After the players awards do in 2003, a few of the Daubhill Beach Boys ended up drinking with Phil until 06-30 the following morning in the DeVere Whites.

 

He genuinely loved the club and recited a story when he got arrested at Notts County in the mid 70's for throwing a pie which hit a copper in the face, haha.

 

 

 

 

He also told a few re the option of signing two players.

 

First player was a million signing plus £20k a week wages over 2 years, for a bag of shite championship player.

 

Second option was 38k for a world class name on a freebie who would fill and thrill the stadium.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

First player was Ipswich's Richard Scowcroft.

 

Second player was Jay Jay Okocha...........

 

 

I'm sure Scowcroft would have filled the stadium....

 

Sleep well Phil, you did an amazing job.

Belgrade, when he came over after the game and got loads of shit for the leather coat he'd borrowed from Herr Flick.

Europe was ace.

I complained to the club during the Prem years about the poor service in the ESL. I got an email back from Phil himself asking me to call him to discuss.

After a few minutes chat he invited me and a mate to the Chairmans suite for a match. We had a great day with PG and got to meet Nat, Eddie Davies and Sam. We had lunch at Phil's table and he listened to my complaints and suggestions.

 

He also used to provide tickets, food and drink for a couple of games a season for some young carers that my wife used to support in her previous job.

 

A genuinely nice bloke who loved the club as much as the next fan.

All round great guy

Guimares, in the square with all the flags etc. Stood talking with my mates and the Portuguese "Des Lynam", when over Des's shoulder I spied Phil Gartside,Simon Marland, Des McBain (I think) and a couple of others approaching? "Phil, Phil mate, over here, shake my hand mate, thanks....FOR THIS!! Said I, pointing to the packed square, extremely proud and very tired and emotional as I was by that time of the day. "Thanks mate, you're welcome" said he and then laughing "Bloody 'ell, let's get out of here!" as the whole square cottoned on and hands outstretched began to swarm across for more of the same. A man I met on two more occasions, who was a Wanderer through and through and a good bloke to boot. RIP Phil and condolences to your family and friends at this sad time. COYWM.

Belgrade in the service station/prison

 

Bought me 2 litre bottles of Vranac

 

Always friendly and did his best

Also invited me and two mates up to the chairmans suite for a game vs Swansea.

 

At the end of the day, he was a BWFC fan

 

Thanks for all of the good times that will live with me forever

In the first week in January 2000 I had my cruciate ligament done. it was heavily strapped and i couldn't drive and bend me knee. Someone on one of the Bolton msn lists informed him and he promptly invited me and the missus into a box in the West stand for the League cup semi again Tranmere the following week. I don't know what was more painful, the knee or seeing those whinny geeks celebrating their win.

 

Cheers Phil.

Used to have a chat with him and ED every year at a sportsmans dinner. I remember telling him he must be daft allowing two tickets per ST for the Carling Cup Final... He said,"Look how many we got on at the Reebok for the semi, we'll be reet." The following year he came over and said he should have listened to me  

Belgrade in the service station/prison

 

Bought me 2 litre bottles of Vranac

 

Always friendly and did his best

Aye, he got the wine in for many of us that day

 

My favourite interaction with him was after one of the Chairman's Ball events at the Reebok.

 

I was in the bogs chatting away to one of Kev Nolan's scally mates and he walked in. I greeted him with "Hello Mr Chairman, it's a a great do you've put on"....his reply was "thank you very much.....and call me Phil".

 

Gave a great impression at the time

Aye, he got the wine in for many of us that day

 

My favourite interaction with him was after one of the Chairman's Ball events at the Reebok.

 

I was in the bogs chatting away to one of Kev Nolan's scally mates and he walked in. I greeted him with "Hello Mr Chairman, it's a a great do you've put on"....his reply was "thank you very much.....and call me Phil".

 

Gave a great impression at the time

i got the same when i met him twice

 

he said call me Phil

 

hello Mr Phil  give him a laugh

Some of these testimony's reflect PG's passion and are a fitting tribute of his dedication to BWFC.

I hope that his family are able to take some comfort from the above posts - great work chaps!

It was always a good day when we won and got to pass Phil on the M6 before he turned off at J19.

He always gave us the thumbs up as we sailed past scarves a kimbo.

 

Happy days indeed.

At the Wways sportsmans dinner he put a box up as a prize for any game at the reebook.

 

for 10 people, one of the audience from Cattle Market was bidding like mad, he thought it was for every game !

A true man of the club.

 

The service station in Belgrade when himself, Alan Duckworth amongst others gopt the beers in was brilliant.

 

The other as already mentioned was the square in Guimaraes. I was rather pasty that day as most others but decided to thank Phil by licking his face.....he took it with good grace.

 

Without Phil Gartside those brilliant days wouldn't have happened.

 

RIP

Belgrade in the service station/prison

 

Bought me 2 litre bottles of Vranac

 

Always friendly and did his best

 

I'd escaped by the time PG arrived; RIP Fellow White.

After the playoff final victory against Preston in Cardiff a few of us decided to crash the players after party in some Cardiff hotel .Phil was on the door & I have to admit that I was somewhat inebriated fully resplendent in my 58 shirt .He rightly hesitated in letting me in but obviously saw the unbridled joy & the fan in him made the decision to let me through the door (I wouldn't have let me in).It was a fantastic end to a great day even though I gave myself a red card later for upsetting Steve Bruce & his Mrs.

Just been told that he recently phoned BSA to put to bed their falling out. Didn't want to go with bad blood still between them.

Just been told that he recently phoned BSA to put to bed their falling out. Didn't want to go with bad blood still between them.

Let's hope Sam buried the hatchet and with good grace. Sad what happened between Sam and PG don't know who was to blame but it was all downhill from that day on.

Not heard a peep from Big Sam - has anybody else?

Some comment on Sky Sports

 

link won't copy

I remember going to a football exhibition at Warrington museum with my Dad and Brother, think I was about 14 at the time. Big Sam and Phil were the guests of honour and as the only Bolton fans there we ended up spending most of the time chatting with both of them, and I had a game of Subbuteo with Big Sam.

 

Both really nice blokes who were more than happy to chat.

I've posted on here before and its not a happy memory really, In fact quite a sad memory but shows how much he actually cared.

 

My old man was in the chairmans suite for that Wigan game where coyle didnt play Muamba etc.

 

Soon as the final whistle went PG went into a room on his own, visably teary eyed and locked the door. My old man said he could see him through the blinds sat there with his head in his hands and then stood staring blankly out of the window for a good half hour.

 

He was that gutted he never came back out to meet and greet or whatever they do and fucked straight off.

Some great stories here, make this all the sadder event. Its such a shame that the club is in such a bad way at the moment. If something good can come out of this it might just be that everyone pulls together, the players get a better connection with the club, fans and town and we can pull ourselves out of the shit and look forward.

 

I never met him so don't have any personal memories of him, but sitting in the Allianz arena  or the Stade Velodrome is not something I ever expected to do as a Bolton supporter. I remember walking up the little gangway to the seats on the very first match at the Reebok and it literally taking my breath away all lit up at night and our new home. 

 

As I'm typing I do vaguely remember bumping into him at the player of the year awards in 2003. Think I drinkenly said hi as I walked past but had such a great night and met and talked to quite a few players, favourite being a chat and photo with JJ and his player of the year award.

 

None of those things could have happened without the Chairman, thank you for everything

 

RIP 

Not heard a peep from Big Sam - has anybody else?

 

"It was obviously devastating news for them and me," Allardyce told Sky Sports News HQ. "I was aware of the illness but kept that close to myself and obviously my condolences go out to the family.

"My memories are great, even though later on we may not have seen eye-to-eye.

"The journey we took from 1999 to 2007 was magical and we took that journey together.

"We basically rebuilt a football club that achieved great success and those are the memories I have of Phil."

Let's hope Sam buried the hatchet and with good grace. Sad what happened between Sam and PG don't know who was to blame but it was all downhill from that day on.

From what I've heard pg offered an apology. Don't think that means he was to blame, just wanted to clear the air. It would no doubt have eased Sam's conscious, and it reckon it takes balls to do it.