Bolton Wanderers F.C. facts for kids
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| Full name | Bolton Wanderers Football Club | ||
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| Founded | 1874 (as Christ Church F.C.) | ||
| Ground | Toughsheet Community Stadium | ||
| Capacity | 28,723 | ||
| Owner | Football Ventures (Whites) Ltd (92%) British Business Bank (8%) |
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| Chairman | Sharon Brittan | ||
| Manager | Ian Evatt | ||
| League | League One | ||
| 2018–19 | Championship, 23rd of 24 (relegated) | ||
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Bolton Wanderers Football Club is a professional football team from Bolton, England. They play in EFL League One, which is the third level of English football.
The club started in 1874 as Christ Church F.C. They changed their name to Bolton Wanderers in 1877. In 1888, they were one of the first teams to join the English Football League. Bolton has won the FA Cup four times, in 1923, 1926, 1929, and 1958. They also won the EFL Trophy in 1989 and 2023.
Bolton Wanderers played at Burnden Park from 1895 to 1997. Since 1997, their home ground has been the Toughsheet Community Stadium. The club has spent many seasons in the top division of English football.
Contents
History of Bolton Wanderers
How the Club Started (1877–1929)
The club was founded in 1874 by a church leader, Reverend Joseph Farrall Wright. It was first called Christ Church F.C. In 1877, the club changed its name to Bolton Wanderers. They chose "Wanderers" because they moved between different grounds a lot at first.
Bolton was one of the 12 founding members of the Football League in 1888. This was a big deal for football in England. Many strong teams from the Lancashire area joined at that time.
Bolton reached the FA Cup final for the first time in 1894 but lost. They were runners-up again in 1904. The years around World War I were very successful for Bolton in the league. They often finished in the top 8 of the First Division.
On April 28, 1923, Bolton won their first major trophy. They beat West Ham United 2–0 in the first-ever FA Cup final at Wembley. This match is famous as "The White Horse Final." Over 127,000 fans watched the game. Bolton's David Jack scored the first goal ever at Wembley Stadium.
Bolton became the most successful team in the FA Cup during the 1920s. They won it three times. Their second win was in 1926, beating Manchester City 1–0. Their third win came in 1929, when they beat Portsmouth 2–0.
Golden Era and Cup Wins (1929–1958)
From 1935 to 1964, Bolton stayed in the top division without interruption. Fans remember this as a "golden era." A key player during the 1950s was Nat Lofthouse.
During World War II, many Bolton players joined the armed forces. This was unusual for top athletes at the time. Fifteen Bolton players, led by their captain Harry Goslin, volunteered in 1939. Goslin was sadly killed in Italy in 1943.
In 1946, a sad event happened at the club's home, Burnden Park. Thirty-three fans lost their lives, and 400 were injured. This led to new rules to control crowd sizes at football matches.
In 1953, Bolton played in another famous FA Cup final. They lost 4–3 to Blackpool in "The Stanley Matthews final."
Bolton Wanderers have not won a major trophy since 1958. In that year, two goals from Nat Lofthouse helped them beat Manchester United in the FA Cup final. They have been runners-up in the League Cup twice since then, in 1995 and 2004.
Ups and Downs (1958–1995)
After 1958, Bolton had a tough time for about 20 years. They were relegated to the Second Division in 1964. Then, for the first time ever, they went down to the Third Division in 1971.
Bolton quickly bounced back, winning the Third Division in 1973. They then won the Second Division title in 1978, returning to the top flight. However, they were relegated again after only two seasons.
By 1987, Bolton had fallen to the Fourth Division. But they earned promotion back to the Third Division the very next season. In 1989, they won the Sherpa Van Trophy, beating Torquay United 4–1.
In the early 1990s, Bolton became known as "giant-killers" in cup games. In 1993, they beat FA Cup holders Liverpool 2–0. They also beat other higher-division teams. In 1994, they beat FA Cup holders Arsenal 3–1.
Back to the Top and European Adventures (1995–2012)
Bolton reached the Premier League in 1995. They won a thrilling play-off final against Reading 4–3. In the same year, they reached the League Cup final but lost to Liverpool. However, they were relegated from the Premiership in 1996.
The club quickly returned to the Premiership. They won the Division One championship in 1997 with 98 points and 100 goals. This season also marked their move from Burnden Park to the new Reebok Stadium.
Bolton was relegated again in 1998 on goal difference. In 2000, they reached the semi-finals of the FA Cup and League Cup. In 2001, Bolton was promoted back to the Premiership after winning the play-off final.
The team struggled in the next two seasons but managed to stay in the Premiership. In 2004, Bolton reached the League Cup final but lost to Middlesbrough. Still, they finished eighth in the league, their highest Premiership finish at the time.
In 2005, Bolton finished sixth in the league. This meant they qualified for the UEFA Cup for the first time. They reached the last 32 of the competition the next season. Between 2003 and 2007, Bolton consistently finished in the top eight.
In 2008, Bolton broke their transfer record by signing Johan Elmander for £8.2 million. The club reached the FA Cup semi-finals in 2011 but lost to Stoke.
The 2011–12 season was tough. On March 17, 2012, player Fabrice Muamba suffered a cardiac arrest during a match. He recovered, and the club's manager, Owen Coyle, was praised for his support. On May 13, Bolton was relegated to the Championship by just one point.
Recent Years (2012–Present)
The 2012–13 Championship season started poorly. The manager, Owen Coyle, was replaced by Dougie Freedman. Bolton finished seventh, just missing out on the play-offs.
In 2015, Bolton faced serious financial problems. They had a lot of debt and were given a transfer ban. In 2016, the club was relegated to League One.
Under new manager Phil Parkinson, Bolton won promotion back to the Championship in their first attempt. They finished second in League One. In 2018, Bolton again faced financial difficulties. They were threatened with administration and had problems paying players.
In April 2019, the team was relegated back to League One. In May 2019, the club officially went into administration. This meant they started the next season with a 12-point penalty. The club faced a risk of being removed from the Football League.
On August 28, 2019, new owners, Football Ventures (Whites) Limited, bought the club. This saved Bolton Wanderers. Keith Hill became the new manager.
In June 2020, the 2019–20 season ended early due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Bolton was relegated to EFL League Two, the fourth tier. Ian Evatt was appointed manager on July 1, 2020. Despite a difficult start, Bolton had an amazing turnaround. They finished third in League Two in 2021, earning automatic promotion back to League One.
In April 2023, Bolton won the EFL Trophy by beating Plymouth Argyle 4–0 in the final.
Team Colours and Badge
Bolton Wanderers usually wear white shirts with navy and red trim. Their shorts are traditionally navy, and their socks are white. Away kits have changed over the years, often being navy or yellow.
The club's badge shows the initials "BWFC" shaped like a ball. It also has a red scroll and a Lancashire rose. This badge is a modern version of one from 1975. The red rose is important to fans. The original club badge featured the town crest of Bolton, with an elephant and castle. This symbol sometimes appears on the back of recent shirts.
The team's nickname is "The Trotters." Some say it's a play on "Wanderers." Others believe it comes from an old local word for a joker. A fun story suggests it's because one of their early grounds was next to a pig farm. Players would have to "trot" through pig pens to get the ball!
Home Grounds
When the club first started, they played at different places. In 1881, they began playing regularly at Pike's Lane. They stayed there for 14 years.
Then, they moved to Burnden Park. This stadium was about a mile from the town centre. It was their home for 102 years. At its biggest, Burnden Park could hold 70,000 fans. However, parts of the stadium were sold off later.
By 1992, the club decided they needed a new stadium. They wanted a modern, all-seater stadium. The new stadium opened in August 1997 in Horwich, about 5 miles from Bolton. It can hold around 29,000 fans. The stadium is on "Burnden Way" to remember their old home.
It was first called the Reebok Stadium because of a sponsorship deal. This was unpopular with some fans at first. In 2014, it was renamed the Macron Stadium. In 2018, it became the University of Bolton Stadium. Since 2023, it has been known as the Toughsheet Community Stadium.
Rivalries and Supporters
The Bolton Wanderers Supporters' Association (BWSA) is the official fan group. It started in 1992 and holds meetings at the Toughsheet Community Stadium. The association has grown to include fan groups from around the world.
Historically, Bolton's main rivals were Bury. But this rivalry has become less strong due to Bury's problems. Bolton also has rivalries with other Lancashire clubs like Blackburn Rovers, Burnley, and Preston North End. These teams are all close by and were founding members of the Football League.
More recently, Bolton has developed a strong rivalry with Wigan Athletic. Many Wigan fans see Bolton as their biggest rivals. In 2021, a study found that the Bolton/Wigan rivalry was one of the most competitive in English football history.
A survey in 2019 showed that Bolton fans also consider Manchester United, Blackburn Rovers, Wigan Athletic, Oldham Athletic, and Bury as their biggest rivals.
Club Ownership and Money
The company that owns Bolton Wanderers is called Burnden Leisure Ltd. For a long time, businessman Eddie Davies owned most of the shares. When Bolton left the Premier League, Davies stopped investing as much. This led to the club having a lot of debt.
To help the club, Davies promised to remove over £125 million of debt when the club was sold. In 2016, a group led by Dean Holdsworth bought Davies' shares. But the club continued to have financial problems.
In May 2019, the club went into administration because of unpaid bills. This put the club's future at risk. However, on August 28, 2019, the club was sold to Football Ventures (Whites) Ltd. This new ownership saved Bolton Wanderers.
In 2022, the club received a special loan from The Future Fund, a government scheme. This loan was turned into shares, meaning the British Business Bank now owns about 8% of the club.
Sponsorship
Bolton Wanderers had a long partnership with Reebok, a sports company from the town. Reebok sponsored their shirts and made their kits for many years. Reebok also had the naming rights for the stadium from 1997 to 2014.
From 2014, the Italian company Macron made Bolton's kits and sponsored the stadium. In 2018, the University of Bolton became the stadium sponsor. Since July 1, 2023, the stadium has been known as the Toughsheet Community Stadium.
Players
Current Squad
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Bolton B Squad
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Players Out on Loan
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Club Officials
| Role | Name |
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| Chairman | Sharon Brittan |
| Manager | Ian Evatt |
| Assistant Managers | Peter Atherton Stephen Crainey |
| First Team Coach | vacant |
| Goalkeeping Coach | Matt Gilks |
| B Team Head Coach | Andy Taylor |
| B Team Coach | Andrew Tutte |
| Head of Academy | Dave Gardiner |
| U-18 Coach | Julian Darby |
| Head Physiotherapist | Matt Barrass |
| First Team Physiotherapist | Steve Blakeley |
| B Team Physiotherapist | Dave Newbold |
| Head of Sport Science | Paul Walsh |
| First Team Strength & Conditioning Coaches | Jack Inman Matt Pelham |
| Sports Therapist | Matt Donnelly |
| Head Kitman | Ted Moulden |
| B Team Kitman | Craig Rowson |
| First Team Analyst | Harry Taylor |
| B Team Analyst | Marcus Wilkinson |
| Technical Performance Director | Chris Markham |
Club Achievements
League Titles
- Second Division / First Division (level 2)
- Champions: 1908–09, 1977–78, 1996–97
- Promoted (2nd place): 1899–1900, 1904–05, 1910–11, 1934–35
- Play-off winners: 1995, 2001
- Third Division / Football League Second Division / League One (level 3)
- Champions: 1972–73
- Promoted (2nd place): 1992–93, 2016–17
- Fourth Division / League Two (level 4)
- Promoted (3rd place): 1987–88, 2020–21
Cup Wins
- FA Cup
- Winners: 1922–23, 1925–26, 1928–29, 1957–58
- Runners-up: 1893–94, 1903–04, 1952–53
- Football League Cup
- Runners-up: 1994–95, 2003–04
- FA Charity Shield
- Winners: 1958
- Associate Members' Cup / EFL Trophy
- Winners: 1988–89, 2022–23
- Runners-up: 1985–86
- Football League War Cup
- Winners: 1945
Images for kids
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Men from Bolton Wanderers Football Club serving together with a battery of artillery in the 53rd (Bolton) Field Regiment, Royal Artillery, of the 42nd (East Lancashire) Infantry Division, at Beccles, Suffolk on the east coast of England. The photograph, taken sometime in 1940, shows the nine footballers in uniform cleaning an artillery piece.
See also
In Spanish: Bolton Wanderers Football Club para niños
