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Wanderers Ways. Neil Thompson 1961-2021

The wins against United


paulhanley

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In my lifetitime we've beaten United five times, two at home and three away. I wasn't at a single one of those away games sadly but was at both the homes. Perhaps it's time to collect our memories of these glorious occasions in to one place. 

December 22, 1978: Bolton 3 United 0 - I was still a school kid lucky to be taken to one of my first ever night matches. I wish I could remember more about the occasion. It was a pretty foggy night and United's fans were put in the bigger section of the Embankment nearest the Manny Road. Not sure if that had ever happened before - it was to happen pretty regularly in the 80s. There was a bloke near us in the Manny Road Stand who was a United fan that came to watch Bolton, odd. As you'd expect he was gobby - but harmless. He'd been talking for weeks about how Gordon McQueen would stop Franky Worthy. I wish I could remember which of our three goals it was but Frank looped the ball over the Jock and put it in their net. Total mayhem all around him and around Burnden. 

November 24, 2007: Bolton 1 United 0: One win all season and we get our second at home against United. Big Sam had tried and failed to beat them on home turf and Megson did it at his first attempt. The goal and highlights are on You Tube - great finish by Anelka. I remember Owen Hargreaves' late free kick when it felt like they'd snatch yet another late equaliser at ours - they'd done it twice before in the preceding few years. Unlike 78 I was old enough for a pint or three after the game! I remember being in the Jolly Ploughman up near Church Road with my Dad who was in seventh heaven. The ale went down a treat and the whining from the two United fans at the bar music to our ears.

My Dad comes in to a memory of the famous 1-2 win at United in 1979 even though we weren't there. It was 1-1 very late in the game, United had already missed a penalty. Then Piccadilly Radio said "there's a late goal at Old Trafford". Our hearts sank. Then they went to the ground and it took the reporter, Tom Tyrell, a few seconds to speak. You could distantly hear the ecstatic Bolton fans on the Scoreboard End. What a moment. My Dad leapt over the settee just as Tyrell broke  his silence. He was United through and through and his sour grapes weren't disguised

So come on folks - give us your memories of these and Big Sam's 1-2 and 0-1 wins there in 2001 and 2002. If you're owd enough and remember give us your memories of the beatings we gave them in earlier days too! Doesn't matter how quirky or whether it was about the build up, post match or game itself. 

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I was in Barbados for the 1-2, it was just before mobiles where the norm, especially with proper functioning internet. 

Phoned my dad up in the evening for the score and thought he was having me on....at the time I had a t shirt which I could stick velcro letters and numbers on the chest so I was proudly parading around the resort with the score on my top.....all the cockney utd fans coming up to confirm I wasn't taking the piss.....happy days 😆

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I was in the Utd end for the 1-2 game. They weren’t overly happy when I cheered Ricketts winner (I was fairly reserved with it). 
 

Went in our own end the following season and was there for the 1-0 home win. Did we have Seb Puygrenier make his debut in that?

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Did both the 78-79 games, plus the Anelka home win.  Was 10 years old for the first two, so memories are also murky.  The home win was electric - sat in Burnden Stand - I can remember Frankie W and Alan Gowling shared the goals, but that’s about it.  As said in other threads footage would be gold dust.  The disbelief at walloping them though still remains.  The away game was fab.  For some reason we were sat in the main stand, so presume was with the home fans.  Didn’t stop us going mad when the winner went in in front of the scoreboard end.  I remember Gordon McQueen I think getting their goal and one of the Greenhoffs (?) missing the penalty at the Stratford End before Frankie W swept the winner in.  Glorious.  

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Attended all five, just.

I wasn’t going to go to the 2-1 Ricketts winner, assumed we’d lose. Then rang the ticket office the day before and they’d had a return. 

Each of those has been special, but, perhaps the 1979 was the best. We’d been away from the top league for so long and this was my first visit. For some reason went on a club coach.

Here’s to the next time, assuming I’m still alive.

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OK @paulhanleyhere goes…

78 - don’t actually have that clear a memory of the game. With my dad being a Burnden Paddock regular I would have missed any of the entertainment on the Manny Road prematch but I do remember the Embankment being packed and a fantastic atmosphere

79 - will always be my favourite game. My mate’s dad had STs at both City and United (weirdo) for him and his son as he just loved football and had moved to Manc to study medicine and was one of those blokes who just went to any game that was being played locally no matter who. Remember going to his house straight after getting back from school and them two, me and my brother getting into his VW Beetle and trundling over to OT. Thing that struck me about OT was the sheer size of the place. My dad had taken me to plenty of aways in places like York, Mansfield, and Sheffield but OT was summat else I have to admit. At Burnden I remember there being one burger trolley outside the Burnden Paddock but at OT there were loads everywhere. My mate and my brother sat in the ST seats in the stand opposite the cameras. Me and his dad stood in the paddock just below. I remember going mental when the second goal went in and loads of disgruntled Manc’s disappearing out of said paddock grumbling at my mates dad that I shouldn’t be there. After the match I remember loads of Bolton celebrating and a few brief scuffles but the main thing was all the cars heading back to Bolton with scarves hanging out the windows 

2007 - had gone there and back on the tram and train. The elation of winning was just superb. I’d not been there in 2001 or 2002 so that was the first time since the 79. Stayed in Scott’s (I think) to get a later train back but very much remember having to keep my head well down the whole way home

My dad detested Utd as Louis Edwards utterly fucked him over on a business deal. Any time we were near OT in the car as a young kid he would point at the place and say that it was built on bent money. I could listen all day to his tales of the 58 final and his celebrations in The Liberal Club in London post match when, much as now, there were a large number of Cockney Reds who were mightily pissed off about Nat’s challenge on Harry Gregg. He started watching BWFC late 1920s and apparently we had a poor record against them both pre and post war so 58 made it all the sweeter for him. Wish I’d spoken to him more about that era following BWFC

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50 minutes ago, paulhanley said:

In my lifetitime we've beaten United five times, two at home and three away. I wasn't at a single one of those away games sadly but was at both the homes. Perhaps it's time to collect our memories of these glorious occasions in to one place. 

December 22, 1978: Bolton 3 United 0 - I was still a school kid lucky to be taken to one of my first ever night matches. I wish I could remember more about the occasion. It was a pretty foggy night and United's fans were put in the bigger section of the Embankment nearest the Manny Road. Not sure if that had ever happened before - it was to happen pretty regularly in the 80s. There was a bloke near us in the Manny Road Stand who was a United fan that came to watch Bolton, odd. As you'd expect he was gobby - but harmless. He'd been talking for weeks about how Gordon McQueen would stop Franky Worthy. I wish I could remember which of our three goals it was but Frank looped the ball over the Jock and put it in their net. Total mayhem all around him and around Burnden. 

November 24, 2007: Bolton 1 United 0: One win all season and we get our second at home against United. Big Sam had tried and failed to beat them on home turf and Megson did it at his first attempt. The goal and highlights are on You Tube - great finish by Anelka. I remember Owen Hargreaves' late free kick when it felt like they'd snatch yet another late equaliser at ours - they'd done it twice before in the preceding few years. Unlike 78 I was old enough for a pint or three after the game! I remember being in the Jolly Ploughman up near Church Road with my Dad who was in seventh heaven. The ale went down a treat and the whining from the two United fans at the bar music to our ears.

My Dad comes in to a memory of the famous 1-2 win at United in 1979 even though we weren't there. It was 1-1 very late in the game, United had already missed a penalty. Then Piccadilly Radio said "there's a late goal at Old Trafford". Our hearts sank. Then they went to the ground and it took the reporter, Tom Tyrell, a few seconds to speak. You could distantly hear the ecstatic Bolton fans on the Scoreboard End. What a moment. My Dad leapt over the settee just as Tyrell broke  his silence. He was United through and through and his sour grapes weren't disguised

So come on folks - give us your memories of these and Big Sam's 1-2 and 0-1 wins there in 2001 and 2002. If you're owd enough and remember give us your memories of the beatings we gave them in earlier days too! Doesn't matter how quirky or whether it was about the build up, post match or game itself. 

I was there at Old Trafford for the 2001 and 2002 wins. That Nolan volley in 2001… it was like slow motion. His goal in 2002 was good too. Which year was it Jussi made that double save from Scholes then Andy Cole? Think it was 2002… That was outrageous live. Amazing times but unfortunately I was in the United corporate bit so couldn’t celebrate. I was also there for Cristiano Ronaldo’s debut in 2003 where he tore us to shreds. 

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13 minutes ago, Stevowanderer said:

I was there at Old Trafford for the 2001 and 2002 wins. That Nolan volley in 2001… it was like slow motion. His goal in 2002 was good too. Which year was it Jussi made that double save from Scholes then Andy Cole? Think it was 2002… That was outrageous live. Amazing times but unfortunately I was in the United corporate bit so couldn’t celebrate. I was also there for Cristiano Ronaldo’s debut in 2003 where he tore us to shreds. 

That was the 1-2

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I am old enough, and lucky enough to have been to them all.

I remember all the above, but for me the best of the best for me wasn't a win but Bob Taylors 1 - 1 draw. Didn't one of theirs have a fall out with Anndy Cole over not tracking back ?

Followed by when JJ had Beckham and Keane on their arses at the 'Bok. 

Happy days.

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I was there for the 2001 win.  We had 3 tickets and my brother bottled it at the last minute thinking we were going to get gubbed, so we took the father in law instead. Parked at Radcliffe and got the metrolink to OT.

All the pre match talk was about how many we'd lose by.  Utds fanzine predicted a heavy win for them with 1 goal for us "scored by some foreigner whose name can only be spelled by an enigma machine".  Hmm. 

We agreed that if we were 3 or 4 down at half time we'd leave early.  This was the game of Jussi's incredible double save in the first half.  They were dominant and when some expensive, foreign, show pony opened the scoring for them I wondered if we'd cave but we grew into it.

Nolans superb equaliser was wildly celebrated and the Utd fans were mocking us, holding up their fingers to say it was still 1-1 and why the fuss? 

2nd half and I don't remember us being under any great pressure and we started to ask them questions. We were denied a clear penalty, when Frandsen was chopped down in the box in front of us. In those pre VAR days the opposition just didn't get penalties at OT so scared were the refs of upsetting Ferguson.

And then it happened..

Ricketts suddenly clear on goal but with a lot still to do.  The sight of the ball hitting the roof of the net will stay with me until I die. Cue absolute delirium in the away end, my elderly father in law punching the air like a young man, strangers hugging each other.  It was bedlam.

The last few minutes was great - "Can we play you every week?" Seeing a red I knew from school storming out and flicking the v's at us, "We beat the scum 2-1" then buzzing on the metrolink all the way back to Radcliffe watching sick reds get off and jubilant whites singing.

A great day.

 

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There at the 3 in my lifetime.

2-1 ...we arrived in the ground as Veron scored after the police escorted us all the way from The Pig&Porcupine. Some turn out we had in there early doors. I was a starry-eyed yoof at the time. Buzzing.

The Ricketts goal is still very much up there in the best celebrations Ive ever been involved in. And one of the best Bolton goals in the flesh too.

1-0 only thing I remember about this match was the goal. Think Id upped the drinking stakes from the previous year :)

Not sure about anyone else but the one under Megson felt a little anticlimactic. Its like it was long overdue. After so many kicks in the bollocks by the cunts in the previous seasons under Sam it just didnt have the ecstatic feel it should've done. Id dreamt about beating them at home all my life.

Think by that time they'd sucked out all the hatred I had for them.

Part of me died at the end of that Les Ferdinand game. Previous to that I hated them with every single bone of my body. That incident was one too many daggers to heart. Never again would I allow myself to get in such a frenzy of hate and despair.

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Have posted before about the 1-2 game , but we had the perfect day. longest post ever....
 

I had been invited on a Corporate do and was going with 4 others from work from our office. My boss a United fan and his missus coming up from London. Get a call on Thursday, the box held 16 and the other group had dropped out, could I get 7 more people ? So ring my dad, he will come with his mate Stuart (both ST holders at Bolton) my mate Ilkey white and his missus both ST holders were in. A lad in the office said his mate would come and drive. There was a free bar. I rang Bolton branch and asked if any Bolton fans there needed a ticket, got put into a season ticket holder who was after tickets for him and mate. They were in.

So we are coming over Saturday meet in a pub in a place called Steeton, I had a lodger at the time United season ticket holder, he was in there meeting Keighley Reds to get coach over. Couple of beers with them. All friendly, 'see you later' they say 'come back in later we won't take the piss'

On way over I have to explain to my guests that although the bloke inviting us knew I had bolstered numbers with mate we could not tell the head honcho man as the tickets were strictly business. This was with Zurich Insurance and contacts boss about 3 levels up was coming as my boss was there. 

So we get in box first ones there but a get on the free ale. 10 minutes later everyone has landed. Turned out lads from Bolton Branch and mis mate sat on the row in front of us at Reebok, 2 seats down (and they still do)

Ilkeys Whites missus is talking to a woman 'yeah we are Ian's mates, he got us in with..points out everyone I have sneaked in...there is just one bloke we can not tell.' Calls me over and asks who is the bloke we can not tell. 'That will be my husband' the woman says. Awkward silence as husband walks over... Turns out he used to work with me...and finds the whole situation hilarious...asks to meet my dad and Ilkley White , who he had actually met playing 5 a side.

We get on with the food and beer. Interrupted by a welcome speech that could only be corporate crap. Instead they just presented me with a Bolton shirt signed by the first team squad. Stick a few bets on game. I will skip game as we all know what happened.

Back into box after. I had won £100 on Bolton winning 2-1, Ilkey White the same on draw half time Bolton full time. As we are leaving the guy who hosted the box helped us pack up 6 bottles of red wine and a box of brandy miniatures for the journey home.

On the way back we have 606 on decided to ring up, get through second ring and on air in 2 minutes. Interrupted so they can interview Gartside. Then asked what we thought of United based on the game. I replied 'they were not as bad as their fans have been saying, if they sign another centre they will probably stay up'. Signed off with a rousing chorus of 'Wanderers'.

Get back to Steeton, the match was telly at about 8 o'clock when ITV had their highlights show on. We stayed in there till 11 only 1 Keighley Red turned up....my lodger. 
 

Was finding empty miniatures in my car for at least a week after.

Edited by Ani
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53 minutes ago, gonzo said:

After so many kicks in the bollocks by the cunts in the previous seasons under Sam it just didnt have the ecstatic feel it should've done. Id dreamt about beating them at home all my life.

Think by that time they'd sucked out all the hatred I had for them.

Part of me died at the end of that Les Ferdinand game. Previous to that I hated them with every single bone of my body. That incident was one too many daggers to heart. Never again would I allow myself to get in such a frenzy of hate and despair.

Happened twice in two years didn't it, first was the Okocha game - I don't think I've seen an individual performance as good as him in that match, and then the following year Big Les scoring in the 90th min and us still not winning

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I missed all 3 in my lifetime and I hate you all

On the day of the 1-2 in 2001, I was at Leigh RMI 3 Woking 1 and had one of those old school radios with me. Remember the Woking goalkeeper turning round when I was going potty on the terrace behind him when Ricketts scored. Current Burton manager Dino Maamria scored the first goal for RMI that day.

The 0-1 in 2002 I was in my last year at high school so wasn’t allowed to go with it being midweek. Might have actually got away with it had it been a weekend.

For the home win that I’d waited all my life for, I was doing the match reports for RMI so was watching them win 3-2 at Burscough in the FA Trophy. Was keeping a close eye on events but somehow always had a feeling that they were going to come back in to it as they always did. Again remember jumping around the clubhouse at Burscough when the result came through and had a celebratory pint with Paul Settle who I’m sure many on here will have known (RIP) who was a mad keen Wanderers fan and probably witnessed the wins in the 70s but by that point was watching his son Steve play for RMI most Saturday’s (but still kept his season ticket).

Similar to Gonzo, the late defeats or just general hammerings over the course of childhood almost kicked the stuffing out of me before I could even shave.

As an aside, I think I’ve posted this before but the battering on the opening day in 2003 when Ronaldo crucified Nicky Hunt was during my last holiday with my mum and dad whilst waiting for my GCSE results. I don’t think I was particularly old looking (others might disagree!) sat in a pub in Alcudia with my mum and dad with my pint of bitter shandy and wearing my Bolton shirt, but ended up having words with some Utd fan to the extent that he offered me outside. Turned out he was from Walkden and was staying in our hotel and his Mrs made him come across and apologise to me in the restaurant that evening when they realised how young I was 😂 

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