Bolton Wanderers

Wanderer

Member
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5,791
I know I bang on about Bolton, my home town but it's all in jest. However the last few days, well weeks, months even have been murder for the club, and the club means a lot to me, as it did my departed father.

So just wanted to say we've been saved from explosion from the Football League and can move forward. Football is top heavy at the moment and anyone not in the top two leagues is liable to end up in the mess just trying to keep up.

Just so relieved, but so sad for Bury FC, on three miles from Bolton.

On this day in 1877 Christchurch FC formed in 1874 changed their name to Bolton Wanderers.

Totally OT but I'm on the Chimay.....
 

safrane

Member
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16,748
My adopted dad ploughed tens of thousands into Bury FC when the Nevil family ran it... my adopted mother divorced him because it, almost bankrupted the family firm as he squandered so much on a silly boys game rather than his own family/Co.

When he eventually lost everything in the next financial crisis, non of the croneys he financed gave him a second look despite their multi million pound contracts.

So I am not sorry to see them go under at all.
 

Wanderer

Member
Messages
5,791
My adopted dad ploughed tens of thousands into Bury FC when the Nevil family ran it... my adopted mother divorced him because it, almost bankrupted the family firm as he squandered so much on a silly boys game rather than his own family/Co.

When he eventually lost everything in the next financial crisis, non of the croneys he financed gave him a second look despite their multi million pound contracts.

So I am not sorry to see them go under at all.
I prefer to think about the club itself and not the people ran and/or ruined it. These clubs have a huge history, even Bury FC, twice FA Cup winners and by the biggest margins, 6-0 and 4-0.

There's a lot of bitter rivalry but I'd still hate to any club go under because of mismanagement and even trying to keep up, lessons have to be learned and I think now a lot of clubs will be looking at their financial arrangements, to mitigate any possibility of the mess Bolton and Bury got into.
 

midlifecrisis

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16,102
Being a Manc, I always looked out for the other teams from Greater Manchester in the MEN pink on a Saturday night. I've even popped in to Burden when United were playing away. It's sad that the Shakers and Trotters are in such dire straits, like you say, the money is at the top. I feel that the EFL has a responsibility for Bury's demise, their policy of fit and proper persons was never fit or proper. Remember Thaksin Shinawatra?
I've always liked lower team football where ever I've lived. The fans are true fans of the game and appreciate the away fan like a guest before and after the game but never during. These small clubs are the bedrock of the English Game and local communities and it would be sad to see a European league akin to US sport.
 

midlifecrisis

Member
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16,102
Look on the bright side.
Remember where Bournemouth were ten years ago.
You couldn't pay anything by card as they had no credit facilities, you had to pay cash to get in . They used to get 5,000 through the gate but 6,000 was their break even point. They had points deducted, sold their stadium, transfer embargo and a shockingly bad manager and a multiple bankrupt builder as a new owner.
Then Eddie Howe happened. The rest is a miracle. UTCIAD as they say at Kings Park.
 

Contigo

Sponsor
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18,376
My Grandad went to Gigg lane every week for about 50 plus years so I have fond memories.. very sad for them and the way it has been handled is disgraceful. My Uncle still goes too and he gutted.

Glad Bolton have been saved for sure and hope there is a glimmer for Bury somewhere...
 
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6,001
It is a disgrace
Look at the teams struggling
Bolton, Bury, in the recent past Hartlepool, Darlington, Middlesbrough and more.
the Football League do nothing to help. They carry on and penalise.
Kick a man when he is down.
Football is so corrupt and skewed toward high end clubs in the premiership and then into Europe.
Well I do not support or go to games any more those that do are passionate mugs.
Yet they all get away with it!
 

Wanderer

Member
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5,791
There will be more clubs experiencing the same over the next season or two. TBF they've all got only themselves to blame, but these are Sports clubs, they have to compete, it's the nature of the game, sitting back and accepting what you are is not the nature of of any Sporting genre, so no, they are not to blame, that's the game, do what you can to win otherwise it's a non-game.

The playing field needs levelling but to be honest, that won't happen, money talks.
 

midlifecrisis

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16,102
FC United, AFC. Wimbledon are the future. Supporters' owned clubs.
Stable board rooms mean stable clubs. Bury was brought down by dodgy High interest loans, speculative deals on questionable income figures.
 

conaero

Forum Owner
Messages
34,593
It’s all very sad yes. As has been pointed out, all the money is in the top two division exploited by SKY and will ultimate come undone as it has in F1
 

midlifecrisis

Member
Messages
16,102
It’s all very sad yes. As has been pointed out, all the money is in the top two division exploited by SKY and will ultimate come undone as it has in F1
Just six cars can win a race... Ok maybe 3,thats not good in any championship. MotoGP had 7/8 different winners in a row a couple of years ago... He may be the best ever but Marquez domination could stifle the product. Reckon he should go to Aprillia
 

zagatoes30

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20,759
Top sport by definition is to be the best regardless, the money pumped into the Premiership is ridiculous but it is what is necessary to be the best. There are only 6 clubs in with any real chance of winning the title even though every now and then a Leicester might happen. F1 has gone the same way best drivers go to the best cars which are funded by the most money.

Cycling and Athletics choose a different route to reach the top, performance enhancing drugs, but the logic was the same be the best at all costs.

Whether it is the desire to be the best or the route you take it is all done to the detriment of the grass roots and as long as this remains there will be others that go the same way of Bury. Glad Bolton survived but for how long, the balance is still swinging and could fall for them and many others.
 

Wack61

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Messages
8,764
Top sport by definition is to be the best regardless, the money pumped into the Premiership is ridiculous but it is what is necessary to be the best. There are only 6 clubs in with any real chance of winning the title even though every now and then a Leicester might happen. F1 has gone the same way best drivers go to the best cars which are funded by the most money.

Premier league football isn't top sport , far too much cheating going on, the HD slow motion replay makes them look like idiots , it's all about winning at any cost to keep the sponsorship money rolling in, it sets a terrible example to young kids , my kids were never in to football but a mates dad stopped taking his son to play in a kids league because of pushy parents who wanted their kid to be the next big star and 10 year olds diving and fouling to score.
 

Hawk13

Member
Messages
1,471
Just six cars can win a race... Ok maybe 3,thats not good in any championship. MotoGP had 7/8 different winners in a row a couple of years ago... He may be the best ever but Marquez domination could stifle the product. Reckon he should go to Aprillia

It would be great if other sports followed the lead of American Football. As I understand it, the lowest team at the end of the season gets the first pick of new talent coming through in an effort to level the standards.
 

Doohickey

Velociraptor
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2,496
It would be great if other sports followed the lead of American Football. As I understand it, the lowest team at the end of the season gets the first pick of new talent coming through in an effort to level the standards.
In theory that's right but Cleveland have been the worst team in the league for years (they won one game in two seasons!) and only now are starting to get some potential. There's a fair bit of luck involved in your first pick actually being the player you hope he is and it takes 2/3 years generally for them to realise their talent. It also doesn't explain how New England continue to be the best side in the league despite being at the bottom of the selection process - they've won 3 of the last 5 Superbowls.
 

midlifecrisis

Member
Messages
16,102
In theory that's right but Cleveland have been the worst team in the league for years (they won one game in two seasons!) and only now are starting to get some potential. There's a fair bit of luck involved in your first pick actually being the player you hope he is and it takes 2/3 years generally for them to realise their talent. It also doesn't explain how New England continue to be the best side in the league despite being at the bottom of the selection process - they've won 3 of the last 5 Superbowls.
Good management and investment. Lee Sharpe was a good player, played for England, Ryan Giggs was a legend. Took Sharpe's place.