New book in the works from Paul Fletcher about the decline of the club, laugh a minute I'm sure.

BN is doing some extracts from it in the coming days, interesting to see his quote about the move to Reebok Stadium as "probably the biggest mistake in the club's history"

https://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/sport/17673248.how-i-came-to-find-the-religion-of-football-at-burnden/

Used to park on BOC top car park for Burnden, 5 mins walk to and from the ground,used to be back in the pub for 5.15.

Where i live now i can get to the Unibol in 7 minutes.

Burnden was great on the big occasions, but we had to move.

22 hours ago, bolton va va said:

Shrewsbury was my favourite away day at the old ground but the dreary, out of town, all seater ground has spoiled it.

It always amazes me that clubs that dont have to be all seater, choose not to have terraces when they build new grounds or stands.

Gigg Lane used to be a great ground for watching a Div 3 or 4 game as a neutral, I'd often go when Bolton were away.  Those seats have turned it into a ghost stadium with nobody behind the nets, totally ruined the vibe for no apparent reason.  Same as Lever End seating did to Burnden but Bury did it to the whole ground.

Dad used to park on edbros, pilot works

Opposite what is now Carr's

No doubt burnden wasn't fit for purpose but reebok on the burnden site would've been infinitely better than what we have now

 

And, I don't think bradshawgate would've become quite the shithole that it has

Just my opinion

I know it was maybe 20 years too early but the land that Manchester Road Tech sat on would have made a great new Burnden Park.

Have I misunderstood or does he say that we lost the opening game to Everton? I must have watched a different game as I remember it as a 0-0.

 

The stadium, designed by architects Populous, certainly looked impressive but I was very disappointed at the opening game against Everton, which we lost. 

Also, I’m  not sure the M65 plays that big a part surely?

There were some difficulties I recall with the Department of Transport objecting to the 35,000-seater capacity that the club were hoping to achieve. 

The fear was that the flow of traffic leaving the stadium after the game would cause confusion on the M65 motorway. 

 

Edited June 3, 20197 yr by Matty

1 hour ago, Matty said:

Have I misunderstood or does he say that we lost the opening game to Everton? I must have watched a different game as I remember it as a 0-0.

 

The stadium, designed by architects Populous, certainly looked impressive but I was very disappointed at the opening game against Everton, which we lost. 

Also, I’m  not sure the M65 plays that big a part surely?

There were some difficulties I recall with the Department of Transport objecting to the 35,000-seater capacity that the club were hoping to achieve. 

The fear was that the flow of traffic leaving the stadium after the game would cause confusion on the M65 motorway. 

 

Is he saying we have a stadium that could expand to 35k? Also the stadium roof design effecting the atmosphere not sure about that, the football on the pitch is more of a deciding factor. For a supposed BWFC fan, he’s a tad negative about BWFC for me, mind you most Bolton fans suffer from the same affliction. 

Edited June 3, 20197 yr by Mounts Kipper

The stadium has the capability to expand by putting 2 more rows in front of the existing ones and filling corners, not sure about 35k though.

Fletcher was always a legend in his own lunchtime and was looked on as a bit of a joke with the real people at the stadium, he gave himself the C/Exec title when it never actually existed as they had good people like Des Mcbain, Simon and the guy who was project manager Jan Koslowski. 

He had more affinity with Burnley back then and couldn’t wait to move on once he realised he wouldn’t be offered the job he thought he deserved. The traffic flow onto the M61 was never an issue as they had done a lot of work on the motorway junctions.

Edited June 3, 20197 yr by hughmungus

Ties in with the other thread, and perhaps explains why building a new stadium on the site of or near to burnden would have been difficult or uneconomical.

Fletcher is a prize plonker end of

56 minutes ago, Take Hunt Off said:

Fletcher is a prize plonker end of

He has certainly applied some poetic licence to his musings. This bit is completely untrue. 

 

'The new Reebok stadium was up and running, Bolton Wanderers were back in the Premiership, new chairman Phil Gartside and director Brett Warburton were doing a great job and they had just told me, confidentially, that Sam Allardyce was to be appointed as the new manager.'

6 minutes ago, RoadRunnerFan said:

He has certainly applied some poetic licence to his musings. This bit is completely untrue. 

 

'The new Reebok stadium was up and running, Bolton Wanderers were back in the Premiership, new chairman Phil Gartside and director Brett Warburton were doing a great job and they had just told me, confidentially, that Sam Allardyce was to be appointed as the new manager.'

Especially as we were in to our second season outside of the Prem when Allardyce was announced. 

11 hours ago, RoadRunnerFan said:

He has certainly applied some poetic licence to his musings. This bit is completely untrue. 

 

'The new Reebok stadium was up and running, Bolton Wanderers were back in the Premiership, new chairman Phil Gartside and director Brett Warburton were doing a great job and they had just told me, confidentially, that Sam Allardyce was to be appointed as the new manager.'

I'm also unconvinced that the flow of traffic out of the Reebok would affect the "M65" motorway in any way whatsoever.....

I read it and at the start thought this was interesting. Then got to where he claims he posed as "Nat's agent" and thought - no this guy's a moron!

13 hours ago, Take Hunt Off said:

Fletcher is a prize plonker end of

Dave Singleton went to Canon Slade and Eddie Davies lived in Westhoughton? No wonder they are serialising his memoirs in the Beeno.

So yeah I have to say despite looking forward to reading this, the extracts I've read in the BN up to and including the last one today haven't impressed me much, Shania. Chats shit.

And stop saying "Premiership".

On ‎03‎/‎06‎/‎2019 at 10:39, hughmungus said:

The stadium has the capability to expand by putting 2 more rows in front of the existing ones and filling corners, not sure about 35k though.

Fletcher was always a legend in his own lunchtime and was looked on as a bit of a joke with the real people at the stadium, he gave himself the C/Exec title when it never actually existed as they had good people like Des Mcbain, Simon and the guy who was project manager Jan Koslowski. 

He had more affinity with Burnley back then and couldn’t wait to move on once he realised he wouldn’t be offered the job he thought he deserved. The traffic flow onto the M61 was never an issue as they had done a lot of work on the motorway junctions.

The front row of seats is row D, which suggests that 3 additional rows (not 2, not 5) could be fitted.

M61/M65 - obviously spent too much time in Burnley.

Hayward/Canon Slade, oops.

5 hours ago, MalcolmW said:

The front row of seats is row D, which suggests that 3 additional rows (not 2, not 5) could be fitted.

M61/M65 - obviously spent too much time in Burnley.

Hayward/Canon Slade, oops.

 

Yes your right, but row A would have been the disabled section form what I remember, was 22 yrs ago since I saw the plans mind.

Edited June 4, 20197 yr by hughmungus

Never really thought of him in a bad light until now. It’s not just the inaccuracies, it’s the constant CEO references as well. Is it ghost written?

I like his latest vision for new stadiums bang in the middle of town centres first floor car park, 2nd floor retail and leisure, 3rd floor pitch and stadium, stadium centre of the community, sadly were probably not big enough club to justify a facility like that in the town centre. Would love to see the club return to the centre of the town and community. 

23 hours ago, Mounts Kipper said:

I like his latest vision for new stadiums bang in the middle of town centres first floor car park, 2nd floor retail and leisure, 3rd floor pitch and stadium, stadium centre of the community, sadly were probably not big enough club to justify a facility like that in the town centre. Would love to see the club return to the centre of the town and community. 

Can't see town councils and police forces being too keen on it.

On 04/06/2019 at 22:04, Mounts Kipper said:

I like his latest vision for new stadiums bang in the middle of town centres first floor car park, 2nd floor retail and leisure, 3rd floor pitch and stadium, stadium centre of the community, sadly were probably not big enough club to justify a facility like that in the town centre. Would love to see the club return to the centre of the town and community. 

A lot of town centres are dying on their arses and a vast amount of retail outlets and leisure centres have now moved out to the 'burbs.

A bit like Middlebrook.

Town centres are soooo 1980's darling.

Think it’s also worthwhile adding that with the move out to the ‘burbs came more land. This potentially is one of the saving factors of the predicament we are in now.

 

10 hours ago, Burndens Bogs said:

A lot of town centres are dying on their arses and a vast amount of retail outlets and leisure centres have now moved out to the 'burbs.

A bit like Middlebrook.

Town centres are soooo 1980's darling.

That’s why the plan is a good one, town centres revitalised, look at the likes of manchester more folk living in the TC than for years, restaurant, bars, and trendy new shops thriving.