Sixty years of Bolton management.

[TANGODANCER]

SIXTY YEARS OF BOLTON MANAGEMENT.

Not the players, not the goals or games, but a short history of the men in charge during sixty years of a roller coaster ride at Burnden and the Reebok:

BILL RIDDING. 1951-1968





Famous quote: (To Alan Ball after rejecting him as a Bolton player) “You’ll make a good little jockey”


Appointed as Bolton manager in 1950, Bill Ridding replaced the then man-in-charge, Walter Rowley. He made an
Immediate impact in the 1950-51 season, taking the Whites to eighth place and then got them to to the F.A. Cup final in 1953, (forever more known as “The Mathews Final”) only to lose 4-3 at the death. In 53-54 Bolton finished 5th and also reached the quarter finals of the F.A.Cup again. Four years later they were at Wembley again and this time took the trophy to the joy of all Boltonions and the dismay of Manchester United (and probably the rest of the country) . A highly successful 1958-59 season saw Bolton reach fourth place in the league and in 1959-60, they finished in sixth spot. From there on things took a downwards turn and in 1963-64 they were relegated for the first time in thirty years. They were still in that plight in 1967-68, when Bill Ridding finally ended his managerial career and handed over the reins to….

NAT LOFTHOUSE (O.B.E) 1968-1970

Famous quote: “In my day, there were plenty of fellas who would kick your b****cks off. The difference was that at the end of the match they would shake your hand and help you look for them”



Nat never enjoyed the success as a manager that he did as a player ; a career that saw him score thirty goals in thirty three appearances for his country. He made five-hundred and three appearances for Bolton, his only club, scoring two-hundred and eighty five goals and is the town’s most famous football son, being made a Freeman of Bolton in 1989. Sadly this great man, footballer and Bolton legend, passed away after a prolonged period of ill-health in 2011. Thousands lined the town centre route for his funeral and he’ll never be forgotten by the people of Bolton. His managerial career was short and unremarkable so it was no surprise that the club looked for another answer. In 1970 they found it (albeit temporarily) in….

JIMMY McILROY. 1970.

Famous note. Lasted only eighteen days before resigning.



Obviously, little or nothing of note can be written about Bolton’s shortest serving manager in their long history .(The job had been offered to Wilf McGuinness who turned it down) A marriage not made in heaven. We pass quickly over to….

JIMMY MEADOWS. 1971



Famous (or infamous) note: In just 81 days he got Bolton ready for their first ever spell in the then Division Three.
Another no-too-successful a story. The manager mantle passed briefly back in Nat Lofhouse’s direction until later in 1971, Bolton appointed:

JIMMY ARMFIELD. 1971-1974



Famous for: Reverting the club back to white shirts and navy-blue shorts.

Armfield, a phenomenal player, 43 times capped for England and variously described as the best right back in Europe/The World, had a monumental task before him with the Whites in Division Three. In 1973 he had Bolton back as Division three Champions using the youth players to great advantage, and in 1973-4 they finished a creditable mid table in the Second Division. In the 1973-74 season, Jimmy Armfield finally left Bolton for Leeds and his deputy stepped up into his shoes. The way had been paved for..

IAN GREAVES 1974-1980


Famous for: Returning the Whites to Division One during the reign of Frank Worthington and making Burnden Park crowd segregated. He was sacked by the board after six years at the helm and Tony Dunne took over as coach as the new supremo arrived in the shape of:

STAN ANDERSON 1980-1981


Famous for: (?) Seeing Sam Allardyce depart the Wanderers as a player.

Although the initial match under Anderson was the first win in twenty four games ( with Neil Whatmore scoring) and the Wanderers went on a mini-run of success, their overall form for the rest of the season led to them once again departing Division One. Anderson paid for the lack of success with his job.

GEORGE MULHALL 1981-1982


Coach George took over as manager at a time when finances were beginning to cause real problems at the club.
Walsh and Whatmore departed in a bid to pull in money to the chest. Goali, Jim McDonagh, returnd to the club.
Rumours that the legendary Pele would be next in line for managerial fame were scotched when the board appointed Joh McGovern as Bolton’s first player manager.

JOHN McGOVERN 1982-1985


Peter Reid left for Everton and a losing game to Charlton as last match of the season saw the Whites slip down to Division Three. McGovern lasted until former keeper Charlie Wright took over as caretaker manager.

CHARLIE WRIGHT 1984/5


Charlie Wright started as caretaker manager and was appointed manager in Feb, 1985. His career was unremarkable except to note he brought Sam Allardyce and Asa Hartford (amongst others) into the side. Wright eventually gave way in December 85 to Nat Lofthouse as caretaker/manager until the club appointed ex Liverpool and England player Phil Neal to the hot seat

PHIL NEAL 1985-1992..


Neal’s first season was hardly encouraging as the fans saw the Whites slump down to Division Four for the first time in their history. He managed to pull things round somewhat and was to spend six years as manager getting the team twice to Wembley where they won the Sherpa Van trophy. His highest finish was third in Division Three and he left in 1992 aftr bringing in Jason McAteer and Alan Stubbs.

BRUCE RIOCH 1992-1995


Oft regarded as Bolton’s favourite ever manager, Bruce Rioch arrived in May of 1992.

In his first season the Whites beat cup holders Liverpool 2-0 at Anfield in an F.A cup replay. They finished runners-up in Division Two and won promotion to Division One. The following year Bolton finished in a respectable mid-table position as well as beating premier league opponents Arsenal, Everton and Aston Villa in the F.A cup. In the 1994/95 season they were League Cup losing finalists to Liverpool, and beat Reading 4–3 in extra time in the Division One playoff final after being 2–0 down at half time and Rioch moved on to Arsenal, never to be forgotten by the grateful fans.
.


ROY MACFARLAND 1995-1996


Ex Derby manager Roy MacFarland lasted just six months as Bolton manager and took the Whites to bottom spot in the Premier League before being given the royal order of the boot. A name not remembered with pride.

COLIN TODD 1996-1999


After serving previously as assistant to Bruce Rioch, Colin Todd took charge. He was unable to prevent Bolton's relegation but guided back to the top-flight by winning the First Division in the 1996/7 season. Despite strengthening the squad with new signings, Bolton struggled in the top flight and were relegated again at the end of the season. Todd led the club to the play-off final in 1999 but lost to Watford and he resigned seven games into the 1999-200 season following the sale of Per Frandsen to Blackburn.

SAM ALLARDYCE 1999-2007


Famous for: Leading the Wanderers on their most successful period in recent history.

Love him or hate him, Big Sam took the Whites to new heights culminating in four top eight finishes and a place in the UEFA Cup competition for two years running. His football wasn’t pretty and relied on solid defending and the long-ball ( a term associated with him by other clubs although we prefer “direct”)into enemy territory. He gave us Youri Jorkayev, J.J Okocha, Mario Jardel (we pass quickly over the latter) and a reputation of upsetting the big-namers at every opportunity. Bo;ton played some memorable games under him before his fame went before him and he was touted (and touted himself it must be said) as a strong candidate to manage the National side. It didn’t happen and he left the Whites in some controversy and a fragile situation with two games of the 2007 season left to the dismay of all Wanderers supporters. His number two, little Sam, was considered by Phil Gartside to be up for the job of manager. The King is dead, long live the king. An uncertain welcome lay in wait for the next candidate……..

SAMMY LEE 2007


Famous for: A very short and somewhat disastrous reign on the seat of power. Fond of seeing positives in everything but, unfortunately, the results didn’t quite match the expectations. Not a name to be remembered with very much pride or fondness by Bolton fans.

GARY MEGSON 2007-2009


The Ginger Maurinho did manage to keep us from the relegation trapdoor but at the cost of becoming a very disliked (not truly the right grade of badness perhaps?) man. The fans brought out the bed sheets, pitchforks, tar and feathers in a public demo that bordered on hysteria. He eventually left on gardening leave to the great relief of many. If Bruce Rioch will be remembered fondly, Megson will be remembered with words a little less glowing.

Famous ( infamous) for his “Like putting a tiara on a shirehorse” remark regarding Bolton’s ambitions about a certain player he considered above us.

And so to our present manager:

OWEN COYLE 2010-????


At the time of writing and amidst all the tabloid speculation about his future, ex Bolton player Owen Coyle is our illustrious leader. Coyle's first signings for the club were Stuart Holden from MLS side Houston Dynamo on a short-term contract and Manchester City winger Vladimir Weiss and Arsenal's Jack Wilshere on loan until the end of the season. Coyle achieved his goal of keeping Bolton in the Premier League by finishing 14th with 39 points, nine clear of relegated Burnley.
On 1 July, he signed Martin Petrov from Manchester City and Robbie Blake from Burnley on free transfers, making them his first summer signings. Coyle also later signed Marcos Alonso from Real Madrid for an undisclosed fee and also brought Ivan Klasnić back to the club on a free transfer after spending the previous season on loan at the Reebok. In January 2011, he made two further signings, buying David Wheater from Middlesbrough and signing Daniel Sturridge on loan from Chelsea until the end of the season.

Research from various sources where my memory had a few geriatric gaps.

Did you ever meet, see, have memories of or chat with any of the managers? Who did you like or dislike? All comments welcome.

[seanworth]

Cheers Tango but you might want to edit Macfarlands section. He took us to bottom of the PL not Division 1.

[Hoboh]

SIXTY YEARS OF BOLTON MANAGEMENT.

Not the players, not the goals or games, but a short history of the men in charge during sixty years of a roller coaster ride at Burnden and the Reebok:

BILL RIDDING. 1951-1968





Famous quote: (To Alan Ball after rejecting him as a Bolton player) “You’ll make a good little jockey”


Appointed as Bolton manager in 1950, Bill Ridding replaced the then man-in-charge, Walter Rowley. He made an
Immediate impact in the 1950-51 season, taking the Whites to eighth place and then got them to to the F.A. Cup final in 1953, (forever more known as “The Mathews Final”) only to lose 4-3 at the death. In 53-54 Bolton finished 5th and also reached the quarter finals of the F.A.Cup again. Four years later they were at Wembley again and this time took the trophy to the joy of all Boltonions and the dismay of Manchester United (and probably the rest of the country) . A highly successful 1958-59 season saw Bolton reach fourth place in the league and in 1959-60, they finished in sixth spot. From there on things took a downwards turn and in 1963-64 they were relegated for the first time in thirty years. They were still in that plight in 1967-68, when Bill Ridding finally ended his managerial career and handed over the reins to….

NAT LOFTHOUSE (O.B.E) 1968-1970

Famous quote: “In my day, there were plenty of fellas who would kick your b****cks off. The difference was that at the end of the match they would shake your hand and help you look for them”



Nat never enjoyed the success as a manager that he did as a player ; a career that saw him score thirty goals in thirty three appearances for his country. He made five-hundred and three appearances for Bolton, his only club, scoring two-hundred and eighty five goals and is the town’s most famous football son, being made a Freeman of Bolton in 1989. Sadly this great man, footballer and Bolton legend, passed away after a prolonged period of ill-health in 2011. Thousands lined the town centre route for his funeral and he’ll never be forgotten by the people of Bolton. His managerial career was short and unremarkable so it was no surprise that the club looked for another answer. In 1970 they found it (albeit temporarily) in….

JIMMY McILROY. 1970.

Famous note. Lasted only eighteen days before resigning.



Obviously, little or nothing of note can be written about Bolton’s shortest serving manager in their long history .(The job had been offered to Wilf McGuinness who turned it down) A marriage not made in heaven. We pass quickly over to….

JIMMY MEADOWS. 1971



Famous (or infamous) note: In just 81 days he got Bolton ready for their first ever spell in the then Division Three.
Another no-too-successful a story. The manager mantle passed briefly back in Nat Lofhouse’s direction until later in 1971, Bolton appointed:

JIMMY ARMFIELD. 1971-1974



Famous for: Reverting the club back to white shirts and navy-blue shorts.

Armfield, a phenomenal player, 43 times capped for England and variously described as the best right back in Europe/The World, had a monumental task before him with the Whites in Division Three. In 1973 he had Bolton back as Division three Champions using the youth players to great advantage, and in 1973-4 they finished a creditable mid table in the Second Division. In the 1973-74 season, Jimmy Armfield finally left Bolton for Leeds and his deputy stepped up into his shoes. The way had been paved for..

IAN GREAVES 1974-1980


Famous for: Returning the Whites to Division One during the reign of Frank Worthington and making Burnden Park crowd segregated. He was sacked by the board after six years at the helm and Tony Dunne took over as coach as the new supremo arrived in the shape of:

STAN ANDERSON 1980-1981


Famous for: (?) Seeing Sam Allardyce depart the Wanderers as a player.

Although the initial match under Anderson was the first win in twenty four games ( with Neil Whatmore scoring) and the Wanderers went on a mini-run of success, their overall form for the rest of the season led to them once again departing Division One. Anderson paid for the lack of success with his job.

GEORGE MULHALL 1981-1982


Coach George took over as manager at a time when finances were beginning to cause real problems at the club.
Walsh and Whatmore departed in a bid to pull in money to the chest. Goali, Jim McDonagh, returnd to the club.
Rumours that the legendary Pele would be next in line for managerial fame were scotched when the board appointed Joh McGovern as Bolton’s first player manager.

JOHN McGOVERN 1982-1985


Peter Reid left for Everton and a losing game to Charlton as last match of the season saw the Whites slip down to Division Three. McGovern lasted until former keeper Charlie Wright took over as caretaker manager.

CHARLIE WRIGHT 1984/5


Charlie Wright started as caretaker manager and was appointed manager in Feb, 1985. His career was unremarkable except to note he brought Sam Allardyce and Asa Hartford (amongst others) into the side. Wright eventually gave way in December 85 to Nat Lofthouse as caretaker/manager until the club appointed ex Liverpool and England player Phil Neal to the hot seat

PHIL NEAL 1985-1992..


Neal’s first season was hardly encouraging as the fans saw the Whites slump down to Division Four for the first time in their history. He managed to pull things round somewhat and was to spend six years as manager getting the team twice to Wembley where they won the Sherpa Van trophy. His highest finish was third in Division Three and he left in 1992 aftr bringing in Jason McAteer and Alan Stubbs.

BRUCE RIOCH 1992-1995


Oft regarded as Bolton’s favourite ever manager, Bruce Rioch arrived in May of 1992.

In his first season the Whites beat cup holders Liverpool 2-0 at Anfield in an F.A cup replay. They finished runners-up in Division Two and won promotion to Division One. The following year Bolton finished in a respectable mid-table position as well as beating premier league opponents Arsenal, Everton and Aston Villa in the F.A cup. In the 1994/95 season they were League Cup losing finalists to Liverpool, and beat Reading 4–3 in extra time in the Division One playoff final after being 2–0 down at half time and Rioch moved on to Arsenal, never to be forgotten by the grateful fans.
.


ROY MACFARLAND 1995-1996


Ex Derby manager Roy MacFarland lasted just six months as Bolton manager and took the Whites to bottom spot in Division one before being given the royal order of the boot. A name not remembered with pride.

COLIN TODD 1996-1999


After serving previously as assistant to Bruce Rioch, Colin Todd took charge. He was unable to prevent Bolton's relegation but guided back to the top-flight by winning the First Division in the 1996/7 season. Despite strengthening the squad with new signings, Bolton struggled in the top flight and were relegated again at the end of the season. Todd led the club to the play-off final in 1999 but lost to Watford and he resigned seven games into the 1999-200 season following the sale of Per Frandsen to Blackburn.

SAM ALLARDYCE 1999-2007


Famous for: Leading the Wanderers on their most successful period in recent history.

Love him or hate him, Big Sam took the Whites to new heights culminating in four top eight finishes and a place in the UEFA Cup competition for two years running. His football wasn’t pretty and relied on solid defending and the long-ball ( a term associated with him by other clubs although we prefer “direct”)into enemy territory. He gave us Youri Jorkayev, J.J Okocha, Mario Jardel (we pass quickly over the latter) and a reputation of upsetting the big-namers at every opportunity. Bo;ton played some memorable games under him before his fame went before him and he was touted (and touted himself it must be said) as a strong candidate to manage the National side. It didn’t happen and he left the Whites in some controversy and a fragile situation with two games of the 2007 season left to the dismay of all Wanderers supporters. His number two, little Sam, was considered by Phil Gartside to be up for the job of manager. The King is dead, long live the king. An uncertain welcome lay in wait for the next candidate……..

SAMMY LEE 2007


Famous for: A very short and somewhat disastrous reign on the seat of power. Fond of seeing positives in everything but, unfortunately, the results didn’t quite match the expectations. Not a name to be remembered with very much pride or fondness by Bolton fans.

GARY MEGSON 2007-2009


The Ginger Maurinho did manage to keep us from the relegation trapdoor but at the cost of becoming a very disliked (not truly the right grade of badness perhaps?) man. The fans brought out the bed sheets, pitchforks, tar and feathers in a public demo that bordered on hysteria. He eventually left on gardening leave to the great relief of many. If Bruce Rioch will be remembered fondly, Megson will be remembered with words a little less glowing.

Famous ( infamous) for his “Like putting a tiara on a shirehorse” remark regarding Bolton’s ambitions about a certain player he considered above us, slagging off supporters every chance he got, playing the reserves in the most important Euro game ever before losing to Wiggin in the worst capitulation ever! Being runner up then finally wining Mr Non-Personality of the year, Spending shed loads of uncle Ed's money then telling all he'd saved the club a mint, appearing on gardners question time and inventing a new name for the fans, THEY!

And so to our present manager:

OWEN COYLE 2010-????


At the time of writing and amidst all the tabloid speculation about his future, ex Bolton player Owen Coyle is our illustrious leader. Coyle's first signings for the club were Stuart Holden from MLS side Houston Dynamo on a short-term contract and Manchester City winger Vladimir Weiss and Arsenal's Jack Wilshere on loan until the end of the season. Coyle achieved his goal of keeping Bolton in the Premier League by finishing 14th with 39 points, nine clear of relegated Burnley.
On 1 July, he signed Martin Petrov from Manchester City and Robbie Blake from Burnley on free transfers, making them his first summer signings. Coyle also later signed Marcos Alonso from Real Madrid for an undisclosed fee and also brought Ivan Klasnić back to the club on a free transfer after spending the previous season on loan at the Reebok. In January 2011, he made two further signings, buying David Wheater from Middlesbrough and signing Daniel Sturridge on loan from Chelsea until the end of the season.

Research from various sources where my memory had a few geriatric gaps.

Did you ever meet, see, have memories of or chat with any of the managers? Who did you like or dislike? All comments welcome.

[TANGODANCER]

Cheers Tango but you might want to edit Macfarlands section. He took us to bottom of the PL not Division 1.

Aye, you're right. Things get a bit blurred these days. Apologies and sorted.

[ohjimmyjimmy]

I enjoyed the Phil Neal years.

There...i've said it.

[Hoboh]

Cheers Tango but you might want to edit Macfarlands section. He took us to bottom of the PL not Division 1.

Aye, you're right. Things get a bit blurred these days. Apologies and sorted.

Don't worry I helped out with the Megson years too!

[Lofthouse Lower]

Met him once, and he was a right gumpy bell-end with me. Dean Crombie was with him and was the complete opposite.

Dean

[TANGODANCER]

Cheers Tango but you might want to edit Macfarlands section. He took us to bottom of the PL not Division 1.

Aye, you're right. Things get a bit blurred these days. Apologies and sorted.

Don't worry I helped out with the Megson years too!

Bit of a sad thing to admit, but I've at least clapped eyes on every bloody one of them.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Neal did a lot that was good, but he was definitely of the Megson PR school. For his faults, McGovern had seemed much more "into" getting involved with the club - doing Lifeline runs etc – whereas you definitely got the impression Neal saw his Burnden Park tenure as a springboard. In truth, it was - but more for him than us: Rioch took his solid foundations, added fantasy football and gave us the time of our lives for three years.

[ohjimmyjimmy]

Luckily for Phil Neal we were lower profile and there was less media saturation of football in general, less outlets to fill with soundbites and interviews. But i'll always remember those days fondly.

[thebish]

nice work Tango!

[Lord Kangana]

Famous ( infamous) for his “Like putting a tiara on a shirehorse” remark regarding Bolton’s ambitions about a certain player he considered above us, slagging off supporters every chance he got, playing the reserves in the most important Euro game ever before losing to Wiggin in the worst capitulation ever! Being runner up then finally wining Mr Non-Personality of the year, Spending shed loads of uncle Ed's money then telling all he'd saved the club a mint, appearing on gardners question time and inventing a new name for the fans, THEY!

You missed off playing McCann on the wing, JOB on the wing and....

...giving Danny Ward his debut.

Much like is being discussed above about Phil Neal, its always said of him that he laid solid foundations. But that would somehow or other indicate that they had a plan, or that they were part of a plan. I think the one thing they had in common was turgid football and very little imagination. Rather than them being remembered for signing good players, I think truly each of their successors highlighted what could be done with good coaching and management. Was Mark Patterson really a great signing? Or a workaday footballer who responded to a positive leader? (for example...)

[Hoboh]

Famous ( infamous) for his “Like putting a tiara on a shirehorse” remark regarding Bolton’s ambitions about a certain player he considered above us, slagging off supporters every chance he got, playing the reserves in the most important Euro game ever before losing to Wiggin in the worst capitulation ever! Being runner up then finally wining Mr Non-Personality of the year, Spending shed loads of uncle Ed's money then telling all he'd saved the club a mint, appearing on gardners question time and inventing a new name for the fans, THEY!

You missed off playing McCann on the wing, JOB on the wing and....

...giving Danny Ward his debut.

Much like is being discussed above about Phil Neal, its always said of him that he laid solid foundations. But that would somehow or other indicate that they had a plan, or that they were part of a plan. I think the one thing they had in common was turgid football and very little imagination. Rather than them being remembered for signing good players, I think truly each of their successors highlighted what could be done with good coaching and management. Was Mark Patterson really a great signing? Or a workaday footballer who responded to a positive leader? (for example...)

Kinda destroys any comparison to Megson there yer lordship

[thebish]

Famous ( infamous) for his “Like putting a tiara on a shirehorse” remark regarding Bolton’s ambitions about a certain player he considered above us, slagging off supporters every chance he got, playing the reserves in the most important Euro game ever before losing to Wiggin in the worst capitulation ever! Being runner up then finally wining Mr Non-Personality of the year, Spending shed loads of uncle Ed's money then telling all he'd saved the club a mint, appearing on gardners question time and inventing a new name for the fans, THEY!

You missed off playing McCann on the wing, JOB on the wing and....

...giving Danny Ward his debut.

Much like is being discussed above about Phil Neal, its always said of him that he laid solid foundations. But that would somehow or other indicate that they had a plan, or that they were part of a plan. I think the one thing they had in common was turgid football and very little imagination. Rather than them being remembered for signing good players, I think truly each of their successors highlighted what could be done with good coaching and management. Was Mark Patterson really a great signing? Or a workaday footballer who responded to a positive leader? (for example...)

Kinda destroys any comparison to Megson there yer lordship

read it again hobes... you've totally missed the point!

[Hoboh]

Famous ( infamous) for his “Like putting a tiara on a shirehorse” remark regarding Bolton’s ambitions about a certain player he considered above us, slagging off supporters every chance he got, playing the reserves in the most important Euro game ever before losing to Wiggin in the worst capitulation ever! Being runner up then finally wining Mr Non-Personality of the year, Spending shed loads of uncle Ed's money then telling all he'd saved the club a mint, appearing on gardners question time and inventing a new name for the fans, THEY!

You missed off playing McCann on the wing, JOB on the wing and....

...giving Danny Ward his debut.

Much like is being discussed above about Phil Neal, its always said of him that he laid solid foundations. But that would somehow or other indicate that they had a plan, or that they were part of a plan. I think the one thing they had in common was turgid football and very little imagination. Rather than them being remembered for signing good players, I think truly each of their successors highlighted what could be done with good coaching and management. Was Mark Patterson really a great signing? Or a workaday footballer who responded to a positive leader? (for example...)

Kinda destroys any comparison to Megson there yer lordship

read it again hobes... you've totally missed the point!

Whats new

[ebby]

good read that, some good history about the club

were Roy MacFarland and Colin Todd not joint managers until MacFarland departed, i was only young but that's my memory...anyway not really important but it would mean Todd started as manager in 1995 at same time as MacFarland

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Indeed, twas a joint managership with Roy McF only nominally the gaffer. But good work there Tango, some memories...

[Wandering Willy]

Good stuff there TD.

Good enough to avoid a temporary ban for posting a picture of HWSNBN.

I remember from Armfield onwards , though the early 80's are a bit of a blurr.

[ratbert]

No-one ever mentions the Charlie Wright blip. I seem to recall he won nearly every match as caretaker boss only for everything to go to sh*t when he got the job full-time.

[ohjimmyjimmy]

The Phil Brown pre-Allardyce caretaker spell werent too shabby