September 21, 201312 yr Phil Neal laid good foundations which Rioch inherited I'm pretty sure I disagree. Neal took us further down and we sneaked back up. Didn't ever feel we were on the right track under him. For me, the moment I got really excited was signing Andy Walker. Couldn't believe we signed him.
September 21, 201312 yr The thing is we were shite but we aspired for a good cup run or maybe promotion. We were shit but we knew our place, and we were happy. Little did we know that we would get to cup finals, see the likes of JJ, Djorkaeff, Hierro & Passi, the premier league, and get into europe. Now that we have experienced that this is a whole different type of shitness - It's 100 times worst.
September 21, 201312 yr We were shit but we knew our place, and we were happy. Now that we have experienced that this is a whole different type of shitness - It's 100 times worst. I don't think it's worse. We have the set-up of a Premier League club now, we didn't back then. We just need to get it right on the pitch.
September 21, 201312 yr I don't think it's worse. We have the set-up of a Premier League club now, we didn't back then. We just need to get it right on the pitch. Fook that! You can keep your more leg room.
September 21, 201312 yr Fook that! You can keep your more leg room. ...and the new training facilities? We were lucky to get Rioch with what we had back then, we shouldn't really have those problems now, in terms of the infrastructure of the club.
September 21, 201312 yr Compared to the 80's and early 90's these aren't even dark days. In fact, the light would still be bright enough for cricketers.
September 21, 201312 yr I remember Rioch getting stick after a poor start to his first season. And for folk to say Rioch turned it round cannot have been around in the 80's.
September 21, 201312 yr I remember Rioch getting stick after a poor start to his first season. And for folk to say Rioch turned it round cannot have been around in the 80's. We had our moments under Phil Neal, with a few players arriving then who saw us good for a few years. Mind you, McGovern always claims he stopped the rot. Thing is, sneaked it or not, Phil Neal got us back to going up. That's the turnaround after years of slide. Agree with earlier comment that it feels eerily like the early 80s. It genuinely does.
September 21, 201312 yr I'm pretty sure I disagree. Neal took us further down and we sneaked back up. Didn't ever feel we were on the right track under him. For me, the moment I got really excited was signing Andy Walker. Couldn't believe we signed him. A Phil Neal signing no less. He got the ball rolling imo.
September 21, 201312 yr Neal signed him on loan! Walker was ridiculously better than every player in that league.
September 21, 201312 yr Walker was god, far better than what we have now. Rioch got the best welcome of any manager I have seen, singing Bruce Rioch's super white army, For a good 10 mins before kick off. The best time to be a 16 year old who could go to every game. Just need a time machine.
September 21, 201312 yr Every team since the year dot goes through shit times, i have seen some shite watching Bolton over the years, but god almighty, they have given me every pleasing emotion i could ever have watching them.
September 21, 201312 yr Not been this bad since Bobby Barnes scored for Aldershot at Burnden to send us down. Now that was a bad night!
September 21, 201312 yr The pensioners on here must have been alarmed by the decline of the 60's,whilst the near pensioners will no doubt say the 70's were a golden and exciting era to follow the Wanderers. My generation will undoubtedly say following Bolton in the 80's was the best time of their lives. Regardless of what division we're in,following your beloved football club will always be magical,admittedly more so if success is in abundance,but the memories gleaned by those days will last an eternity. Let's be honest here,we're not a big club by any scale of the imagination. The recent premier successes were excellent,but we were punching well and truly above our weight. We could have probably gone further,but maybe and possibly,the men at the top knew it wasn't feasible to carry on paying big wages etc. The bubble had to burst. Realistically,we're never going to win the Premier league,I'd much rather be challenging in the lower leagues than having an annual struggle for survival in the big boys league. It's time for the under 30's to step up to the mantle and do what the codgers did. Without that support from the emerging generation,our proud club could be in deep trouble T
September 21, 201312 yr When has it been as worse than this? and what was the catalyst/the start of things turning around. Obviously results, but what changed things for the better? new manager? a player stepping up? This is poor and could be the beginning of the return to the really dark days of the mid 80s but its a million miles off the dip to division 4 regular sub 5000 crowds cast offs from Oldham,Burnley and Bury we've a long way to go to be worse than that period. Edited September 21, 201312 yr by Mounts Kipper
September 22, 201312 yr The turning point was the signing of David Lee from Southampton. We had just scraped a draw at Chester and went to Reading for a night match, Diddy Dave tore them a new one. He was the final piece of the jigsaw, we had a squad of players all with different strengths and the over night improvement whetted the appetite of the town. Great days
September 22, 201312 yr That team had heart ,desire,determination ,fought for each other and worked hard and put a shift in week in week out , this squad (its a struggle to say team) doesn't show anything like that unfortunately. It is very sad to see.
September 22, 201312 yr Getting regularly beaten by Bury, we aren't back to that yet, those years bumming around the third division (and one in the fourth) were the worst in our entire history.
September 22, 201312 yr If I hadn't seen such riches I could live with being poor Was just about to post the same, we have gone from ten years plus of over achievement into a massive drop. Back in the day there was not such a gulf in finances between the divisions, watch any premiership game and then any championship game there is big gap, we have gone from being one of the very best to looking totally lost and without direction.
September 22, 201312 yr The thing is we were shite but we aspired for a good cup run or maybe promotion. We were shit but we knew our place, and we were happy. Little did we know that we would get to cup finals, see the likes of JJ, Djorkaeff, Hierro & Passi, the premier league, and get into europe. Now that we have experienced that this is a whole different type of shitness - It's 100 times worst.. Passi fucking Passi your better than him and that's saying something:)
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