Mike Whitlow. Solid, dirty and a true professional. Often doing things in the community on behalf of the club.

Tony Cunningham (1991) played for Bury before coming to us (on loan I think). Only played 9 times but scored 4 goals. Just what we needed at that time. Harder than Abdoulaye Faye and John Fashanu combined.

Tony Kelly. My favourite player of the Rioch years. Pulled all the strings that made the rest of the team sing.

Paul Warhurst.  Never scored for us but a solid player and took no shit on the pitch.

Ray Train (1977/78) Another one who never scored for us. He was a midfielder who played his part in a team that some will remember with great fondness.

 

If we're talking keepers, Aidan Davidson is up there.

Covered for Branny well in our giant killings.

3 minutes ago, gonzo said:

If we're talking keepers, Aidan Davidson is up there.

Covered for Branny well in our giant killings.

Davison. GK Coach at Wrexham now.

Sticking on the keeper theme.

Mark Howard

No frills, just solid and dependable which we’ve seen over the past few years is not always that common.

Heard some stories about Dodgy Davison. Apparently had a penchant for pissing in boots and leaving excrement in managers offices  If there was a night out to be had, he was there in the cusp of violence. 
 

keepers eh ?! @Dr Faustus

16 minutes ago, boltonboris said:

Heard some stories about Dodgy Davison. Apparently had a penchant for pissing in boots and leaving excrement in managers offices  If there was a night out to be had, he was there in the cusp of violence. 
 

keepers eh ?! @Dr Faustus

👀 no comment

 

although I do recall a game for RMI under summat, I was sent for an early bath. Unfortunately for said ref, he rocked up same time as us in a clapped out rover modelling a mullet listening to Meatloaf. 
 

This was in the days of foot pumps so he might still be there now

1 hour ago, Lt. Aldo Raine said:

Matt Clarke

Solid, solid keeper. Shame how his career panned out with injuries. 

Steve Banks wasn’t bad, might be remembered for a soft hand v Ra Ras

Mark Howard played a sublime ball on survival Sunday that gets overlooked… just chilled and handed his gloves to Col H grandson as he left the pitch- now at Salford

Andy Lonergan- again solid, can’t remember him putting a foot wrong, and for a back up kept, us in the promotion race.

I could add Gavin Ward, and Matty Gilkes the latter more as cover for the inexperienced and far from ready Crellin, but I don’t recall any of the above dropping a clanger.

We are the backbone of the team, literally the first name on the sheet… so underrated and overlooked

 

 

Unsung for me is the grafters who always put a shift in, never let us down, but are rarely mentioned in dispatches. Sadly never fan favourites

Tony Dunne

John Ritson

Ray Train

Trevor Morgan

Gary Henshaw

Scott Green

Jimmy Philips

And the list could go on…

1 hour ago, MancWanderer said:

Unsung for me is the grafters who always put a shift in, never let us down, but are rarely mentioned in dispatches. Sadly never fan favourites

Tony Dunne

John Ritson

Ray Train

Trevor Morgan

Gary Henshaw

Scott Green

Jimmy Philips

And the list could go on…

Going off your first three I will add Mike Walsh......a solid foil for the Rolls Royce that was Paul Jones.

1 minute ago, RONNIE PHILLIPS said:

Going off your first three I will add Mike Walsh......a solid foil for the Rolls Royce that was Paul Jones.

Agree. Fair point

15 hours ago, Krimzon said:

Tony Henry . One of my first favourite Wanderers. 

Class player.  Every time I recall a decent game in that era, he seemed to score.

Unfortunate to play in our worst Div 2 era, wouldn't have been out of place in any of our promotion winning teams of the 70s or 90s.

3 hours ago, boltonboris said:

Heard some stories about Dodgy Davison. Apparently had a penchant for pissing in boots and leaving excrement in managers offices  If there was a night out to be had, he was there in the cusp of violence. 
 

keepers eh ?! @Dr Faustus

Wasn't it him who put a chair through a window in some pub on Bradshawgate

Soz if he's already been mentioned but David Burke was good in his second spell with us in the early 90s.

13 hours ago, Eddie said:

Sticking on the keeper theme.

Mark Howard

No frills, just solid and dependable which we’ve seen over the past few years is not always that common.

If we’re talking keepers look no further than the man who saved Bolton in the darkest of times Matt Gilks.

When we needed someone to stop the downward spiral on and off the pitch Mr. Gilks got his gloves on.

11 hours ago, Alf Hartigan said:

Soz if he's already been mentioned but David Burke was good in his second spell with us in the early 90s.

Only player to play for us in 70s, 80s and 90s

14 hours ago, Dr Faustus said:

Steve Banks wasn’t bad, might be remembered for a soft hand v Ra Ras

And being half a foot too small to save the overhead kick against Watford at Wembley.

On a similar theme, we noticed Exeter’s keeper was a proper short arse yesterday. It might seem an odd thing to say after conceding five, but he had a really good game and would probably be playing further up the leagues if only he was taller. 

3 hours ago, FrancisFogarty said:

If we’re talking keepers look no further than the man who saved Bolton in the darkest of times Matt Gilks.

When we needed someone to stop the downward spiral on and off the pitch Mr. Gilks got his gloves on.

Completely agree, but I would say he was ‘sung’ rather than unsung. Everybody recognised his importance whereas Howard was just remarkably steady and so maybe went under the radar at the time.

1 hour ago, Leyther_Matt said:

And being half a foot too small to save the overhead kick against Watford at Wembley.

On a similar theme, we noticed Exeter’s keeper was a proper short arse yesterday. It might seem an odd thing to say after conceding five, but he had a really good game and would probably be playing further up the leagues if only he was taller. 

It wasn't until being on the front row behind the goal at Man City that I realised how short Shay Given is 

Warwick Rimmer - one of the bravest players I’ve seen, never shirked a tackle, a captain, a leader, a club legend. Fourteen seasons with us. We chanted his name occasionally but he was such a fixture for us, we sort of took him for granted whilst others got the plaudits.

7 minutes ago, DirtySanchez said:

It wasn't until being on the front row behind the goal at Man City that I realised how short Shay Given is 

But in Givens day he and others looked like keepers. They looked big. All arms and necks and shoulders. Some of the young ones now look like beanpoles. The game has changed though and it works.

Just now, Wanderlust said:

Warwick Rimmer - one of the bravest players I’ve seen, never shirked a tackle, a captain, a leader, a club legend. Fourteen seasons with us. We chanted his name occasionally but he was such a fixture for us, we sort of took him for granted whilst others got the plaudits.

Good call, our captain in my early days

3 minutes ago, Wanderlust said:

Warwick Rimmer - one of the bravest players I’ve seen, never shirked a tackle, a captain, a leader, a club legend. Fourteen seasons with us. We chanted his name occasionally but he was such a fixture for us, we sort of took him for granted whilst others got the plaudits.

My dads favourite player

14 minutes ago, RONNIE PHILLIPS said:

Good call, our captain in my early days

Mine too. Hopkinson, Ritson, Farrimond, Shire,  Brian Bromley, John Hulme, Wyn Davies, Freddie Hill, Johnny Byrom a winger who’s name escapes me 

much later we had Gareth Williams, Stuart Lee. Too many to mention. I’m getting maudlin now 

I was the back end of his time ......Charlie Wright, Ritson, Nicko, Lee, McAllister  Paul and Garry, Alan Waldron, JB...... my very vague earliest memories are the Garry Jones game, Hopkinsons testimonial and playing Villa in the third division

17 minutes ago, FrancisFogarty said:

Mine too. Hopkinson, Ritson, Farrimond, Shire,  Brian Bromley, John Hulme, Wyn Davies, Freddie Hill, Johnny Byrom a winger who’s name escapes me 

much later we had Gareth Williams, Stuart Lee. Too many to mention. I’m getting maudlin now 

Terry Wharton

49 minutes ago, Wanderlust said:

Warwick Rimmer - one of the bravest players I’ve seen, never shirked a tackle, a captain, a leader, a club legend. Fourteen seasons with us. We chanted his name occasionally but he was such a fixture for us, we sort of took him for granted whilst others got the plaudits.

Add Syd Farrimond, Roy Hartle, Brian Bromley, John Napier, Dave Lennard to this.