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We've scored some important goals over the last 25 years, but I think it can be narrowed down to a handful.
I don't mean the best goal, or your favourite goal, I mean the goal that was most important to the progress of BWFC.
Robbie Savage v Wrexham May 1988
Bolton started the final game of the 1987-88 season in 5th place, needing to finish 3rd to gain promotion. Unlikely as it was it didn't stop 4000 Bolton fans converging on Wrexham, the Welsh side having to open an extra part of the ground to accommodate the Wanderers faithful.
Amazingly, with 20 minutes left Torquay and Scunthorpe, the two teams above Bolton, were both losing so promotion was on the cards! But Bolton still needed to score to gain promotion. The noise was incredible.
As the late, great Dave Higson commentated:
Andy May.....Mark Came....now Robbie Savage......YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!
Savage slammed the ball into the bottom corner and Bolton were on their way to promotion. It really was party time at the Racecourse Ground, had the sleeping giant finally woken up?
John McGinlay v Preston North End May 1993
Bolton had their destiny in their own hands going into the final game of the season. A better result than Port Vale would see them promoted to Division 1 (Championship).
A packed and nervous Burnden Park witnessed a stalemate for much of the game, but come the hour cometh the man and Bolton were awarded a penalty. Despite huge pressure up stepped John McGinlay and slotted the ball into the net to send Bolton into Division 1. Amazing scenes followed as the crowd invaded the pitch, Bolton were back in the big time.
Michael Ricketts v Preston North End May 2001
Bolton met PNE in the play-off final on a sunny day at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff. At the time it was dubbed the richest football game in history as the teams were playing for a place in the Premier League.
Bolton soon went 1-0 up thanks to a Gareth Farrelly strike, but it's Michael Ricketts' run from the halfway line and finish that settled things and announced that Bolton were in the Premier League. It really was a joyous day.
So there are my three contenders. Which one was most important? Did the Robbie Savage goal start the ball rolling or was promotion under Bruce Rioch in 1993 where the Premier League dream started? Or was the 2001 play-off success the start of a great decade for BWFC?
Or perhaps you think other goals were more important?
I don't mean the best goal, or your favourite goal, I mean the goal that was most important to the progress of BWFC.
Robbie Savage v Wrexham May 1988
Bolton started the final game of the 1987-88 season in 5th place, needing to finish 3rd to gain promotion. Unlikely as it was it didn't stop 4000 Bolton fans converging on Wrexham, the Welsh side having to open an extra part of the ground to accommodate the Wanderers faithful.
Amazingly, with 20 minutes left Torquay and Scunthorpe, the two teams above Bolton, were both losing so promotion was on the cards! But Bolton still needed to score to gain promotion. The noise was incredible.
As the late, great Dave Higson commentated:
Andy May.....Mark Came....now Robbie Savage......YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!
Savage slammed the ball into the bottom corner and Bolton were on their way to promotion. It really was party time at the Racecourse Ground, had the sleeping giant finally woken up?
John McGinlay v Preston North End May 1993
Bolton had their destiny in their own hands going into the final game of the season. A better result than Port Vale would see them promoted to Division 1 (Championship).
A packed and nervous Burnden Park witnessed a stalemate for much of the game, but come the hour cometh the man and Bolton were awarded a penalty. Despite huge pressure up stepped John McGinlay and slotted the ball into the net to send Bolton into Division 1. Amazing scenes followed as the crowd invaded the pitch, Bolton were back in the big time.
Michael Ricketts v Preston North End May 2001
Bolton met PNE in the play-off final on a sunny day at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff. At the time it was dubbed the richest football game in history as the teams were playing for a place in the Premier League.
Bolton soon went 1-0 up thanks to a Gareth Farrelly strike, but it's Michael Ricketts' run from the halfway line and finish that settled things and announced that Bolton were in the Premier League. It really was a joyous day.
So there are my three contenders. Which one was most important? Did the Robbie Savage goal start the ball rolling or was promotion under Bruce Rioch in 1993 where the Premier League dream started? Or was the 2001 play-off success the start of a great decade for BWFC?
Or perhaps you think other goals were more important?
