REGARDING the location of Bolton Wanderers Stadium.

 

I believe that the reason for the Reebok only ever being three quarters full, with thousands of seats empty, is because of its location in Horwich.

 

When their home ground was located at Burnden, the stadium was always full and had a much better atmosphere. A better atmosphere helps to motivate the team and brings fear to the opponents.

 

Over the past few years the attendances at the Reebok have dropped from 25,000 a game to just 21,000, and this has to be a concern.

 

You would think that with Bolton being in the Premier League, more fans would turn up each week, but instead it?s the opposite. The Reebok Stadium should be located nearer to the centre of Bolton.

 

Sean Burgess Rawson Road Halliwell

 

Whilst i agree horridge is a ball ache to get to for some people.

 

this numpty's much peddled line of burnden was always full and had a much better atmosphere. in my memory most of the time burnden was half full and cold and misserable as sin. Admittedly the cup giant killings and

 

And what could BWFC and possibly Bolton Council do to make the reebok more accessable as Mr burgess' assertion that the reebok should be closer to the centre of bolton ain't going to happen?

How is horwich a ballache to get to. It is just off the motorway and has it's own fucking train station. I really don't get what is wrong with these people. If you miss being able to walk to burnden then walk down past it and to the station and get the train. The club has even laid on buses.

How is horwich a ballache to get to. It is just off the motorway and has it's own fucking train station. I really don't get what is wrong with these people. If you miss being able to walk to burnden then walk down past it and to the station and get the train. The club has even laid on buses.

 

i did say for some people, plus it's not so much the getting there but the getting away afterwards which is the main issue, i'm pretty sure there was talk of dedicated slip roads on and off the M61 avoiding De-Havilland Way which never materialised, when ever Jones get back to building on the old chortex mill there should be another exit onto Chorely New Road

I take it he wasn't stood near me on a wet midweek night when we played Port Vale then? Well, when I say next to, I mean somewhere in the same stand as you could really stand anywhere you wanted.

Is it really just the geography that stops folk going?

I take it he wasn't stood near me on a wet midweek night when we played Port Vale then? Well, when I say next to, I mean somewhere in the same stand as you could really stand anywhere you wanted.

Is it really just the geography that stops folk going?

 

It stikes me as a kind of peer pressure, because people moan about atmosphere, price, location, crap football etc

 

the popular belief is that it's always quiet, dull and overexpensive which is true sometimes i would say it affect BWFC anymore than any other team in the prem

i did say for some people, plus it's not so much the getting there but the getting away afterwards which is the main issue, i'm pretty sure there was talk of dedicated slip roads on and off the M61 avoiding De-Havilland Way which never materialised, when ever Jones get back to building on the old chortex mill there should be another exit onto Chorely New Road

 

My moan was at him not you Frank.

 

I don't think it is any worse to get away from that Burnden was. We used to be sat for ages waiting to get away from near where the big car wash thing is near raikes lane.

By ecky thump, do you think Mr Sean Burgess of Rawson Road, Halliwell still wears a flat cap too?

 

i despair sometimes, i really do.

Could just be an old school i.e. non-internet windup?

 

Thinking about it what's TSO up to these days?

I take it he wasn't stood near me on a wet midweek night when we played Port Vale then? Well, when I say next to, I mean somewhere in the same stand as you could really stand anywhere you wanted.

Is it really just the geography that stops folk going?

 

I don't go now as I play football at the same time but it was one of the reasons why I stopped going. Other reasons include being able to watch it in the pub and spend my ticket money on beer, not actually enjoying home games (a combination of performance and atmosphere) and simply choosing to go to away matches more than home games.

 

My argument about performances isn't that strong as I genuinely enjoy away games and we usually play shit. I think the last time I saw us win away was Hull last season! I just enjoy the whole experience much more than home games. Wasn't that way when we were at Burnden - although to be fair I only started going regularly in the early 90's so it was relatively good times.

The guy who wrote that must be either a young lad or JCL imo. Burnden was full-ish for the last few years when we on the verge of the prem and when we finally broke into it but before that it wasnt full at all. The reason we had big crowds was the excitement of making the big time and the progress we were making imo, we have now hit our ceiling and theres no danger of us breaking through that hence the JCL/Bandwagon jumpers/Glory hunters whatever you want to call them have fucked off back to where they came from.

Doesn't really sound like a Wanderers fan though does he?

 

When their home ground was located at Burnden...

 

You would think that with Bolton being in the Premier League...

The guy who wrote that must be either a young lad or JCL imo. Burnden was full-ish for the last few years when we on the verge of the prem and when we finally broke into it but before that it wasnt full at all. The reason we had big crowds was the excitement of making the big time and the progress we were making imo, we have now hit our ceiling and theres no danger of us breaking through that hence the JCL/Bandwagon jumpers/Glory hunters whatever you want to call them have fucked off back to where they came from.

 

innnnn one!

Well I live 35 miles from the Reebok and have held a s/t for 19 years.Whether BWFC are located in Horwich or Bolton should be irrelevant as you watch your team where they are.

 

I know a lot of people who live outside Bolton on here who go.

 

Think it is another feeble excuse from a supporter who won't go.

 

People don't go to the Reebok cos they can't afford it,work on matchdays or don't like GM.

 

Getting to the Reebok is no more difficult than when I used to get 2 trains to Burnden from where I live.

Maybe the person who wrote it is very old and didn't go to Burnden after Nat Lofthouse hung up his boots?

Maybe by "Burnden always full" he meant that the gap between people wasn't quite as highlighted when you were stood up whereas at the Reebok a seat in the gap is a pretty obvious clue.

aghhh but hows about this for argument then...

 

AND THIS IS MY PERSONAL OPINION

 

for you lot you can't see it because for the majority of you, you will still attend come hell or high water...blind faith, stupidity or devout loyalty...you decide...but believe me...once you pack it in you do not miss it one bit....and nothing will ever tempt me back full time.

 

now..

 

Irrelevant as to whether Burnden was full or not...Burnden always for me had an atmosphere, a togetherness, whether it being crammed in the trotters, Churchills or the Wagon...or whether it was years earlier selling programmes outside Fosters hair dressers....seeing the masses or the dribs and drabs trot down Manchester Road...

 

Also and please remember, that for some of us Football wasn't the main reason for going to the game on many many occasions we would sit in the General Avelock during the game...

 

Call it blinkered memories but I know lots and lots of people who have stopped going...the Seven Stars in Harwood had a 52 seater when we first went to the reebok, 2 now still go regularly...young and middle aged men replaced by Kids, women, face paint and the reebok rebels, seats, team cards and kiosks manned by Remploy.

 

the togetherness had gone, sat surrounded by people you hate, hearing their opinions week after week, over zealous stewards and police, sterile fun pubs, chicken in a basket, fireworks, i feel good...up to the stadium sat bored for 90 minutes home....sorry it didn't do it for me...

 

Then came Europe and the feeling came back, i looked forward to games, travelling seeing the set of lads i had grown up with years before, plus new faces and friends....

 

but after giving it a go for 5 or 6 years...i stopped and have never looked back...i went to three or four games last year...two of them were 0-0's...i have been to one this year....and when will i go again?....dunno? could i justify the value for money??

 

some of you may think, good...we don't need you...your the type of fan we don't want....

 

your opinion...but the above is mine and a number of people who i know share the same reason...

 

I do feel that the move out of town had a impact, would i still be going? i don't know....

for you lot you can't see it because for the majority of you, you will still attend come hell or high water...blind faith, stupidity or devout loyalty...you decide...but believe me...once you pack it in you do not miss it one bit....and nothing will ever tempt me back full time.

 

now..

 

Irrelevant as to whether Burnden was full or not...Burnden always for me had an atmosphere, a togetherness, whether it being crammed in the trotters, Churchills or the Wagon...or whether it was years earlier selling programmes outside Fosters hair dressers....seeing the masses or the dribs and drabs trot down Manchester Road...

some of you may think, good...we don't need you...your the type of fan we don't want....

 

but if you gave it up back in 1992, would you not feel exactly the same (albeit for possible different reasons)?

 

burnden was a shit hole, and most of the time i went there was 10k on in miserable weather and it was shit, but you was there because you wanted to be.

Edited November 12, 200916 yr by HomerJay

aghhh but hows about this for argument then...

 

AND THIS IS MY PERSONAL OPINION

 

for you lot you can't see it because for the majority of you, you will still attend come hell or high water...blind faith, stupidity or devout loyalty...you decide...but believe me...once you pack it in you do not miss it one bit....and nothing will ever tempt me back full time.

 

now..

 

Irrelevant as to whether Burnden was full or not...Burnden always for me had an atmosphere, a togetherness, whether it being crammed in the trotters, Churchills or the Wagon...or whether it was years earlier selling programmes outside Fosters hair dressers....seeing the masses or the dribs and drabs trot down Manchester Road...

 

Also and please remember, that for some of us Football wasn't the main reason for going to the game on many many occasions we would sit in the General Avelock during the game...

 

Call it blinkered memories but I know lots and lots of people who have stopped going...the Seven Stars in Harwood had a 52 seater when we first went to the reebok, 2 now still go regularly...young and middle aged men replaced by Kids, women, face paint and the reebok rebels, seats, team cards and kiosks manned by Remploy.

 

the togetherness had gone, sat surrounded by people you hate, hearing their opinions week after week, over zealous stewards and police, sterile fun pubs, chicken in a basket, fireworks, i feel good...up to the stadium sat bored for 90 minutes home....sorry it didn't do it for me...

Then came Europe and the feeling came back, i looked forward to games, travelling seeing the set of lads i had grown up with years before, plus new faces and friends....

 

but after giving it a go for 5 or 6 years...i stopped and have never looked back...i went to three or four games last year...two of them were 0-0's...i have been to one this year....and when will i go again?....dunno? could i justify the value for money??

 

some of you may think, good...we don't need you...your the type of fan we don't want....

 

your opinion...but the above is mine and a number of people who i know share the same reason...

 

I do feel that the move out of town had a impact, would i still be going? i don't know....

 

 

That really is it.

 

Really. End of story.

 

A fucking crying shame.

Strangely I agree with Bobcat, it just isn't the same. Not that I think anyone would've ever thought it would be merely because of 'progress' on its own.

 

Yes, Burnden was (in comparison) a shithole.

 

But it was OUR shithole with smells, senses, characters and a bloody good crack. An atmosphere you could almost bottle and sell to folks these days as what do they call it? Retro maybe??

 

I look back now and truly wonder why on earth I looked forward to the pies.......

 

The reality may have been somewhat rose tinted but that was what made it what it was. Reality is, it's gone forever so lets move on but remember those smoky, smelly, beery, warm (even though it was sleeting sideways|) times. Progress isn't necessarily as good a thing as 'they' tell you it is.

I also agree with bobcat.Many clubs have lost the atmosphere in their grounds but not many have gone the whole hog and built a stadium so far out of their town away from the pubs,takeaways and transport links.One train station in a suburb with an awful service,woohoo.People who think the train links from Horwich are as good as those from Trinity St aren't worth listening to.

People on this thread supporting the location of the Reebok live in Chorley and Horwich,no wonder think it's good they don't have to travel as far.

But shouldn't Bolton be playing at a location for the ease of Bolton people not those from surrounding towns?

It's just not the same now there arn't folk throwing a dead rat at each other across the segregation.

I also agree with bobcat.Many clubs have lost the atmosphere in their grounds but not many have gone the whole hog and built a stadium so far out of their town away from the pubs,takeaways and transport links.One train station in a suburb with an awful service,woohoo.People who think the train links from Horwich are as good as those from Trinity St aren't worth listening to.

People on this thread supporting the location of the Reebok live in Chorley and Horwich,no wonder think it's good they don't have to travel as far.

But shouldn't Bolton be playing at a location for the ease of Bolton people not those from surrounding towns?

 

It's a bit fucking late to change it so rather than whingig about it what could be done to make it 'easier' for people to get there?

aghhh but hows about this for argument then...

 

AND THIS IS MY PERSONAL OPINION

 

for you lot you can't see it because for the majority of you, you will still attend come hell or high water...blind faith, stupidity or devout loyalty...you decide...but believe me...once you pack it in you do not miss it one bit....and nothing will ever tempt me back full time.

 

now..

 

Irrelevant as to whether Burnden was full or not...Burnden always for me had an atmosphere, a togetherness, whether it being crammed in the trotters, Churchills or the Wagon...or whether it was years earlier selling programmes outside Fosters hair dressers....seeing the masses or the dribs and drabs trot down Manchester Road...

 

Also and please remember, that for some of us Football wasn't the main reason for going to the game on many many occasions we would sit in the General Avelock during the game...

 

Call it blinkered memories but I know lots and lots of people who have stopped going...the Seven Stars in Harwood had a 52 seater when we first went to the reebok, 2 now still go regularly...young and middle aged men replaced by Kids, women, face paint and the reebok rebels, seats, team cards and kiosks manned by Remploy.

 

the togetherness had gone, sat surrounded by people you hate, hearing their opinions week after week, over zealous stewards and police, sterile fun pubs, chicken in a basket, fireworks, i feel good...up to the stadium sat bored for 90 minutes home....sorry it didn't do it for me...

 

Then came Europe and the feeling came back, i looked forward to games, travelling seeing the set of lads i had grown up with years before, plus new faces and friends....

 

but after giving it a go for 5 or 6 years...i stopped and have never looked back...i went to three or four games last year...two of them were 0-0's...i have been to one this year....and when will i go again?....dunno? could i justify the value for money??

 

some of you may think, good...we don't need you...your the type of fan we don't want....

 

your opinion...but the above is mine and a number of people who i know share the same reason...

 

I do feel that the move out of town had a impact, would i still be going? i don't know....

 

 

It's called growing up.

aghhh but hows about this for argument then...

 

AND THIS IS MY PERSONAL OPINION

 

for you lot you can't see it because for the majority of you, you will still attend come hell or high water...blind faith, stupidity or devout loyalty...you decide...but believe me...once you pack it in you do not miss it one bit....and nothing will ever tempt me back full time.

 

now..

 

Irrelevant as to whether Burnden was full or not...Burnden always for me had an atmosphere, a togetherness, whether it being crammed in the trotters, Churchills or the Wagon...or whether it was years earlier selling programmes outside Fosters hair dressers....seeing the masses or the dribs and drabs trot down Manchester Road...

 

Also and please remember, that for some of us Football wasn't the main reason for going to the game on many many occasions we would sit in the General Avelock during the game...

 

Call it blinkered memories but I know lots and lots of people who have stopped going...the Seven Stars in Harwood had a 52 seater when we first went to the reebok, 2 now still go regularly...young and middle aged men replaced by Kids, women, face paint and the reebok rebels, seats, team cards and kiosks manned by Remploy.

 

the togetherness had gone, sat surrounded by people you hate, hearing their opinions week after week, over zealous stewards and police, sterile fun pubs, chicken in a basket, fireworks, i feel good...up to the stadium sat bored for 90 minutes home....sorry it didn't do it for me...

 

Then came Europe and the feeling came back, i looked forward to games, travelling seeing the set of lads i had grown up with years before, plus new faces and friends....

 

but after giving it a go for 5 or 6 years...i stopped and have never looked back...i went to three or four games last year...two of them were 0-0's...i have been to one this year....and when will i go again?....dunno? could i justify the value for money??

 

some of you may think, good...we don't need you...your the type of fan we don't want....

 

your opinion...but the above is mine and a number of people who i know share the same reason...

 

I do feel that the move out of town had a impact, would i still be going? i don't know....

 

Bob,

 

I agree with a lot fo what you say, Burnden as an experience meant a lot more to me than the Reebok.

 

But the fact is that making it all seater would have either cost a fortune or ruined the atmosphere.

 

People say it was the move to Horwich but IN MY OPNION it is the all seater factor that has changed grounds. I do think that in the 70s and 80s when the team were poor Bolton had a much higher % of lads watching the team than a lot of other clubs, even for those of us who were not involved in the FV side of thing this gave games a totally different atmosphere. This generation has now grown up and moved on with families and responsibilities there are simply not the same % of lads at the game these days.

 

getting to the reebok is not so difficult people use that as an excuse, you do nt go because you do nt enjoy it enough and choose to spend time and money elsehwere, fair enough.

 

football has moved on and no longer want to attract lads they want families. at work we have just moved into new purpose built offices which are dead smart clean and we even had big screens with sky on all day, everything is nicer than the shit hole we just moved out of, but fuck me it is boring and quiet. bit like the reebok v burnden debate.

 

when was the last time pre reebok when we averaged over 24000 ?

I won't ever happen, but if by some miracle the "powers that be" decided that standing sections were allowed back into the grounds - do we think thatsome of those who stooped going would come back? - people claim this would improve the atmosphere (having standing areas) but I'm not so sure, for the odd match maybe, but on the whole I don't see that it would make much of a difference