If you are anything like me there is a little list of pretty significant games in the history of the club for which you were present but which for whatever reason you cannot wholly remember. Yet here we are on a forum full of people with long memories, people who will remember different events/angles/slants on a day having been of a different age/not had several pints beforehand or simply just have better recollection. I am going to start the ball rolling with a game of my own but invite others to follow with matches from the past that they saw but would like to have their memories supplemented.

9 September 1978 was the first Bolton Wanderers top flight win for fourteen years. After a memorable promotion under Ian Greaves we had not won any of our first four matches (W0 D2 L2)  including shipping an excruciating late equaliser in a 2-2 home draw v Birmingham the previous week. On this day we were losing 0-1 at home to Derby but eventually won 2-1 with two late goals from Alan Gowling. All I can remember (sitting as a kid in the Manny Road North with family) was Gowling wheeling away in celebration in front of the Lever End. I remember the feeling of excitement and relief afterwards that we had finally picked up two points (not three in those days!). 

Anyone remember more?

...And does anybody else want help from fellow fans with filling the gaps on a game from the past?

1 minute ago, freds dad said:

We lost 3-5 to Burnley at home in 1960. Could that be it?

Possibly - my memory is mince. However I don’t think Len Fairclough was on Corrie in 1960 was he?

Just now, Wanderlust said:

Possibly - my memory is mince. However I don’t think Len Fairclough was on Corrie in 1960 was he?

Maybe my brain is conflating two different games. 

12 minutes ago, Wanderlust said:

Possibly - my memory is mince. However I don’t think Len Fairclough was on Corrie in 1960 was he?

He was at Bury baths pulling his thumb out

38 minutes ago, Wanderlust said:

My memory is a sieve but I remember a match at Burnden probably in the 60s when we won 5-3 possibly a cup match, but I can’t remember who it was against. I had West Brom in mind but there’s no record of it. I do remember seeing Len Fairclough there supporting the opposition if that helps. Any clues anyone?

We lost, at home, to Burnley 3-5 on Saturday November 19th.

It was a Division 1 match

Coronation Street hit our TV screens on December 9th 1960. But Peter Adamson's Len Fairclough character fist appeared in the 14th episode on January 25th 1961.

He was born & raised in Kensington, Liverpool in 1930 so unlikely to be a Burnley, or Bolton fan. 

So ... he COULD have been at that match, but it's very unlikely. If he had been you wouldn't have recognised him as Len Fairclough.

 

Edited March 4Mar 4 by Dr. Feelgood

They were not significant at all, but I couldn't tell you what happened in a single game between drawing 2-2 with Blackpool under Dougie Freedman and getting relegated with Lennon. 

Other than a sense of disappointment I can't remember anything of the Watford game at Wembley.

I can’t fully remember all the games Andy Walker played in. Because all I remember him doing is scoring goals. He never missed a chance, not one chance, every shot he had on goal went in, every one-on-one he scored, he was the best and most efficient striker in the country.

So my mind is vague, biased, selective…. Or maybe not 

5 hours ago, BobyBrno said:

Wembley Stadium, 2011. I saw 4 goals. I never saw the 5th and never want to. 

This. Never seen the fifth, never plan to.

Some good half-memories here.

.... but nobody seems to remember that 2-1 win over Derby in 78 that I wanted help with! 

38 minutes ago, paulhanley said:

Some good half-memories here.

.... but nobody seems to remember that 2-1 win over Derby in 78 that I wanted help with! 

It was on MotD iirc and is one of the missing games/shows in their archive. Did Derby wear a orange/ copper coloured shirt that day? 

22 minutes ago, Duck Egg said:

It was on MotD iirc and is one of the missing games/shows in their archive. Did Derby wear an orange/ copper coloured shirt that day? 

They did and that’s my only memory of that game too. 

13 hours ago, freds dad said:

He was at Bury baths putting his thumb in

EFA

16 hours ago, paulhanley said:

Some good half-memories here.

.... but nobody seems to remember that 2-1 win over Derby in 78 that I wanted help with! 

There's the teams at least mate

I was at that game. I can recall Derby's orange shirt, black shorts, and Charlie George getting sent off.....

 

12 minutes ago, gonzo said:

There's the teams at least mate

Well at least that gives me the times of the goals and I had not realised Charlie George got sent off! 

1 hour ago, paulhanley said:

Well at least that gives me the times of the goals and I had not realised Charlie George got sent off! 

Was wondering if that was him. The famous cup final celebration in that ace yellow kit.

I spent way too much time trying to find footage this morning and fell in a proper hole in my kitchen, so much so I was late into town and another window cleaner remarked had I had a lie in

The promotion game at Blackburn in 1978.

I don’t remember anything at all about the game but do remember our coach parking on the big hill and also running on the pitch at full time.

3 hours ago, gonzo said:

Was wondering if that was him. The famous cup final celebration in that ace yellow kit.

I spent way too much time trying to find footage this morning and fell in a proper hole in my kitchen, so much so I was late into town and another window cleaner remarked had I had a lie in

Shiner bantz

1 hour ago, Traf said:

Shiner bantz

Ah its rife with the fellow town centre plankton shop rats. All a big competition at who's out earliest.

One bloke hasn't slept for 34 years in one big endless window cleaning cycle

Right I am going to pick people's brains re another game - somewhat more recent but still more than 30 years ago. 

Blackburn 3 Bolton 1 in early 1996. We had very remarkably beaten them at home early in the 95/6 season for our first top flight win in 15 years. In the return I was right up in the very top row of the top tier of the away end and had put a few ales away beforehand. My main memory is Scott Green unexpectedly equalising for us and celebrating Bolton fans popping up all over the home ends. 

Who remembers more detail?

1 hour ago, paulhanley said:

Right I am going to pick people's brains re another game - somewhat more recent but still more than 30 years ago. 

Blackburn 3 Bolton 1 in early 1996. We had very remarkably beaten them at home early in the 95/6 season for our first top flight win in 15 years. In the return I was right up in the very top row of the top tier of the away end and had put a few ales away beforehand. My main memory is Scott Green unexpectedly equalising for us and celebrating Bolton fans popping up all over the home ends. 

Who remembers more detail?

Didn't Shearer get a hat-trick?

1 hour ago, paulhanley said:

Right I am going to pick people's brains re another game - somewhat more recent but still more than 30 years ago. 

Blackburn 3 Bolton 1 in early 1996. We had very remarkably beaten them at home early in the 95/6 season for our first top flight win in 15 years. In the return I was right up in the very top row of the top tier of the away end and had put a few ales away beforehand. My main memory is Scott Green unexpectedly equalising for us and celebrating Bolton fans popping up all over the home ends. 

Who remembers more detail?

Was that the game Thommo got sent off for actually missing Blackburn full back Kenny ? with a sliding tackle . I was actually in the Blackburn paddock when Thommo nearly joined us due to momentum.

Shearer & Sutton we’re in the refs ear the whole game & he certainly accommodated them , just remembering how spineless the refs were in the Prem back then.

Sure I wrote about this game in White Love.

Nathan Blake missed an absolute sitter at to make it 2-2.

I've got a vivid memory of the ball twatting the hoarding at the side of the goal. 

One of the biggest gasps and ahhs I can remember.

Then they run up the pitch and make it 3-1.

Our lot caused carnage at the station and I had the paper clippings. Full blown riot style.

 

Edited March 5Mar 5 by gonzo

57 minutes ago, gonzo said:

Sure I wrote about this game in Man Love

 

Corrected for you pal

I think you are getting two games mixed up gents. I am on about 3-1 to them in 95/6, you are on about 3-1 to them in 97/8, the one when Thommo got the red. 

When was the game at Blackburn when we scored and a young lad came out the home end and ran down the touchline into our end waving a Wanderers flag on a pole and properly winding up their lot. Tickled me did that. Remember a Blackburn fan outside our end after the game singing Blackburn songs due to them winning in the end. I smacked him in the chops and I don't usually get involved in stuff like that.