Bruno N'Gotty - your memories

[Kevin_Yahoo]

I'm writing a piece about Bruno N'Gotty (kind of like this piece I did before on Per Frandsen https://uk.sports.yahoo.com/news/blast- ... 40790.html) and am seeking fans' memories and opinions on his time with Bolton. All quotes used will be credited to The Wanderer.

So in the words of David Brent, shoot!

Many thanks, Kevin

[TANGODANCER]

Always remember a comment Graham Lovett made when he was commentating for Tower Radio. He said (as near as damn): "And Bruno stands up out of his armchair, flicks the ash off his cigar and steps up and clears the ball" That was so typical of Bruno N'Gotty's calmness and confidence. A truly cracking player for Bolton.

[jimbo]

Absolutely loved him. The first of our galacticos.

[officer_dibble]

I cant believe he played for us right at this minute!

[General Mannerheim]

Cant believe this fella did either http://thesetpieces.com/interviews/fred ... l-tactics/

[Abdoulaye's Twin]

A classy player. Never hurried and never seemed under pressure. He just appeared at the right time and did the right thing. Not the biggest name amongst our Galacticos, but arguably one of the best and most important players of that era for us.

[Bruce Rioja]

I remember Bruno's big floaters.

[Peter Thompson]

A classy player. Never hurried and never seemed under pressure. He just appeared at the right time and did the right thing. Not the biggest name amongst our Galacticos, but arguably one of the best and most important players of that era for us.

Agree with this 100% - very classy player....

[jonnybwfc]

Was Bruno the one Allardyce said was his best signing for us ?

It was certainly a step-up from Emerson smiling-as-I-concede-another-penalty Thome.

[TANGODANCER]

We had Bruno, we had Gudni, we had Meite and Faye.....and then along came Zat....

[Lord Kangana]

Cant believe this fella did either http://thesetpieces.com/interviews/fred ... l-tactics/

I said years ago this would happen.

It's not 4 top half finishes.

It's 8th, 6th, 8th, 7th.

Hardly just fcking top half now, is it?

[Burnden Paddock]

Cant believe this fella did either http://thesetpieces.com/interviews/fred ... l-tactics/

Thanks for posting General. Really enjoyed that.

N'Gotty was fantastic for us, but weirdly my abiding memory of him is from the Leicester 2-2 game. The replay from behind our goal as Ricketts headed the equaliser and Bruno sank to his knees, with his arms aloft. I remember being impressed that a guy that had played at such a high level actually cared about us. Bruno

[TANGODANCER]

Savage and Wise, what a priceless pair of xxxxx..Savage had to get taken off before the end, or it might have been his end...

[Prufrock]

In my memory he had to get taken off after about half an hour. Don't think I've ever seen a crowd baying for blood more. Was Gladiatorial.

As for Bruno, not much to add. I was going to post that he never gets enough credit for being the true first of the Galacticos, but then that was literally the second post so... Absolute hero. We've had some cracking centre-halfs over the past 20 years (and some shockers). I'd probably (sorry Gudni), probably, just about pick him as the best. Had everything. And those drifted free-kicks (behave, Bruce), knocking it 60 yards with a one-step run-up and no backlift were supreme.

Ah, nostalgia.

[dave the minion]

Give over. As brilliant as Bruno was, he was no Gudni. Bergsson was immense - seemed fitter than virtually everyone he played against, despite him being about 47 towards the end of his time with us. Absolutely unflappable (until someone produces evidence to the contrary) and a decent goal return too.....

Was that Leicester game the one that Big Sam and Harry were wiredup to heart-rate monitors? Didn't Savage get 1 or 2 of our players sent off, and then got hauled off himself before he had his legs broken by either a player or a fan? As said above - probably about the most hostile crowd I've ever seen in that match. Didn't Ricketts equalise in something like the 95th minute?

[boltonboris]

Was that Leicester game the one that Big Sam and Harry were wiredup to heart-rate monitors?

That was the game, yes - What a game for it, too! Absolute delirium when the equaliser went in

[Prufrock]

Give over. As brilliant as Bruno was, he was no Gudni. Bergsson was immense - seemed fitter than virtually everyone he played against, despite him being about 47 towards the end of his time with us. Absolutely unflappable (until someone produces evidence to the contrary) and a decent goal return too.....

Was that Leicester game the one that Big Sam and Harry were wiredup to heart-rate monitors? Didn't Savage get 1 or 2 of our players sent off, and then got hauled off himself before he had his legs broken by either a player or a fan? As said above - probably about the most hostile crowd I've ever seen in that match. Didn't Ricketts equalise in something like the 95th minute?

It's an argument I'd be happy to lose. It says a lot about how good both of them were that I don't think you'll find a Bolton fan who remembers the last 20 years who would pick the guy likely to lift the Premier League trophy in May* over either of them. I had that Gudni "Captian Fantastic" t-shirt for at least a decade, until it was more hole than t-shirt. Still gutted to throw it away.


*I say "likely" not because I have any doubts Chelsea will win it, but because I wouldn't put it past a be-kitted John Terry to come striding on and take it off the guy who has captained them all year.

[bristol_Wanderer3]

Bruno was an awesome centre half, the best imho during that 2002-2007 glorious era. Arguments could also be made for Ben Haim. Bruno was an unassuming kind of character it seemed, I remember BSA once commenting that they just leave Bruno to just get on with it, with little dialogue required. Whatever man management techniques they employed they certainly managed to get consistent, high level performances from him. He will probably not be remembered by many as fondly as Okocha, Djorkaeff or Campo, but for me he was definitely their equal in terms of quality and effectiveness.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Perhaps I'm blasé about his brilliance but my favourite memory is probably a low point for him: a red card in the final game of the season at home to Everton, Sun 15 May 2005. That narky little self-centred twunt Tim Cahill had been charging around all afternoon and gave Bruno a shove; our bemused hero responded not with a punch but a proper old-fashioned open-handed clip behind the ear-hole. There was something wonderfully old-school about it, reminiscent of a much-loved and quite possibly mythological golden era of the past... a bit like BWFC in Europe feels now.