Bruce Rioch - Legend

[si2008]

Agree the rioch era was the best always remember it like it was yesterday...hopefully times like that will not be long in comming back!

[TANGODANCER]

Can remember an old school mate of mine being interviewed outside Burnden after a home game, and asked who he thought was Man of the Match. Came up on TV, and his answer was "Bruce Rioch without a doubt" (due to some tactical substitution that enabled a win for us).

[Harry Genshaw]

Some great times under Bruce - I remember the 2-2 at Chester well with McGinlay getting his 1st goal for us. The 2-1 win at Swansea and the demolition of Burnley, Rochdale (cup) & Bradford in the space of 3 weeks was something else.

He was a stubborn beggar too though. Anyone remember him trying to play 5-3-2 for a period and the crowd chanting "4-4-2" when it patently wasn't working. WBA at home a goal down and he switched it giving David Lee licence to play as a winger and Coyle got a last minute equaliser.

[norm the jedi]

Dug out the Whitehot Ben's from back then - Grand times indeed
Could we see the like again? That was also about Burnden for me, tight, noisy, nowt like it on a cup night under floodlights! Best days indeed!

[Bruce Rioja]

92 - 93 and my spars and I head down to the Hawthorns. We get down there early so I suggest parking up by the Moat House and nipping in for a snifter. Just as we're walking across the car park into the place, Rioch led the Wanderers out of it. He stopped, shook the four of us individually by the hand and thanked us for coming, saying that he hoped the lads would make our journey worthwhile. The lads didn't, we got dicked 3-1, but that encounter with Bruce Rioch certainly did.

[TKIZ!]

Won the final five games? How about won fifteen (f*cking 15!!), drew two , lost one of the last 18 games in that '92-'93 run in. It felt like something truly special at the time, its not just a sepia-tinted memory. Still the most exciting (if not greatest achieving) season I've ever witnessed. Wouldn't have missed it for the world.

Totally and utterly agree with this. I loved and still do love the three seasons we had with Rioch!

[Leyther_Matt]

Still one of my all time heroes. That question about "who would you most like to meet" that people usually have to answer Nelson Mandela too? I'd answer "Bruce Rioch" every time!

I only went to two games under Phil Neal and all I remember about them was how numb my feet were in the freezing cold. That year I believe I was one of two Bolton fans in a Bolton primary school class. The preceding era must've shrunk our current fanbase considerably.

Fortunately I was considered old enough to be taken to more games the following season, when Bruce arrived. I'd like to think that after Bruce and Sam did their work, there are a hell of a lot more kids choosing to support Bolton nowadays, regardless of what's happened since. Perhaps we'll maintain a stronger fanbase in future because of it.

Does anyone fancy digitising the Roadrunner video from the 92-93 season?

I remember Andy Walker coming in to our infant school in Leigh, although I must admit I can't remember whether that was during 92/93 or when he was injured for most of the following season. 94/95 was probably the season that cemented my time as a Bolton fan, and I know that our school saw a big increase in BWFC support at the time and again during the Championship season under Todd. I sometimes think from my own experiences that we're in a much better position to attract new fans when we're doing well in a lower league than scrapping about in the Prem.

[BWFC_Insane]

Bruce Rioch is a prime example of how managers sometimes just fit. Did pretty much feck all after leaving us, and not exactly a glittering caterer before joining, but at Bolton he just fit and was the right man at exactly the right time. Fantastic times.

I don't think he and Coyle got along though......

[tripod]

[quote="BWFC_Insane"]Bruce Rioch is a prime example of how managers sometimes just fit. Did pretty much feck all after leaving us, and not exactly a glittering caterer before joining, but at Bolton he just fit and was the right man at exactly the right time. Fantastic times.

I don't think he and Coyle got along though......[/quote]

[tripod]

[quote="BWFC_Insane"]Bruce Rioch is a prime example of how managers sometimes just fit. Did pretty much feck all after leaving us, and not exactly a glittering caterer before joining, but at Bolton he just fit and was the right man at exactly the right time. Fantastic times.

I don't think he and Coyle got along though......[/quote]

[Lord Kangana]

Bruce Rioch is a prime example of how managers sometimes just fit. Did pretty much feck all after leaving us, and not exactly a glittering caterer before joining, but at Bolton he just fit and was the right man at exactly the right time. Fantastic times.

I don't think he and Coyle got along though......

You might want to speak to Boro fans about that.

[BWFC_Insane]

Bruce Rioch is a prime example of how managers sometimes just fit. Did pretty much feck all after leaving us, and not exactly a glittering caterer before joining, but at Bolton he just fit and was the right man at exactly the right time. Fantastic times.

I don't think he and Coyle got along though......

You might want to speak to Boro fans about that.

Yes he did well there, but y'know outside of Boro and Bolton fans he'd hardly be regarded as much was the point.

He just fit here perfectly!

[William the White]

Bruce Rioch is a prime example of how managers sometimes just fit. Did pretty much feck all after leaving us, and not exactly a glittering caterer before joining, but at Bolton he just fit and was the right man at exactly the right time. Fantastic times.

I don't think he and Coyle got along though......

You might want to speak to Boro fans about that.

Yes he did well there, but y'know outside of Boro and Bolton fans he'd hardly be regarded as much was the point.

He just fit here perfectly!

Yeah... that felt pretty much like perfect times to me as we crawled - at last, at feckin last - from the years of the bottom two divisions, and beat half the top division in cup competitions - and restored pride to the club - and hope to the supporters - and they came back, slowly, but surely as the Rioch miracle proved not to be a mirage...

And Bruce was so good at the human touch - as Bruce Rioja mentions above - like, as we queue outside Burnden for cup tickets, he sends the players out, the players, not the tea ladies, not the apprentices - with steaming cups of tea on trays... Then comes out himself and, with great ease, chats along the line...

It sure was one of my happiest times as a Wanderer (though anyone claiming him as our greatest manager of modern times is loony - Allardyce! By a million miles!)...

[hi there, i'm chris]

Favourite Bruce moment was watching the highlights of the Wembley Play Off Final when returning home. Half time interview just before going back onto the pitch. After a couple of questions in which Bruce properly answered, the guy asks him "What did you tell them to do?". Rioch replies with "Get a goal back" and walks off.

[BWFC_Insane]

Bruce Rioch is a prime example of how managers sometimes just fit. Did pretty much feck all after leaving us, and not exactly a glittering caterer before joining, but at Bolton he just fit and was the right man at exactly the right time. Fantastic times.

I don't think he and Coyle got along though......

You might want to speak to Boro fans about that.

Yes he did well there, but y'know outside of Boro and Bolton fans he'd hardly be regarded as much was the point.

He just fit here perfectly!

Yeah... that felt pretty much like perfect times to me as we crawled - at last, at feckin last - from the years of the bottom two divisions, and beat half the top division in cup competitions - and restored pride to the club - and hope to the supporters - and they came back, slowly, but surely as the Rioch miracle proved not to be a mirage...

And Bruce was so good at the human touch - as Bruce Rioja mentions above - like, as we queue outside Burnden for cup tickets, he sends the players out, the players, not the tea ladies, not the apprentices - with steaming cups of tea on trays... Then comes out himself and, with great ease, chats along the line...

It sure was one of my happiest times as a Wanderer (though anyone claiming him as our greatest manager of modern times is loony - Allardyce! By a million miles!)...

Not sure I'd say loony. Case to be made for both I think. Allardyce took over with more things in place. Rioch re-energised a club from almost nowhere.

For me Rioch would have won had he stayed and kept us up just one season!

[bobo the clown]

I loved the new discipline he brought AND added flair.

I coped with the fact that he ran his contract down & joined a massive club 30 minutes from his home. No quibble at all. I was despondent however that, having knicked him from us they allowed Ian Wright & a couple of others to undermine him & then, despite ending (I think) 6th they binned him for some French geezer from the Japanese League. ... & look what good it did them !!

If they'd left him alone he'd have stayed with us & been a 10yr+ man and I'm convinced he would have prevented the yo-yo years.

Still, he is untarnished in my thoughts &, however good Mr Allardyce was there is always a stench around him due to his manner, the allegations & the way he left.

But Bruce began the ride & Sam redoubled it, with a bit of excitement in between.

[BWFC_Insane]

I loved the new discipline he brought AND added flair.

I coped with the fact that he ran his contract down & joined a massive club 30 minutes from his home. No quibble at all. I was despondent however that, having knicked him from us they allowed Ian Wright & a couple of others to undermine him & then, despite ending (I think) 6th they binned him for some French geezer from the Japanese League. ... & look what good it did them !!

If they'd left him alone he'd have stayed with us & been a 10yr+ man and I'm convinced he would have prevented the yo-yo years.

Still, he is untarnished in my thoughts &, however good Mr Allardyce was there is always a stench around him due to his manner, the allegations & the way he left.

But Bruce began the ride & Sam redoubled it, with a bit of excitement in between.

Rioch was never going to stay here 10 years as didn't he have to move back south partly to care for a sick family member?

[bobo the clown]

I loved the new discipline he brought AND added flair.

I coped with the fact that he ran his contract down & joined a massive club 30 minutes from his home. No quibble at all. I was despondent however that, having knicked him from us they allowed Ian Wright & a couple of others to undermine him & then, despite ending (I think) 6th they binned him for some French geezer from the Japanese League. ... & look what good it did them !!

If they'd left him alone he'd have stayed with us & been a 10yr+ man and I'm convinced he would have prevented the yo-yo years.

Still, he is untarnished in my thoughts &, however good Mr Allardyce was there is always a stench around him due to his manner, the allegations & the way he left.

But Bruce began the ride & Sam redoubled it, with a bit of excitement in between.

Rioch was never going to stay here 10 years as didn't he have to move back south partly to care for a sick family member?

In his final year his father (or mother)-in-law had cancer so the whole thing wrapped up very neatky for him.

I suspect that if he'd thought we were his baby he'd have found a way to manage. Put it this way, had Stretford offered him a job I suggest he'd have taken it.

As it was it waas the Arse who he joined & good luck to him. But their gobshite superstars didn't like his style & Dein didn't back him & finally they spotted Wenger & after only one, pretty decent year, he was out on his ear. I just think that he could have been persuaded to stay but for the Gunner's interest, which proved to be short-lived.

As said above, sometimes it just works & players & managers should consider that when they are being tapped-up.

Nonetheless I have nothing but good thoughts for the Brucemeister.

[Lord Kangana]

I suspect he left wholly to manage Arsenal. The added extras being aired in public for our benefit which, if you think about it, is nice. He could easily have just stuck to fingers up and muttered "thanks for being a stepping stone".

[wanderers_on_tour]

I was only 4 when he left so have little or no recollection of him as a manager with my knowledge being limited to either what I've picked up from what my Dad and other relatives say, or of course the people on this site. One thing i've always wondered though, is there a reason he doesn't manage a side anymore? He's six years the junior of Sir Alex so can't be just down to age, did he just lose the motivation to manage or was there something larger at hand?