Bolton Wanderers F.C.

Bolton Wanderers F.C.
Full name	Bolton Wanderers Football Club
Nickname(s)	The Trotters, The Wanderers
Founded	August 1, 1874; 150 years ago
Ground	University of Bolton Stadium
Capacity	28,723
Chairman	Sharon Brittan
Manager	Ian Evatt
League	EFL League One
2022–23	League One, 5th

Bolton Wanderers Football Club is a professional football club based in Bolton, Greater Manchester, England. The club competes in EFL League One, the third tier of English football. Founded in 1874 as Christ Church F.C., it adopted its current name in 1877 and was one of the 12 founding members of the Football League in 1888.

History[edit | edit source]

Early Years[edit | edit source]

Bolton Wanderers was established in 1874 by the Reverend John Farrall Wright and Thomas Ogden, the schoolmaster at Christ Church. The club initially played at a variety of locations before settling at Burnden Park in 1895, where they remained for 102 years.

Success in the Early 20th Century[edit | edit source]

Bolton enjoyed significant success in the early 20th century, winning the FA Cup three times in the 1920s. Their first victory came in 1923, famously known as the "White Horse Final" at Wembley Stadium, where they defeated West Ham United 2–0.

Post-War Period[edit | edit source]

After World War II, Bolton continued to be a strong team, reaching the FA Cup final in 1953, known as the "Matthews Final", where they were defeated by Blackpool. However, they won the FA Cup again in 1958, beating Manchester United 2–0.

Modern Era[edit | edit source]

In 1997, Bolton moved to the newly built University of Bolton Stadium, originally named the Reebok Stadium. The club experienced a resurgence in the early 2000s under manager Sam Allardyce, achieving promotion to the Premier League and qualifying for European competitions.

Stadium[edit | edit source]

The club's home ground is the University of Bolton Stadium, located in Horwich, Greater Manchester. It has a seating capacity of 28,723 and was opened in 1997. The stadium is known for its modern facilities and has hosted various international matches and events.

Rivalries[edit | edit source]

Bolton Wanderers have several rivalries, the most notable being with Blackburn Rovers, known as the "East Lancashire Derby". Other rivalries include matches against Wigan Athletic and Burnley.

Notable Players[edit | edit source]

Over the years, Bolton has been home to many notable players, including:

Nat Lofthouse – Known as the "Lion of Vienna", he is one of the club's greatest ever players.
Jay-Jay Okocha – A Nigerian international known for his skill and flair.
Kevin Davies – A key player during the club's Premier League years.