If Bolton Wanderers imploded tomorrow...

[Abdoulaye's Twin]

I'd not bother. I've gradually lost interest in football over the last decade. Various reasons - different priorities, time, but most of all because the game has changed out of all recognition and I can't be arsed with it. If we somehow survive this mess I'll continue to follow via this site as I have been.

#shitfan

[Prufrock]

There's maybe 5% of me that thinks the idea of a phoenix FC Wanderers of Bolton would be great.

But then I wouldn't get to see any of it. And anyway it would just be a few years of success to at best get back to a football where we're excluded from the top table, and a few others as well.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

#shitfan

Let’s just hope that doesn’t become #ShitFanNoClub

[Leyther71]

At this moment I've got the right arse so I'd just give up on football, go watching the RL full-time.

Once I've shrugged off the arse, I reckon I'd be tempted back pretty quickly, especially if there was some kind of commitment to form a 'new' club that retains large aspects of the Wanderers history (white and navy, Trotters nickname, elephants ).

Don't you have to use a different name for a few seasons before you can revert back (The Wanderers Football Club)? And can't you 'reclaim' your honours after a certain passage of time? Aidrieonians in Scotland?

Surely the Football League could find a way to keep us in the bottom division?? The lower leagues hold no fear. As a 44 year old fan, my early experiences were Division 3 and 4. Port Vale away, Hull away, Wrexham away... some of the best memories.

Non-league would be a bit embarrassing, although I'd love to batter FC United.

[malcd1]

Although I have continued to watch BWFC since the mid-1970's, I fell out of love with the game 10-15 years ago. I realised the game had been lost to corporate greed when we were still doing quite well in the Premier League. I couldn't be bothered watching anyone else on Sky and cancelled my subscription. I have barely watched a non-Bolton league match since. The game just doesn't interest me like it used to.

Personally, I think it is down to over-exposure where you can now watch most Premier League games each week. I am still an England fan but really only when it gets to the finals stage. I can take or leave the qualifying games.

If the worst happened, that would be me finished with the game. It's Bolton or nothing.

[Worthy4England]

I wouldn't miss it. Last 10 years have been as tortuous as the 80's, and during them all, we seem to have stuck to a brand of "not working" hoof ball. At no point has our football tried to progress.

Worse, I'm struggling in any of the teams to even think of more than the odd player that's been worth watching. One that in spite of the paucity of the team game, could lift the spirits and provide a bit of magic.

In League 1, Rochdale looked more entertaining than us, FFS.

No sense of duty left, I'd just pick telly games and have maybe the odd day out with some of my City supporting mates (for the day out rather than support).

[Harry Genshaw]

Although I have continued to watch BWFC since the mid-1970's, I fell out of love with the game 10-15 years ago. I realised the game had been lost to corporate greed when we were still doing quite well in the Premier League. I couldn't be bothered watching anyone else on Sky and cancelled my subscription. I have barely watched a non-Bolton league match since. The game just doesn't interest me like it used to.

Personally, I think it is down to over-exposure where you can now watch most Premier League games each week. I am still an England fan but really only when it gets to the finals stage. I can take or leave the qualifying games.

If the worst happened, that would be me finished with the game. It's Bolton or nothing.

I can agree with a lot of that.
If it's not Wanderers I have almost no interest.
I'm not sure I'm even a football fan anymore.

[Whookam]

Maybe I'd lose interest, maybe I'd probably end up supporting another team, it would have to be through an organic process though.

I started supporting Bolton through a set of circumstances. I lived in the town for many years as a child but I'm not from there, I now live much further away and have only managed to see one game since that Holden inspired win against Blackburn. A phoenix club would hold no interest for me, and to be honest I agree with what a few of you have said already, my interest in the game has waned over the last decade or so.

It seems like many of us have had more than a couple of thoughts about the club going under and what we'd do next. I guess we're all aware that there's a significant chance of it happening soon.

[Gary the Enfield]

I could start supporting Enfield Town FC. But I won't.
Their ground is (now) less than a mile away from me. Haven't bothered for the last 30 years of living in the borough.
Bolton Wanderers FC or nothing for me.

[BWFC_Insane]

I wouldn't miss it. Last 10 years have been as tortuous as the 80's, and during them all, we seem to have stuck to a brand of "not working" hoof ball. At no point has our football tried to progress.

Worse, I'm struggling in any of the teams to even think of more than the odd player that's been worth watching. One that in spite of the paucity of the team game, could lift the spirits and provide a bit of magic.

In League 1, Rochdale looked more entertaining than us, FFS.

No sense of duty left, I'd just pick telly games and have maybe the odd day out with some of my City supporting mates (for the day out rather than support).

Whilst I get the past decade has been awful - I think (or would like to think) we'd all miss it to one degree or another.

Initially there may be a relief in free Saturday's and not suffering through a turgid 90 minutes of dross. But eventually we'd all miss it (I'd hope).

We love the club for many reasons and it disappearing is really too awful to think about.

[TonyDomingos]

'My brother-in-law once said that I was a Bolton fan, but not a football fan, and that's more or less true. I rarely watch football on tv and I haven't seen a single episode of MotD since we were relegated in 2012.

That said, I've been a regular at my local non-league team for over a decade and have a ST this year (£200 for 23 games). National League, crowds of c1.5k and walking distance from home. That will be pretty much my only football if we go under.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Interesting replies - and none of them are wrong, obviously. I must be a "general" football fan as I still watch MOTD every week - indeed, most weeks I do the Likely Lads thing and try to avoid the scores (bar Bolton's, obvz) so it can hold some surprises.

I guess this may be a hangover (or reaction) from when I had to keep an eye on scores for work; when I didn't, I enjoyed the detachment. I still do.

In each game I watch I usually have a team I'd like to win, for one reason or other; they might be playing United, for instance, but I might also like their football (City, Liverpool, Spurs). And even within that there's a hierarchy of needs: although I like City, this season I want Liverpool to win the league more (because I want wider trophy distribution). If they do, maybe next year I'll want Spurs to win it, for the same reason (assuming there's no ceiling-smashing 'Leicester'). But whoever wins the league, I won't cry - and no, I won't wildly celebrate either, but that's OK too. I used to be massively invested in everything I did - football, music, politics, books, art, architecture, arguments - and wasted years wondering why people would be SO DAMN WRONG. Nowadays I find pleasingly mellow interest is a much healthier mindset.

[Bruce Rioja]

Chorley. I'm seriously considering leaving this whole cake and arse party behind anyway and taking up with The Mags, regardless as to what becomes of BWFC.

[Worthy4England]

I wouldn't miss it. Last 10 years have been as tortuous as the 80's, and during them all, we seem to have stuck to a brand of "not working" hoof ball. At no point has our football tried to progress.

Worse, I'm struggling in any of the teams to even think of more than the odd player that's been worth watching. One that in spite of the paucity of the team game, could lift the spirits and provide a bit of magic.

In League 1, Rochdale looked more entertaining than us, FFS.

No sense of duty left, I'd just pick telly games and have maybe the odd day out with some of my City supporting mates (for the day out rather than support).

Whilst I get the past decade has been awful - I think (or would like to think) we'd all miss it to one degree or another.

Initially there may be a relief in free Saturday's and not suffering through a turgid 90 minutes of dross. But eventually we'd all miss it (I'd hope).

We love the club for many reasons and it disappearing is really too awful to think about.

I guess some of that depends on whether football is your first/only sport you're really interested in. I wouldn't go to a Bolton game (for example) if it clashed with an England Rugby game or a test match - I'd rather (and always have rathered) watch the rugby or cricket. I could quite happily go for a round of golf instead...

[BWFC_Insane]

I wouldn't miss it. Last 10 years have been as tortuous as the 80's, and during them all, we seem to have stuck to a brand of "not working" hoof ball. At no point has our football tried to progress.

Worse, I'm struggling in any of the teams to even think of more than the odd player that's been worth watching. One that in spite of the paucity of the team game, could lift the spirits and provide a bit of magic.

In League 1, Rochdale looked more entertaining than us, FFS.

No sense of duty left, I'd just pick telly games and have maybe the odd day out with some of my City supporting mates (for the day out rather than support).

Whilst I get the past decade has been awful - I think (or would like to think) we'd all miss it to one degree or another.

Initially there may be a relief in free Saturday's and not suffering through a turgid 90 minutes of dross. But eventually we'd all miss it (I'd hope).

We love the club for many reasons and it disappearing is really too awful to think about.

I guess some of that depends on whether football is your first/only sport you're really interested in. I wouldn't go to a Bolton game (for example) if it clashed with an England Rugby game or a test match - I'd rather (and always have rathered) watch the rugby or cricket. I could quite happily go for a round of golf instead...

I guess what I was driving at was, you'd miss the club. Perhaps not the rubbish you have to watch, but the club itself and the feeling of a Saturday match - eventually you'd miss it I suspect. As would we all. To differing degrees and in different ways.

I mean right now I'd rather watch virtually anything than BWFC. But if the good times eventually roll round again that won't be the case. And for me much of supporting BWFC is about hope....

[TonyDomingos]

Chorley. I'm seriously considering leaving this whole cake and arse party behind anyway and taking up with The Mags, regardless as to what becomes of BWFC.

Chorley could well be playing in the National League next season, in which case, you're more than welcome to join me when they play at the Westminster Waste Stadium. Mind you, it is dangerously close to Millwall!

[Prufrock]

Interesting replies - and none of them are wrong, obviously. I must be a "general" football fan as I still watch MOTD every week - indeed, most weeks I do the Likely Lads thing and try to avoid the scores (bar Bolton's, obvz) so it can hold some surprises.

I guess this may be a hangover (or reaction) from when I had to keep an eye on scores for work; when I didn't, I enjoyed the detachment. I still do.

In each game I watch I usually have a team I'd like to win, for one reason or other; they might be playing United, for instance, but I might also like their football (City, Liverpool, Spurs). And even within that there's a hierarchy of needs: although I like City, this season I want Liverpool to win the league more (because I want wider trophy distribution). If they do, maybe next year I'll want Spurs to win it, for the same reason (assuming there's no ceiling-smashing 'Leicester'). But whoever wins the league, I won't cry - and no, I won't wildly celebrate either, but that's OK too. I used to be massively invested in everything I did - football, music, politics, books, art, architecture, arguments - and wasted years wondering why people would be SO DAMN WRONG. Nowadays I find pleasingly mellow interest is a much healthier mindset.

Football brackets general would be my second choice after phoenix. I still watch motd most weeks, still watch latter stages of the champs league. I'd still have that interest.

There are teams I want to do well but it's transient and temporary. I love this current City team but in a few years time once Pep and the likes of de Bruyne and Ederson (heart) have gone I won't care either way. Like the current Spurs a lot but again temporary.

Oddly feelings the other way feel more permanent. I'm never going to not enjoy United getting beat. The thing I've been most invested in this season (once we were clearly doomed) is fecking Liverpool not winning the bastard league.

[Harry Genshaw]

In each game I watch I usually have a team I'd like to win, for one reason or other; they might be playing United, for instance, but I might also like their football (City, Liverpool, Spurs). And even within that there's a hierarchy of needs: although I like City, this season I want Liverpool to win the league more (because I want wider trophy distribution). If they do, maybe next year I'll want Spurs to win it, for the same reason (assuming there's no ceiling-smashing 'Leicester'). But whoever wins the league, I won't cry - and no, I won't wildly celebrate either, but that's OK too. I used to be massively invested in everything I did - football, music, politics, books, art, architecture, arguments - and wasted years wondering why people would be SO DAMN WRONG. Nowadays I find pleasingly mellow interest is a much healthier mindset.

A lad I used to play footy with was a huge football fan but didn't support any team which I found really odd. Being from Bolton he kept an eye on our results but he was just enthused with any side if they played good stuff or scored a great goal.

It saved him the hell of what I had to endure on Tuesday but then he's never experienced a Wilbraham moment, an Anfield, a late Ricketts winner at OT.

Surely it's better to have loved and lost than never to have loved before?

[Worthy4England]

In each game I watch I usually have a team I'd like to win, for one reason or other; they might be playing United, for instance, but I might also like their football (City, Liverpool, Spurs). And even within that there's a hierarchy of needs: although I like City, this season I want Liverpool to win the league more (because I want wider trophy distribution). If they do, maybe next year I'll want Spurs to win it, for the same reason (assuming there's no ceiling-smashing 'Leicester'). But whoever wins the league, I won't cry - and no, I won't wildly celebrate either, but that's OK too. I used to be massively invested in everything I did - football, music, politics, books, art, architecture, arguments - and wasted years wondering why people would be SO DAMN WRONG. Nowadays I find pleasingly mellow interest is a much healthier mindset.

A lad I used to play footy with was a huge football fan but didn't support any team which I found really odd. Being from Bolton he kept an eye on our results but he was just enthused with any side if they played good stuff or scored a great goal.

It saved him the hell of what I had to endure on Tuesday but then he's never experienced a Wilbraham moment, an Anfield, a late Ricketts winner at OT.

Surely it's better to have loved and lost than never to have loved before?

There's quite a lot of folks (of a certain age), that used to watch more than one team (not necessarily "support"). A number of the old farts I go supping with, would watch City when they were at home (as City supporters), and if away & Bolton were at home, they'd trundle up to Burnden Park for a day out.

Back in the day - there used to be heroes in pretty much every team. Even in a poor team, you could pick out one or two. Nowadays, the ones that used to be spread around lower league teams are sat in Premier/Championship "squads" earning more money than they could if they were playing 1st team football elsewhere.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

In each game I watch I usually have a team I'd like to win, for one reason or other; they might be playing United, for instance, but I might also like their football (City, Liverpool, Spurs). And even within that there's a hierarchy of needs: although I like City, this season I want Liverpool to win the league more (because I want wider trophy distribution). If they do, maybe next year I'll want Spurs to win it, for the same reason (assuming there's no ceiling-smashing 'Leicester'). But whoever wins the league, I won't cry - and no, I won't wildly celebrate either, but that's OK too. I used to be massively invested in everything I did - football, music, politics, books, art, architecture, arguments - and wasted years wondering why people would be SO DAMN WRONG. Nowadays I find pleasingly mellow interest is a much healthier mindset.

A lad I used to play footy with was a huge football fan but didn't support any team which I found really odd. Being from Bolton he kept an eye on our results but he was just enthused with any side if they played good stuff or scored a great goal.

It saved him the hell of what I had to endure on Tuesday but then he's never experienced a Wilbraham moment, an Anfield, a late Ricketts winner at OT.

Surely it's better to have loved and lost than never to have loved before?

Oh I completely agree. All I'm saying, to continue your metaphor, is that I can't imagine wanting to love again. No club could ever come close to BWFC - not even AFC BWFC - so I simply wouldn't get back in the market for love.