Twenty years ago today

[nicholaldo]

Today marks the twentieth anniversary of the signing of Youri Djorkaeff.

Our first proper galactico, and definitely the classiest. His arrival, for me, represented the real beginning of the journey our club would subsequently go on.

What a privilege it was to watch him play.

[GhostoftheBok]

My favourite ever Bolton player. Never flustered. Exuded class from every fibre of his being. Undoubtedly kept us up and then helped get us to the point where new signings saw us a club of ambition and not only a pay day.

One of the most important players in our recent history.

[BWFC_Insane]

Probably the best player we’ve ever had. Ok we had others closer to the height of their powers but Youri was obviously a class of World Cup winner and one of the best in the world undoubtedly.

You could see how good he was in that what was a struggling side at the time he lifted and single handedlt almost gave us hope.

He did the same the next season but had an in the form of his life Okocha to work with.

[Bruce Rioja]

I think this one probably still goes down as my favourite Djorkaeff game... possibly.

He absolutely ran the show and scored both our goals.

My ears were ringing for two days after the second one went in.

[BWFC_Insane]

I think this one probably still goes down as my favourite Djorkaeff game... possibly.

He absolutely ran the show and scored both our goals.

My ears were ringing for two days after the second one went in.

Good one. Game I always remember him for though is Charlton away 2002. After a very good start following promotion we’d had something like one win in 17 and just been pumped at home by bottom three Derby and it was starting to look a bit bleak.

Youri scored twice at Charlton which inspired a win there followed by two wins at home against Villa and famously Ipswich to ensure we stayed up.

That game at Charlton I think was pivotal to most things that happened in that glorious premiership journey. If we’d lost there I think we were down.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Wasn’t one of his goals at Charlton an overhead kick, right in front of us? You could tell then that he might be alright, this lad…

[Bruce Rioja]

Wasn’t one of his goals at Charlton an overhead kick, right in front of us? You could tell then that he might be alright, this lad…

My favourite Djorkaeff finish - a toss up between said overhead kick at Charlton and his right-footed curling lob over Friedel at Blackburn. Glorious. Both.

[Worthy4England]

Absolutely agreed that Djorkaeff was up there (and mindful that Ghosty put "in my lifetime"). But he was no Frankie Would have to defer to others as to how he compared to say, Nat...

[BWFC_Insane]

Wasn’t one of his goals at Charlton an overhead kick, right in front of us? You could tell then that he might be alright, this lad…

Think that was year after.

My hazy recollection was his second in 2002 was a sort of scissor kick attempt but it took a cruel deflection.

[TANGODANCER]

Probably the best player we’ve ever had. Ok we had others closer to the height of their powers but Youri was obviously a class of World Cup winner and one of the best in the world undoubtedly.

You could see how good he was in that what was a struggling side at the time he lifted and single handedlt almost gave us hope.

He did the same the next season but had an in the form of his life Okocha to work with.

Can't remember which game, but I certainly can remember Youri and Okocha slinging the ball wing to wing for fun and grinning about it. Great days.

[Bruce Rioja]

Probably the best player we’ve ever had. Ok we had others closer to the height of their powers but Youri was obviously a class of World Cup winner and one of the best in the world undoubtedly.

You could see how good he was in that what was a struggling side at the time he lifted and single handedlt almost gave us hope.

He did the same the next season but had an in the form of his life Okocha to work with.

Can't remember which game, but I certainly can remember Youri and Okocha slinging the ball wing to wing for fun and grinning about it. Great days.

I remember it well (but similarly, not who we were playing), Tango. Okocha on one wing smacked it across to Djorkaeff on the other, only he put it a yard behind him. Djorkaeff turned, trapped the ball and returned a cross-field ball right into Okocha's feet before wagging his finger at him in a that's-how-to-do-it style. Huge smiles from the pair of them. Absolutely magnificent. How spoiled we were?!

[TANGODANCER]

Probably the best player we’ve ever had. Ok we had others closer to the height of their powers but Youri was obviously a class of World Cup winner and one of the best in the world undoubtedly.

You could see how good he was in that what was a struggling side at the time he lifted and single handedlt almost gave us hope.

He did the same the next season but had an in the form of his life Okocha to work with.

Can't remember which game, but I certainly can remember Youri and Okocha slinging the ball wing to wing for fun and grinning about it. Great days.

I remember it well (but similarly, not who we were playing), Tango. Okocha on one wing smacked it across to Djorkaeff on the other, only he put it a yard behind him. Djorkaeff turned, trapped the ball and returned a cross-field ball right into Okocha's feet before wagging his finger at him in a that's-how-to-do-it style. Huge smiles from the pair of them. Absolutely magnificent. How spoiled we were?!

That's the one Bruce and Yes, spoiled we were. I'm still not sure if Okocha's free kick goal against Aston Villa wasn't the finest dead ball goal I've ever seen. Memoris hey,

[Prufrock]

There's a great piece in the latest FFT by DSB's pal Flanners on the whole Galacticos era.

The one new thing that stood out to me was that when Youri signed and they took him to the Reebok for the PSG, they were rolling balls to him and he wasn't really paying attention. When they asked him why he said that he was memorising the advertising hoardings so he'd always know where he was on the pitch.

God bless him but I don't think Gareth Farrelly ever did that. My season ticket was in the North Upper. Youri was one of the few players who would see things from down there at pitch level in the hurly burly that you couldn't even sat up there in the stands. I remember one of his first games he played a glorious chipped through ball to (I think) Delroy Facey, who hadn't moved, presumably not even realising it was a possible pass.

My own reckon on the "best" in that period:

- in terms of "class" we didn't get them at their peak but you could see they were truly world class players: 50/50 between Youri and Hierro. I think Hierro was probably the one on that scale and we got a bit more of "peak" Youri, but close

- in terms of consistent product for us on a white shirt: Okocha (I maintain the best player on the planet for 6 months in 2003) and Anelka. But Youri isn't far off that list either.

[Worthy4England]

If we're restricting to Glacticos. Then they're all pretty much up there. As you say Hierro didn't need Bolton to prove his class. Like Youri, I was stunned when he turned up. As for remembering the advertising hoardings, was that before we switched to the digital ones? He'd be fooked now!

But so many happy memories - who could forget the day Fredi Bobic came to the party with a hat-trick in a must win game against Ipswich?

But for me no one beats a Campo.

[BWFC_Insane]

There's a great piece in the latest FFT by DSB's pal Flanners on the whole Galacticos era.

The one new thing that stood out to me was that when Youri signed and they took him to the Reebok for the PSG, they were rolling balls to him and he wasn't really paying attention. When they asked him why he said that he was memorising the advertising hoardings so he'd always know where he was on the pitch.

God bless him but I don't think Gareth Farrelly ever did that. My season ticket was in the North Upper. Youri was one of the few players who would see things from down there at pitch level in the hurly burly that you couldn't even sat up there in the stands. I remember one of his first games he played a glorious chipped through ball to (I think) Delroy Facey, who hadn't moved, presumably not even realising it was a possible pass.

My own reckon on the "best" in that period:

- in terms of "class" we didn't get them at their peak but you could see they were truly world class players: 50/50 between Youri and Hierro. I think Hierro was probably the one on that scale and we got a bit more of "peak" Youri, but close

- in terms of consistent product for us on a white shirt: Okocha (I maintain the best player on the planet for 6 months in 2003) and Anelka. But Youri isn't far off that list either.

Yeah for that six months in the run in that relegated West Ham Okocha was the best player in the world. I’m absolutely certain of it. He mugged off world class players and was in a completely different league. It’s a shame he never quite got back to those heights but still. It was a privilege that I will never forget. I’d say that run in was the best mini period as a Bolton fan. We stayed up with absolutely nothing up front, Henrik a good guy but come on, the aforementioned Facey….

But Youri and Jay Jay were just so good. Yes we had a ‘better’ team the year after and better again after that but that period was just electrifying.

I think your list is right. But Youri was in his peak probably better, or at least better at a higher world level than the rest just. Hierro a great shout but he really was last hurrah with us.

Not sure it’s about favourites either as I cant pick and swing between them each time.

I always come back to that period from Jay Jay though when he literally took the piss and that was after the first half of the season where he looked like he’d never stepped onto grass before.

[Harry Genshaw]

We stayed up with absolutely nothing up front, Henrik a good guy but come on, the aforementioned Facey….

But Youri and Jay Jay were just so good. Yes we had a ‘better’ team the year after and better again after that but that period was just electrifying.

I think your list is right. But Youri was in his peak probably better, or at least better at a higher world level than the rest just. Hierro a great shout but he really was last hurrah with us.

Not sure it’s about favourites either as I cant pick and swing between them each time.

I always come back to that period from Jay Jay though when he literally took the piss and that was after the first half of the season where he looked like he’d never stepped onto grass before.

That's a bit harsh on Rod Wallace and the previously mentioned Fredi!

Agree with the rest though. Youri was my personal favourite. The guy oozed class on and off the pitch. Coming from 2 down at home to Arsenal, when he just grabbed hold of the game and they couldn't live with him. You do make a very persuasive case for Jay Jay too but it's still Youri for me.

[BWFC_Insane]

We stayed up with absolutely nothing up front, Henrik a good guy but come on, the aforementioned Facey….

But Youri and Jay Jay were just so good. Yes we had a ‘better’ team the year after and better again after that but that period was just electrifying.

I think your list is right. But Youri was in his peak probably better, or at least better at a higher world level than the rest just. Hierro a great shout but he really was last hurrah with us.

Not sure it’s about favourites either as I cant pick and swing between them each time.

I always come back to that period from Jay Jay though when he literally took the piss and that was after the first half of the season where he looked like he’d never stepped onto grass before.

That's a bit harsh on Rod Wallace and the previously mentioned Fredi!

Agree with the rest though. Youri was my personal favourite. The guy oozed class on and off the pitch. Coming from 2 down at home to Arsenal, when he just grabbed hold of the game and they couldn't live with him. You do make a very persuasive case for Jay Jay too but it's still Youri for me.

Wallace and Bobic were season before.

Jay Jays first season we had Ricketts. Who threw a strop and waltzed off in January.

That left us with Pedersen and Facey and Ballesta as strikers….for that second half of the season we went into in the bottom 3.

[Prufrock]

Most of that run we had a front 3 with Bernard "sprinter in boots, finished with -1 goals for Bolton" Mendy on the right wing didn't we?

In terms of pedigree, I think Hierro just pips Youri, but it's like choosing your favourite kid. Spain's all time top scorer from CB, Real Madrid captain and icon, 5 La Ligas and 3 CLs. But yeah, I'm not going to die in a ditch if people think it's Youri. And he was the first and had the biggest impact for us in paving the way for the rest.

Another interesting bit from that article was about Jay-Jay getting hooked after 45 on his debut. He was a bit shell -shocked but his response was I need to go away, work hard and get fitter. He wasn't just here for the pay day.

And yeah favourites is a different question again. Stelios and Campo probably both slightly short of the others in terms of either the level for us, or their peak, but still sensational players who bought into the club and the town.

And you could list plenty more too. A fantastic group. Oh and Bruno, he signed even before Youri I think.

[Jim_McDonuts]

Can never, ever forgive D. Ferguson, the no-class prick, for running over & tryna shove Heirro off the pitch in his last game as he was taking (one hell of) a deserved bow.

But still I'd go for Yuri - class then and now.
I remember just staring at him, hugging the touchline waiting to work some magic (& staying out of the general hullabaloo) - with me just thinking "that's Yuri ferkin Djorkaeff, in a bloody Wanderers shirt". Just seemed like from another world (well, he kinda was in terms of footballing prowess). Amazing.
For me it started there, all of what came after, and wouldn't have happened without him.

And good to hear that others thought Okocha was pants 1st half of his 1st season - began to doubt my memory.
Maybe another thing for Yuri there then - not sure how much he was playing before he arrived but just oozed quality from the get go.

[officer_dibble]

I loved Youri. He was the one, the original BWFC galactico, top man. Best player we ever had.