The Club...

[BWFC_Insane]

Been watching a few things on the celebrations both on and off the pitch the past few days. Few things stuck out...

1) Seeing all the players and management and Ken on the pitch together, with their families on Sunday. All celebrating together. Clearly a very united club. Not sure we've seen that since the Allardyce days. For example, even if we'd gone up under Freedman I'm not sure EVERY player would have celebrated the same, there were definite divisions and cliques then. This time it seems from the top down the club is a complete unit.

2) At the player of the year awards dinner, the players table, started a "Super Phil and Parky" chant (Phil Parkinson and his assistant Parkin, who is known as Parky to the players). How many times have we had a manager and assistant in recent years so revered by their players?

3) The genuine and almost uncontrolled joy the likes of Wheater, Beevers and Vela seemed to be in, both at the end and subsequently. Again I'm not sure we've seen something mean so much to our players for a very, very long time.

Ken Anderson has a lot to sort out still. But I think he has been instrumental in pulling the club together. It feels more and more like the days of Sam, and families all investing into the club, rather than perhaps, players coming and going without ever really knowing what the club means.

Of course, all this is easy to say when we've just been promoted. And had we "blown it" there might be a very different set of things being posted. I'm not naive. Things change. However, it did strike me Sunday how very invested everyone was in the club. In a way it surprised me. Ken was on the pitch but very much staying in the background. No big "I am". The delight from him, Lee, Parky etc was real, very evidently real. And no just some lame attempt to grab some glory,

For me, beyond the result the thing I most got excited by Sunday, was this, the realisation that after a terrible period for the club, that those playing for us, and more crucially, those in charge, really do care. Obviously KA etc aren't lifetime fans and will want to see his investment grow, but it strikes me that perhaps this all goes a bit beyond that. Perhaps, just perhaps he sees re-establishing BWFC as a way of restoring his tarnished legacy in the game, and seems to genuinely have the club at heart.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Still think we'll get caught by Fleetwood though.

Seriously though, you're right. You're right in that it might be easy to seem united in a joyous event like promotion, but there was something genuine and sincere about so much of it. Much of it has already been mentioned but Morais collapsing to the turf, Vela staying on the pitch with the fans, Wheater the cheerleader.. also Big Dave's honest proclamation that "there's not a single one of the lads I wouldn't go for a beer with".

Huge kudos to Parkinson for creating that togetherness. It will be challenge to replicate it in the next division, because the squad needs a careful rebuild on a small budget, but he has surely earned the right to do so without too much questioning from players or fans. I trust him, working within the constraints placed upon him, to make the right decisions regarding recruitment – and at the moment, I think we could do far worse than Ken in charge. True, we need to get out of embargo: that brinksmanship has gone on far too long. If we can manage to do that and upgrade the squad – carefully, using shorter-term contracts, just in case - I think the management should be able to wring out enough points to survive. It might not always be pretty, but it should be enough.

[bristol_Wanderer3]

There are definitely signs that the connection between the fans and the players/manager could become stronger than it has ever been. It might be a consequence of the experience of hitting rock bottom and that relationship completely breakdown, the rebounding and rekindling has made it stronger than it would've ever been. I think also it has a lot to do with Parky whose level headed, calm, respectable style clearly works well with the players and he has never lost the opportunity to involve the fans in his statements, and in such a way that seems a little more than the usual lip service, and it has helped to create a togetherness that has the potential to surpass anything in recent times including under BSA. BSA brought incredible times here that I personally will always treasure, but there was always BSA's ego that had to be part of the relationship, and I think that for many made things more difficult.

For a lot of the players the fans have bonded with, it makes sense to stay here longer, they are mostly at an age and perceived ability level (Vela apart) where bigger/richer clubs are not going to be interested in them, so I'm hopeful we can have a couple of years, where the chairman, the manager and these players, all with a lot still to prove, along with a sensible, affordable injection of quality, get down to business and overperform and the feel good mood continues. I am seeing considerably more M5/M6 in my future.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

I am seeing considerably more M5/M6 in my future.

You getting a job putting traffic cones out?

Know what you mean about Sam. I mean, it was frickin wonderful, but he did love the spotlight. In time Parky will go, either hoofed through the door or airlifted through the sun-roof, but for now it feels good.

[Abdoulaye's Twin]

Agree with what has already been said. I think next season will be 'interesting' in how some elements of our support will react to us probably struggling at times and winning less often. I hope patience prevails as a few of these players deserve a crack at the Championship and Parky and his team certainly do. The togetherness got us up and likely it will be what keeps us up and we don't need special needs corner wrecking that!

[bristol_Wanderer3]

I am seeing considerably more M5/M6 in my future.

You getting a job putting traffic cones out?

Considering the number of them out there at the moment, it seems that that job is already over subscribed

[Abdoulaye's Twin]

I am seeing considerably more M5/M6 in my future.

You getting a job putting traffic cones out?

Considering the number of them out there at the moment, it seems that that job is already over subscribed

Maybe you could get a job picking the buggers up then

[BWFC_Insane]

I am seeing considerably more M5/M6 in my future.

You getting a job putting traffic cones out?

Know what you mean about Sam. I mean, it was frickin wonderful, but he did love the spotlight. In time Parky will go, either hoofed through the door or airlifted through the sun-roof, but for now it feels good.

It was only post England job interview Sam that began to irritate. He lost his interest in us at that point. Factamundo!

[Nicko58]

Is anyone going to the presentation thingy outside the town hall tonight?

[officer_dibble]

The amount of players with kids in tow on Sunday made me think of when Bruce Rioch tried to get all the lads married off and settled down! Family club in more ways than one!

[Joggers Nipple]

Allardyce was and still is an arrogant nice person, who thought it was all about him. Having said that I would still shake his hand and thank him for bringing players of the calibre of Okacha, Youri, Hierra, Campo, Speed, Stelios, N'Gotty and Anelka to little old Bolton and giving us the opportunity to travel abroad to watch us compete in a European competition. Something I never thought would happen in my lifetime and probably never will again!

[Lord Kangana]

To be fair, I would suggest that Allardyce's relationship to us as fans wasn't one of cosy fire-side small-talk, but to get as much out of the clubs resources as possible. Under the circumstances, he's probably deserving of a little latitude vis-a-vis his arrogance. He kind of earnt the right to be so.

[Hoboh]

To be fair, I would suggest that Allardyce's relationship to us as fans wasn't one of cosy fire-side small-talk, but to get as much out of the clubs resources as possible. Under the circumstances, he's probably deserving of a little latitude vis-a-vis his arrogance. He kind of earnt the right to be so.

I completely agree!

[TANGODANCER]

Is anyone going to the presentation thingy outside the town hall tonight?

Didn't go, but was in the town centre about 3-30 and there was plenty activity from the media and organisers. How could it fail with Amir Khan, the Mayoress and Councillor Morris front and centre....?

[Bruce Rioja]

Saw a bit of the live stream from the town hall steps thing last night, and it was magnificent listening to Parky. I honestly think that we're not that far away from Rioch times by way of the connection between the club and the supporters. As I mentioned elsewhere on here, one of my highlights on Sunday was watching Morais drop to his knees and kiss the pitch on full time. We really do have something special going on here under Parky. I just hope that some of the 10,000 or so who managed to turn out for the big occasion will renew and get behind the side next season.

[BWFC_Insane]

Saw a bit of the live stream from the town hall steps thing last night, and it was magnificent listening to Parky. I honestly think that we're not that far away from Rioch times by way of the connection between the club and the supporters. As I mentioned elsewhere on here, one of my highlights on Sunday was watching Morais drop to his knees and kiss the pitch on full time. We really do have something special going on here under Parky. I just hope that some of the 10,000 or so who managed to turn out for the big occasion will renew and get behind the side next season.

Parky is Big Sam tactically, and BR personality wise, IMHO.

[Bruce Rioja]

Saw a bit of the live stream from the town hall steps thing last night, and it was magnificent listening to Parky. I honestly think that we're not that far away from Rioch times by way of the connection between the club and the supporters. As I mentioned elsewhere on here, one of my highlights on Sunday was watching Morais drop to his knees and kiss the pitch on full time. We really do have something special going on here under Parky. I just hope that some of the 10,000 or so who managed to turn out for the big occasion will renew and get behind the side next season.

Parky is Big Sam tactically, and BR personality wise, IMHO.

Yes, agreed.

[Athertonian]

Allardyce was and still is an arrogant tw*t, who thought it was all about him. Having said that I would still shake his hand and thank him for bringing players of the calibre of Okacha, Youri, Hierra, Campo, Speed, Stelios, N'Gotty and Anelka to little old Bolton and giving us the opportunity to travel abroad to watch us compete in a European competition. Something I never thought would happen in my lifetime and probably never will again!

Absolutely. I have been a regular since 1963 and even myself feels privileged to have seen players as such in the team I support.

[Hoboh]

Is anyone going to the presentation thingy outside the town hall tonight?

Didn't go, but was in the town centre about 3-30 and there was plenty activity from the media and organisers. How could it fail with Amir Khan, the Mayoress and Councillor Morris front and centre....?

I wish I'd have known the fat bewigged controller was there, I'd have purchased a dozen pies to chuck at him.

Oh and I'd swap Parkinson for BSA in a flash.

[BWFC_Insane]

Is anyone going to the presentation thingy outside the town hall tonight?

Didn't go, but was in the town centre about 3-30 and there was plenty activity from the media and organisers. How could it fail with Amir Khan, the Mayoress and Councillor Morris front and centre....?

I wish I'd have known the fat bewigged controller was there, I'd have purchased a dozen pies to chuck at him.

Oh and I'd swap Parkinson for BSA in a flash.

But he'd not swap us for Crystal Palace so it is a rather moot point. You just seem to want to constantly moan about whatever the current situation is.

We've just had a great season - our best for a long time. Enjoy it. Find something nice to say.