After reading in the B.N lastnight about when Benfica allowed Eusabio to play in his testimonial i was wondering if there was anyone with any stories about the night as it was 71 and abit before my time it would be interesting to read memories of the night??

After reading in the B.N lastnight about when Benfica allowed Eusabio to play in his testimonial i was wondering if there was anyone with any stories about the night as it was 71 and abit before my time it would be interesting to read memories of the night??

 

I was their that night, Mum took me and we stood on the lever end

I was there to see the great Eusabio but Garry Jones was the man of the match!

Remember being in the Lever End and had a great night. 'I'm a knocked kneed chicken and a bow legged hen'..........

The young side we had then was the platform for our rise to the 1st Division 7 years later.

I took this pic of the statue of Eusebio last season:

 

Yes was there, have the programme, cant remember much though,

Yes was there, have the programme, cant remember much though,

i was there and remember getting eusebio,s wife to sign my autograph book, she wrote "i love" unfortunately not got the book anymore but remember it like it was yesterday

In The Lever End as usual, sneaked into the private do in the supporters club, couldn't get anywhere near Eusebio, but got all the other autographs, had a good 5 minute chat with Bertie Auld kept thinking this guy has the thickest hair I have ever seen on a male.....hell of a quiff

waited donkey's years for Eddie Hoppy to sign my programme, got him to do it just weeks before he sadly passed away.....now THAT is what you call Bolton Wanderers Royalty.....rest in peace Eddie

Yes was there, have the programme, cant remember much though,

 

 

Where's George when you need him.

Where's George when you need him.

 

Bunty's?

my first ever bolton game.

 

i am a JCL.

I was there, have the programme somewhere. Also went to the testimonial cricket match held at Burnden Park with Clive Lloyd flicking sixes into the Manny Road Car park.

In The Lever End as usual, sneaked into the private do in the supporters club, couldn't get anywhere near Eusebio, but got all the other autographs, had a good 5 minute chat with Bertie Auld kept thinking this guy has the thickest hair I have ever seen on a male.....hell of a quiff

waited donkey's years for Eddie Hoppy to sign my programme, got him to do it just weeks before he sadly passed away.....now THAT is what you call Bolton Wanderers Royalty.....rest in peace Eddie

 

 

I was in the Lever End as usual too. Always was in awe of Eddie as an impressionable youngster. International players were held in higher esteem then.

 

One of my earliest BWFC memories was that mad fcuker off The Embankment who used to mimic every move Hopky made for the entire game. Diving full length on the concrete in the pissing rain etc.

 

RIP Eddie.

I was in the Lever End as usual too. Always was in awe of Eddie as an impressionable youngster. International players were held in higher esteem then.

 

One of my earliest BWFC memories was that mad fcuker off The Embankment who used to mimic every move Hopky made for the entire game. Diving full length on the concrete in the pissing rain etc.

 

RIP Eddie.

 

Bolty, I only remember that nutcase when he used to do it at the front of The Lever End, I talked to Eddie about him, he was well aware of the nutter and told me Roy Greaves used to take him off in training....what about Hoppies superstitions, remember how he used to spit in his hands even though he had gloves on, then wipe the back of his hand on the goalpost, remember how he also used to mark out his area at both The Lever End and Embankment with deep scuff marks, the groundsman must have hated him !!!! but we all loved him, a true England and Bolton legend who epitamized all that was good in football

Bolty, I only remember that nutcase when he used to do it at the front of The Lever End, I talked to Eddie about him, he was well aware of the nutter and told me Roy Greaves used to take him off in training....what about Hoppies superstitions, remember how he used to spit in his hands even though he had gloves on, then wipe the back of his hand on the goalpost, remember how he also used to mark out his area at both The Lever End and Embankment with deep scuff marks, the groundsman must have hated him !!!! but we all loved him, a true England and Bolton legend who epitamized all that was good in football

 

 

Agree with all of that mate. Just never remember that bloke in t'Lever End. The one I saw from '64 onwards was always at the bottom of The Embankment behind the goal mimicking every step and move Hoppy made. Big, gaunt bugger in a gaberdine mac and flat cap? Day release from Woodside - daft as a brush.

I was there, have the programme somewhere. Also went to the testimonial cricket match held at Burnden Park with Clive Lloyd flicking sixes into the Manny Road Car park.

I was at that game also. Remember Clive Lloyd hitting sixes into the Manny Road stand and the ball rattling around the seats! Scary! After the game we went in the supporters club for the disco and showed players like Jack Simmons, David Lloyd and Harry Pilling how to dance to Northern Soul!

I have the programme, so I must have been there. Don't remember it at all.

 

Also have the programmes (so must have been there) for :-

# Nat's testimonial (undated - guess 1961). International All-Stars XI included (according to programme) Jim (sic) Armfield, Don Revie, Billy Wright, Wilf Mannion, Tom Finney and Stanley Matthews. Fook ! Am I really THAT old ?

# Roy Hartle's testimonial (1st April 1969). Roy's International XI included Harrry Gregg, Mel & John Charles, Jimmy McIlroy and Derek Dougan. All-Stars XI included Gordon Banks, Malcolm Allison, Billy Foulkes, Bryan Douglas, George Eastham, Franny Lee and 'God' (aka Freddie Hill). Takes you back, huh.

# Peter Thompson's testimonial (1977). No teams listed though contributors included Jimmy Armfield, Tom Finney, Roger Hunt, Bill Shankly & Ian St John.

 

Looking at some of those names, I guess we weren't always 'little old Bolton Wanderers'. Either that, or we had some immense players for the times.

I have the programme, so I must have been there. Don't remember it at all.

 

Also have the programmes (so must have been there) for :-

# Nat's testimonial (undated - guess 1961). International All-Stars XI included (according to programme) Jim (sic) Armfield, Don Revie, Billy Wright, Wilf Mannion, Tom Finney and Stanley Matthews. Fook ! Am I really THAT old ?

# Roy Hartle's testimonial (1st April 1969). Roy's International XI included Harrry Gregg, Mel & John Charles, Jimmy McIlroy and Derek Dougan. All-Stars XI included Gordon Banks, Malcolm Allison, Billy Foulkes, Bryan Douglas, George Eastham, Franny Lee and 'God' (aka Freddie Hill). Takes you back, huh.

# Peter Thompson's testimonial (1977). No teams listed though contributors included Jimmy Armfield, Tom Finney, Roger Hunt, Bill Shankly & Ian St John.

 

Looking at some of those names, I guess we weren't always 'little old Bolton Wanderers'. Either that, or we had some immense players for the times.

 

I went to Peter Thompson's testimonial. I always thought it was 1978, our promotion season. Bwfc beat a Liverpool side 6-5 if I recall. I can remember the European Cup being paraded on the pitch beforehand.

I went to Peter Thompson's testimonial. I always thought it was 1978, our promotion season. Bwfc beat a Liverpool side 6-5 if I recall. I can remember the European Cup being paraded on the pitch beforehand.

 

The actual game could have been 1978 - it's the testimonial 'brochure' I'm talking about; it's just dated 1977.

I went to Peter Thompson's testimonial. I always thought it was 1978, our promotion season. Bwfc beat a Liverpool side 6-5 if I recall. I can remember the European Cup being paraded on the pitch beforehand.

 

mcdonagh and clemence both scored

 

the european cup and our division 2 trophy were placed on the pitch before hand

 

the european chap was about 5 times the size of ours

I went to Peter Thompson's testimonial. I always thought it was 1978, our promotion season. Bwfc beat a Liverpool side 6-5 if I recall. I can remember the European Cup being paraded on the pitch beforehand.

 

I went to that one, I've still got the net peg that I managed to 'obtain' from the Lever End goal when the crowd invaded at the end.

 

Official attendance given at around 20 thousand - there were definately more than that on.

the european cup and our division 2 trophy were placed on the pitch before hand

 

Aye, my owd man took me to that match . The European cup looked fukin huge

Sadly the Hopkinson testimonial was before my time, but I love hearing the old stories in particular the fruitcake who use to dive on the embankment behind the goals.

Was at Hopkys testimonial ,though was only 8 at time...seem to remember Eusabio hittin post & it seemin to shake for bout 5 mins....aaahh the vivid imagination of the young!!!

After reading in the B.N lastnight about when Benfica allowed Eusabio to play in his testimonial i was wondering if there was anyone with any stories about the night as it was 71 and abit before my time it would be interesting to read memories of the night??

I was there on the embankment .it was the usual chop change testimonial affair & I seem to remember ferkin Stuart 'Rambling ' Hall of Look North /radio 5 fame

 

playing some part in the game & he was'nt that bad ??? ...............could be the dodgy memory bank again though.

I was there on the embankment .it was the usual chop change testimonial affair & I seem to remember ferkin Stuart 'Rambling ' Hall of Look North /radio 5 fame

 

playing some part in the game & he was'nt that bad ??? ...............could be the dodgy memory bank again though.

It's not just me then. I had it in my head that Stuart Hall, played but put it down as a malformed childhood memory.

Not a lot of people know this but Stuart Hall played professional football for Crystal Palace.