Bruce or Sam.

[BL3]

It's very possible that Allardyce could have done what Rioch did

Rioch and Todd did it twice. They performed the same trick with Middlesbrough, joining them when they were on the point of bankruptcy and without anywhere to train, and taking them from the Third to the First Division.

[Abdoulaye's Twin]

I'll never enjoy football again like I did while Bruce was manager, no doubt about it

This. This exactly. This forever without a doubt.

Thirded.

We had amazing times with Sam, but the Bruce period just epitomised to me what is great about football.

Would it be cheeky of me to suggest that you three are all remembering yourselves at a certain age and stage in your lives here, as much as anything else?

Not cheeky at all. You're probably on to something with that. Greaves was a bit early for me Worthy. I was still in nappies back then As for the Allardyce years, I'd been in London for a while by then and saw ever fewer games. Probably understandable I had more connection with the team when I was able to go more often.

[Bruce Rioja]

Would it be cheeky of me to suggest that you three are all remembering yourselves at a certain age and stage in your lives here, as much as anything else?

I was at the 'married' stage throughout the Rioch era, so no!

[bedwetter2]

Definitely Bruce. He had more about him and had a graciousness which SA could not possibly replicate. The achievements were bigger in relation to the resouces available and provided more enjoyment for the supporters who I knew from those times than the rather more cynical and predictable SA methodology.

I am not decrying SA in that he was a manager suited to the times and got the results that his organisation warranted. But it was all a bit too clinical for me. Bruce represented a passion for the game which yielded surprising results. I wish he was at the club now. I think he could still do a job.

[Bruce Rioja]

^^ That - Superbly put by the bedwetter.

[Burnden Paddock]

It's very possible that Allardyce could have done what Rioch did

Rioch and Todd did it twice. They performed the same trick with Middlesbrough, joining them when they were on the point of bankruptcy and without anywhere to train, and taking them from the Third to the First Division.

Excellent point!

[Burnden Paddock]

I was totally underwhelmed when Bruce was appointed, but he took us to places that I never dreamed that we could go. He gave us passion, excitement, belief and a feeling that the sky was the limit, putting us firmly back on the footballing map. I will always adore him for that

Sam took us to the next level and what a level that was. From an achievement point of view it has to be Sam. But the Rioch years will always remain magical to me.

[BL3]

Hell, he even gave the place a lick of paint and made the crumbling old stadium at least superficially presentable for a year or two.

Apparently Rioch used to prowl around Burnden on occasion, wearing a pair of white gloves which he'd run along various surfaces. If he found any dust, he'd summon an apprentice to clean it. His father was in the military and did the same thing at the family home.

[BL3]

http://mannyroad.com/mcginlay-bruce-rio ... -the-fans/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[BWFC_Insane]

There is a romanticism of the Rioch time that is for sure. Just looking at the picture on here brings back memories of what seems like a far away and distant time.

I guess it was wrapped up in Burnden and old grounds and a time just, just before the premiership really became the all dominating monster it has now.

It is a great shame he didn't stick around for the top flight. Can't blame him given what his circumstances were.

But no way do his achievements here stack up against Allardyces. Taking Bolton from bottom 6 in the championship to European football is I'd say as good as it will ever get here.

Both brilliant managers here though, of that there can be no doubt!

[BL3]

But no way do his achievements here stack up against Allardyces.

Taking a mid-table Third Division club to the Premier League and a first major cup final in nearly fifty years, not to mention beating a succession of top flight clubs, including twice beating the F.A. Cup holders on their own ground, all in the space of just three seasons, is certainly comparable, given the respective resources.

[BWFC_Insane]

But no way do his achievements here stack up against Allardyces.

Taking a mid-table Third Division club to the Premier League and a first major cup final in nearly fifty years, not to mention beating a succession of top flight clubs, including twice beating the F.A. Cup holders on their own ground, all in the space of just three seasons, is certainly comparable, given the respective resources.

Aye they were very good achievements.

But whilst Allardyce may have had greater resources but it was done in a time where the big spenders stretched away from the pack and we were one of the teams that broke the trend for a while.

[Prufrock]

Definitely Bruce. He had more about him and had a graciousness which SA could not possibly replicate. The achievements were bigger in relation to the resouces available and provided more enjoyment for the supporters who I knew from those times than the rather more cynical and predictable SA methodology.

I am not decrying SA in that he was a manager suited to the times and got the results that his organisation warranted. But it was all a bit too clinical for me. Bruce represented a passion for the game which yielded surprising results. I wish he was at the club now. I think he could still do a job.

I'm too young to remember Rioch, but that caught my eye.

I think it's an interesting comparison. Both were undoubtedly fantastic acheivements. Despite the stadium, I still think Allardyce pips Rioch in terms of acheivements proportionate to resources though. Europe twice, four top-8 finishes. At the time we finished 6th, three points of the Champions League, and level on points with the winners of the Champions League, our record signing I think was still nominally Dean Holdsworth (though by most accounts the Diouf undisclosed was about £4m)! This was the year Chelsea spent £90m, and United paid £27m for an 18 year old. It was an unbelievable acheivement, really. Liverpool, who we finished level on points with, spent £40m. By my reckoning we spent £5m!

[BL3]

But no way do his achievements here stack up against Allardyces.

Taking a mid-table Third Division club to the Premier League and a first major cup final in nearly fifty years, not to mention beating a succession of top flight clubs, including twice beating the F.A. Cup holders on their own ground, all in the space of just three seasons, is certainly comparable, given the respective resources.

Aye they were very good achievements.

But whilst Allardyce may have had greater resources but it was done in a time where the big spenders stretched away from the pack and we were one of the teams that broke the trend for a while.

Maybe so, but whilst the likes of Djorkaeff and Okocha were free transfers, we spent a fortune on wages.

We'd been in the Premier League twice in three seasons prior to Allardyce's arrival. We were one of the favourites to bounce straight back when Todd resigned. You could argue that Allardyce had all the resources at his disposal to win promotion at the first time of asking and that the task was only made harder because we failed to do that.

Rioch, on the other hand was starting with virtually no money, average attendances of around 6,000 and a club that had finished in the bottom half of the Third Division, or lower, in seven of the previous nine seasons. We'd had attendances averaging below 10,000 for well over a decade. We hadn't been in the top division for almost 20 years. To all intents and purposes, we'd become a lower league club.

[LeverEnd]

But no way do his achievements here stack up against Allardyces.

Taking a mid-table Third Division club to the Premier League and a first major cup final in nearly fifty years, not to mention beating a succession of top flight clubs, including twice beating the F.A. Cup holders on their own ground, all in the space of just three seasons, is certainly comparable, given the respective resources.

Aye they were very good achievements.

But whilst Allardyce may have had greater resources but it was done in a time where the big spenders stretched away from the pack and we were one of the teams that broke the trend for a while.

Maybe so, but whilst the likes of Djorkaeff and Okocha were free transfers, we spent a fortune on wages.

We'd been in the Premier League twice in three seasons prior to Allardyce's arrival. We were one of the favourites to bounce straight back when Todd resigned. You could argue that Allardyce had all the resources at his disposal to win promotion at the first time of asking and that the task was only made harder because we failed to do that.

Rioch, on the other hand was starting with virtually no money, average attendances of around 6,000 and a club that had finished in the bottom half of the Third Division, or lower, in seven of the previous nine seasons. We'd had attendances averaging below 10,000 for well over a decade. We hadn't been in the top division for almost 20 years. To all intents and purposes, we'd become a lower league club.

Yes it's a bit of a myth that Sam had no resources. He still overachieved with what he'd got. Sounds like I'm dismissing Sam's achievements which I don't mean to, but like BL3 says we'd already been a Prem club when he got there.
Best way I can put it is that it felt like transformation under Bruce, like progression under Allardyce. Fantastic and unprecedented progression it must be said.

[Bruce Rioja]

http://mannyroad.com/mcginlay-bruce-rio ... -the-fans/

Cheers, Fella. What a magnificent article. "You treat the players as your Sons". Didn't he just?! I'd heard the Greenie BMW tale before but until now didn't know if it was an urban myth or not.

“Some of the things he did were just fantastic. The biggest thing was, he gave the club back to the fans.”

Didn't he just?!

[Bruce Rioja]

But no way do his achievements here stack up against Allardyces.

What complete and utter bollocks. Absolute nonsense.

[BWFC_Insane]

But no way do his achievements here stack up against Allardyces.

What complete and utter bollocks. Absolute nonsense.

It is my opinion.

Sam took the club higher than it had been since 1959. Then took us on our only European jaunt in our history. Then qualified us for it again.

In our four top 8 finishes in the too flight the only clubs who bettered our consistency of league platings in that period were Man Utd, Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool. Essentially we were rubbing shoulders with the biggest clubs in this land and some of the biggest ones in Europe too.

Right now I'd say if we fell down to league one and bummed around for a while down there, that it would be possible for a manager to at some point take us up to the premiership, again. Adkins for example did it with Southampton.

Can I see Bolton ever qualifying for Europe again via league position without some sort of takeover and massive investment? No.

You clearly don't agree, but that is my reasoning.

[BL3]

Right now I'd say if we fell down to league one and bummed around for a while down there, that it would be possible for a manager to at some point take us up to the premiership, again. Adkins for example did it with Southampton.

It might be possible now because the infrastructure of the club is so much better than it was. That process started with Rioch. How long had Southampton been in the Third Division? How long had they been out of the Premier League? We were a permanent fixture in the lower leagues for the best part of a decade. We'd sold our leading goalscorer to Peterborough (yes, Peterborough!) the season before Rioch arrived, because we were so strapped for cash. We were going backwards again. He transformed the club. He was that important.

[BWFC_Insane]

Right now I'd say if we fell down to league one and bummed around for a while down there, that it would be possible for a manager to at some point take us up to the premiership, again. Adkins for example did it with Southampton.

It might be possible now because the infrastructure of the club is so much better than it was. That process started with Rioch. How long had Southampton been in the Third Division? How long had they been out of the Premier League? We were a permanent fixture in the lower leagues for the best part of a decade. We'd sold our leading goalscorer to Peterborough (yes, Peterborough!) the season before Rioch arrived, because we were so strapped for cash. We were going backwards again. He transformed the club. He was that important.

Certainly I am not doubting that at all.