-2005 giving them the right to compete in the Uefa Cup. At the same time a League Cup final in 2004 lost against Middlesbrough will give credit to the work of the former player of Bolton.

A healthy and respected club

With Sam Allardyce and after years of mockery, Bolton is finally proud of his club. Players come to play because they know they will be well paid and will have good working conditions. The Wanderers have ultra-modern facilities after they moved to the Reebok Stadium. It is a beautiful white building with a hotel and a huge parking. He was inaugurated on September 23, 1997 with the game between Bolton Wanderers and Everton. The match ended 0-0. Alan Thompson scored the first goal during the game Bolton Wanderers - Tottenham Hotspur a few weeks later. It has a capacity of approximately 27,500 seats.