BFC 1-1 Bolton Wanderers, Saturday 16th August 2025

‘There’d be about 35 people left. No mercy!’

Well, what a game that was. For 50 minutes that was an evenly contested game between what look like 2 quite good teams, then the ref intervenes to send Yoganathan off for tackling someone. Yes, he was chasing after a poor touch, but he gets to the ball comfortably first, foot sideways (so he’s not trying to hurt anybody) and their player gets caught because the thing about momentum is, you can’t stop it dead. ‘Out of control’ my backside. I’m sorry, but Conor is wrong. ‘Yoganathan needs to learn from this.’ Does he indeed? Yes, bottle the tackle and have half of Oakwell screaming at you. I’ll tell you who needs to learn from this, Conor, and that’s YOU. YOU left a midfielder on, one who likes to put in a tackle, who cares about the Red shirt, AFTER he’d received a booking. YOU could have taken him off at half-time and we’d still have had 11 players.

Even his first booking was unfortunate, as their player BLASTED the ball at him while he was stood off the pitch. (This alone could have warranted a red card for the Bolton player for dangerous play). Obviously, Vimal got a tad upset and before you knew it, both players were pushing each other. So, let’s say the Wanderer gets a yellow card for ‘ungentlemanly conduct’ for blasting the ball, wouldn’t that make the shoving a 2nd yellow? Not a bit of it, and another reason why I’m incensed about Yoga’s red.

We were one-up an’ all, McGoldrick slotting in before I’d had time to take my seat for the 2nd half. Connell played a great throughball down the left, but the goalkeeper has to be disappointed leaving his front post unguarded. 5 minutes later, Vimal gets sent off and from then on it’s attack v defence. Even when we had the ball, we attempted to keep hold of it rather than go for goal. In one instance, down on the right wing, we had 4 or 5 chances to cross it but played keepball. We had to protect what we had.

The 10 who were left (McGoldrick soon hauled for Kelly) were heroic in their defence. I haven’t got a bad word to say about any of them. Even Earl*. (Actually, we looked better defending with 10 than we have previously with 11). Earl and Shep in the middle of defence cleared everything. Ogbeta and Bland/Watson were solid out wide and the midfield (and DKD) were always moving, but in shape. (Coach Conor!?) And for half an hour I thought we were gonna make it. And then McAtee comes on.

*Earl was brilliant. But he DID let their guy have a free header which hit the post at 1-0.

Of all the people. Listen, Trotters, if you don’t rate him, I’ll have him back. He’s not only on their bench, he’s the FOURTH to come off it. I’m sorry, but if McAtee is your 4th pick off your bench in THIS division, you have to be heading for 100 points or more. He is CLASS. (Are you not using him right? Awww, what a pity.) But needless to say, he comes on and scores an 86th minute equaliser, cleverly deflecting a header from a corner. It had to be. (And 86 wasn’t that late; there were an extra 8 mins of injury time.) The Trotters nearly snatch it too, but Cooper makes a triffic save. One day he’ll keep a clean sheet. Mind, McAtee then missed an easy header late on. He’s s*** he is.

An honourable draw.

Onwards and upwards!

*** Vickers. Some tights turns when surrounded by players and energy in abundance.
** Connell. Outstanding 1st half and set up the goal.
* Ogbata. Some outstanding runs and crosses, and generally well-defended.

Official MOTM: McGoldrick

Londontykes’ MOTM: 1. Connell 2. Vickers 3. Ogbata

Despatches:
The crowd. About 2,000 Reds fans down on our last home league game, versus Burton Albion. Are Bolton less glamorous than Burton? Was it having 3 home games in 8 days? Or the fact you could get in for 15 quid v the Brewers and it was 27 today to see some Trotters? It’s a complicated game, matchday pricing. I suspect the ST uptake is a grand or 2 down on last season, so the club has to do a delicate balancing act between tempting out matchday fans as against satisfying ST holders. There has to be value in having a ST (beyond priority for away ticket sales). Personally, as much as I know I’ll miss the odd home game this season, I know that if I had to pay 27 quid to watch a 3rd division game at Oakwell, I’m not coming.

I also have a new favourite phrase. ‘We woulda lost that last season.’ By my reckoning, I’ve heard or read that every game thus far. I’d hate to point out we actually BEAT Bolton Wanderers 4-1 at home last season, as pathetic a side as we were. I mean, I’m just not that guy...right?

Drink du jour: Lightbulb pale ale at Spiral.

Away: 3,147 (13.167)

The Damage:
c.£10 petrol
= c.£10

Still no shirts in, and petrol costs rose as an accident in Holmfirth meant I had a very scenic alternative route via Holme Moss and Woodhead pass. Woodhead Reservoir was EMPTY. I don’t mean low, it was empty. Is it too early to panic? WE’RE ALL GONNA DIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

BFC 4-1 Bolton Wanderers, Saturday 12th April 2025

‘Jalo Jalo Jalo...he’s better than Christiano!’

Some fans may put our victory on Satdy down to hard work and good planning after a month under Hourihane. I prefer to think it was Divine Intervention, as my mate Ken came to Oakwell to tick a ground off* and I sat inbetween a pair of Christians. Outside of school church services, when did THAT last happen? I’d be lucky if I’m on talking terms with half a dozen believers**, so to sit within two and see us DEMOLISH Bolton MUST be proof of Him.

*As a Spurs fan, is it still ‘Reedy rules’ with regards to groundhopping? It only counts if you see The Super Reds?

**Half a dozen who admit to believing; there may be more. Like voting for Boris in the London mayoral elections, everyone denies doing it, yet SOME folk obvs did (and one of them is a former Londontyke!)

Yes, Bolton come to town and are DESTROYED. Reward for the few home fans whose season ticket insisted they attend. Just look at the two ends. Over three thousand in the away end, less than half that in the Ponty. Where is everybody? Still, as the goals go in, there’s a bit of an atmosphere. Quality, rather than quantity.

It’s guess the formation at the start. With no MdG, Coach Conor goes flat back 4. Roberts and McCarthy are partnered in the middle, with Earl returned to left back. O’Keeffe is dropped (at last!) with Bland retaining his right back slot. Connell is picked ahead of Nwakali once again, while Russell, Humphreys, DKD, Phillips and Jalo flit around in attack. Jalo is the main recipient, as the players are under instruction to give it to his feet (imagine!) wide right and let him run at them. We reap the rewards.

It’s one-nil after a quarter of an hour as wing wizard Russell (!) drops a shoulder, cuts inside and strokes the ball into the far corner from the edge of the box. Lovely. 10 minutes later, we enjoy a free kick routine that would have Lineker, Shearer, Danny Murphy et al creaming their undercarriage had it been The Arse or Liverpoo. At the time, we only see the chip to the back post and knock across goal by Earl for Jalo to tap home. Watching it on replay, DKD hesitates taking it, a short pass is played to Phillips, who chips it to the far side for Earl. It is, quite simply, free kick perfection.

That’s not to say it’s easy. The game is quite open and the Trotters spurn a couple of chances, the simplest of which was bang on half time, an easy volley 6 yards out which finds the Ponty. We have a Guardian Angel today. (I don’t know whether that should, shouldn’t, have capitals.) It’s been an even opening half, but our finishing is the difference. I can’t believe I’m writing that.

With Bolton making a 4th substitution at half-time, it’s fair to say they’re a little disjointed. We look comfortable in the second half, no danger, then we POUNCE again. We counter and look to outnumber them, but Jalo pulls it back. Has the chance gone? Not a bit of it. He cuts inside, cuts outside, and rifles it into the top corner with his left from 8 yards. We are cruising. Nothing can stop us...apart from the referee.

The ball breaks on the halfway line and the ref blocks our player from challenging. Said Trotter can now trot forward under no duress and slide a through ball to his Trotter mate. The latter does take it well though, rounding Falafel in goal. There’s still a quarter of an hour left (and the rest). Can we throw it away? Never in doubt. (Honestly, never in doubt.) Phillips takes it wide and whips in an incredible cross for Super Jon Russell to head home from close range at the back post. We are cantering, they are trotting. Incredibly, it’s our 1st home league win against Notlob since the Premiership (2-1; Tinkler and Hristov)

Onwards and upwards!

*** Jalo (Jalo Jalo). Ran riot. Give him the ball to his feet and he’ll do damage.
** Russell. Chipped in with another couple. That’s 8 for the season now.
* Earl. Solid in a back 4 and set up the 1st with a nonchalant knock across goal.

Official MOTM: Jalo (Jalo Jalo)

Londontykes’ MOTM: 1. Jalo 2. Russell 3. Earl

Despatches:
I’ll start with Xg: 1.37 v 2.57. Eh? I’ll accept that in open play it was fairly even, but given one of our goals was a tap-in, and another was a header into an open net from 2 yards, nevermind other shots, our Xg was 1.37? Not sure about their’s either. It certainly wasn’t through Flavell’s saves that they scored so few: they had ONE on target. (Which means our keeper didn’t make a save. Really?) In contrast, we had NINE shots on target.

With a mate in town, I treated myself to the train. So obviously there was work on the Trans-Pennine line. Still, I made it, leaving my car at Lockwood (Huddersfield station being knocked out.) Even better, my car was still there the next day. And I had the pleasure of the Hudds yoof, making their way to Burton. Everyone agreed they wanted the Reds to win (to keep alive their play-off hopes). As we pulled into Barnsley I invited them to come to our match and it was too much for one young glad, a can of Cruzcampo to the good. ‘I’m not going to that sh*thole again.’ I wish I could have taken this conversation further. Did he mean the town (a much better proposition than Huddersfield) or Oakwell (a tidy modern ground with a historic main stand)? I dunno, but if I see him on the train next season I’ll remind the little pr*ck what he said. (Imagine if Waddington’s kid had blond hair, that’s him.)

Oh, and we finally opened ‘safe-standing’ section in the Ponty (the section closest to the Corner Stand). To no fanfare whatsoever.

Drink du jour: Timothy Taylor’s Hopical Storm in The Courthouse, Beartown Inception IPA in Spiral, some pale ale or other in The Jolly Tap.

Away: 3,265 (13,685). As ever, no way was there 10,000 Reds fans in there, the away end was twice as full as the Ponty. However, 2 early goals shut them up and by the end the Trotters were fighting amongst each other, much to our amusement and the stewards bemusement.

The Damage:
£9.50 train
= £9.50

BFC 1-3 Bolton Wanderers, Friday 3rd May 2024

‘It smelt so nice. You could tell he hadn’t run about much.’

Was there anything about Friday which surprised anyone? Never in the history of play-offs has a team’s support entered them so devoid of hope. Expectation, plenty. Hope, none. Expectation of goals (for them), expectation of a heavy defeat, expectation of money saved on a wasted trip to Wembley. Expectation (after last Satdy’s debacle against Northampton) that nothing had changed, or would change, on the pitch, in sacking Coach Collins, and that #2 ‘Disco’ Devaney is merely Coach Collins without the gruff Scottish accent and ginger hair. We were not disappointed. As someone said on social media ‘those who watched it on telly chose wisely’.

The crowd was 1,300 down on the Northampton game, despite Bolton bringing 2,000. That tells you all you need to know about the faith of the Barnsley public. It’s a good job we have plenty of money though, as we refused to give Bolton any more tickets. That’s nearly 4,000 extra sales we’ve turned our noses up at. At an average of £15 a ticket, that’s £60k…plus whatever in pies and programmes. Just remember that when we sell MdG in the summer. All for some perceived slight advantage. That worked. (Maybe it did? Kept the score down.)

It was the same side as usual. Same formation. Same tactics. Jordan Williams part of a back 3. Kane strolling around centre mid. Devante Cole up top. Same old, same old. What’s the point? I’m hungry and Cole has gone down injured, so I go for a pie. I hear the cheer and I know – I’ve missed the visitors scoring. Apparently, it’s a sweet move ending in a cross bundled home from close range. And it’s offside. Sadly (!) we’ve yet to have VAR foisted upon us in division 3 (until the final, at least, where it will demonstrably not be used correctly) and the goal stands. I’ve seen it in replay, and the angle I’ve seen is inconclusive. But I can say it was no surprise, as Bolton were playing us off the park and we never had a shot that opening half.

Still, another inspirational half-time team talk from Coach Collins Devaney brings the expected result – we are 2 down within 7 minutes. It’s a disaster too, as the whole ground can see what’s coming. Despite an unkind bounce, Jordan is determined to head it back to the keeper. He knows it, we know it, and, crucially, their centre forward knows it. (Roberts knows it too, but doesn’t know where to stand.) The header is predictably short and the centre forward nips in to clip it wide, before crashing in to the keeper. For me, this is a simple coming together. I was actually surprised the ref gave a penalty. Where’s this VAR thing everyone’s on about? 0-2, though Roberts did get a hand to it.

By now, we are all over the place. Disco considers his options for a time, then receives the biggest cheer of the night for hauling Cole. On comes Cosgrove. Kane is hauled too (quelle surprise) for a 4th division loanee. In a play-off semi. That’s how bad it was. Suddenly, we have a player capable of winning headers and holding a ball up. Grant plays Cosgrove in and it’s 1-2! Bl**dy hell. We’ve half a chance here. A header from a corner (Phillips?) is tipped wide by a diving keeper. Bolton are penned in their own half but we’re unable to make further inroads. Still, a rare break needs Roberts to rescue us with a one-on-one save. Phew, still in it.

Then, in the 5th minute of injury time, The Trotters get a killer 3rd. A corner is swung in, everyone misses it, and it nestles inside the far post. I’ll say this: in a similar position, we wouldn’t have scored it, cos we’d be tippy-tappying down by the corner flag (see last game) trying to waste time rather than putting one in the mixer. Of course, Phillips was rugby-tackled. Of course, the keeper is obstructed. But I’ve seen it half a dozen times and Roberts is weak. He almost allows himself to be reversed into the goal. Besides, when was the last time you saw him come out and claim a corner? He wasn’t getting that. No, my ire is reserved for the other 9 Reds players, all of whom allowed a ball to pass through them and into the goal. I keep hearing folk say we do zonal marking down at Oakwell, but that’s not what I saw. Everyone goes with their man and completely ignores the ball. It was a fitting way to finish. We were dismal and Bolton deserved a two goal lead and more. The disappointment lay more in the MANNER of the goals conceded. All three had a claim to being chalked off. Together with the controversial last minute penalty equaliser they got at Oakwell 2 months ago, I am starting to really despise this bunch. EVERYTHING goes their way from the men in black.

Onwards and upwards!

*** Cosgrove. Coach Devaney even makes the same SUBS as Collins! I’d laugh, but I’m saving my facial muscles for something funny.
** Connell. Showed glimpses of his old form. Hopefully some scouts were there.
* O’Keefe. Outstanding 1st half, ‘marish 2nd.

Official MOTM: Cosgrove. Wasn’t even on the pitch for half an hour. I said it was bad.

Londontykes’ MOTM: 1. Cosgrove 2. Connell 3. Phillips

Despatches:
Last Monday the club announced the POTY, Adam Phillips. Not bad, considering he didn’t appear till January. As this coincided with Devante disappearing, I have a theory that they’re one and the same player. Who here has ever seen Adam Phillips and Devante Cole in the same room? Exactly!

Aidy Marsh was young player of the year, while the players’ player of the year was Roberts, who hasn’t had a decent game since...? It is a low bar this year, as exemplified by us making the play-offs – all the decent teams got promoted last season.

Good to see some fight down at Oakwell too, though, sadly, it was youths in the Ponty reigning punches down on some fool who’d infiltrated our end. Beyond unseemly though was the sight of teens hanging over the gangway to spit at said individual as he was bundled out for his own safety. This is not what stewards, on a minimum wage, signed up for. Disgusting. (I don’t remember hearing an announcement about it; maybe this kind of behaviour is somewhere below besmirching the IRA and the Pope in the Oakwell pecking order?)

As for hopes and expectations…last season, you had to beg, borrow and scrape for a play-off ticket in the away leg. This year, they’re still on sale. Who’s up for the comeback of the century!? See you there.

Drink du jour: Leffe in Bramah’s.

Away: 2,159 (sellout). Don’t get me started.

The Damage:
£20 ent (+ £1 processing fee)
c.£8 petrol
£25 half price home shirt
£4.50 socks
£8 mug
£4.30 meat and potato pie
= c.£70.80

BFC 2-2 Bolton Wanderers, Tuesday 5th March 2024

‘It’s Claire Balding!’

First of all, what a fabulous advert for League 1 and the EFL in general. Two top sides going toe to toe, one bossing the first half before an out of the blue goal swung momentum completely in favour of the other side. It was fast, it was furious (Fast and Furious...XI?) and neither side gave a quarter. Obviously, losing a two goal lead was hugely disappointing from our perspective, but the draw keeps us in the hunt for second, plenty to play for...and we’re arguably the form team.

That 1st half. We coulda, shoulda...been more than a goal up. Devante was studs away from a tap in (twice – maybe he should set off earlier?) and miscontrolled another great chance. The goal however showed up our tactics throughout that half. We put the high press on the Trotters, attempting to play out from the back. The Frenchman won it halfway into their territory and the ball ran loose for an opportunist finish from McAtee (tee tee), who was everywhere. Scarves were twirled and the atmosphere ratcheted up a notch. We were well on top and looking hungry. That said, Bolton had one or two chances too, including an unbelievable goalline clearance from Cadden as the ball spun goalwards off the keeper and a Wanderer wandered to the backpost for a tap in. Phew.

Second half seemed more of the same. We were looking much the better side when Pines rocketed one in from a corner. Credit to Cole, who held the ball up before backheeling it off a defender into Pines path. (Note: I’m not saying he deliberately backheeled it off the defender with this in mind, but that the unconventionality caused mayhem.) Two nil. EIEIEIO...etc ‘Now you’re gonna believe us, the Reds are going up!’ I know. Since January an atmosphere has broken out at Oakwell, as fans are believing again.

Then...it all went wrong. Bolton take a quick free kick on the halfway line. McAtee and Kane switch off and don’t block the kicker, Connell gets caught wrong side and they are away down our right. 3 passes in total (I think) and it’s a tap-in for Big Vic (of all people). We’d be raving if we’d scored that, a sweet, sweet move. Still, there’s half an hour left so as long as we continue what we’d been doing...

No. The game flicks over like a lightswitch. Bolton are now coming at us, wave after wave. Yes, we stepped back, yes, the midfield can’t get a foot on the ball (Kane could barely move after the hour, presumably exhausted from the pace of the game…yet strangely he stayed on), yes, the forwards are second best to every ball…but the defence was heroic that half an hour, block after block….and when Bolton did get through, Roberts pulled off some incredible close range one-on-one saves. One incredible passage involves them hitting the post and having...I dunno...2, 3? shots blocked. Honestly, it felt like being a child again. I cannot remember the last time I was so tense at being a goal up. (I’ve seen enough calamities to not let it bother me, but here I was, my leg tapping away involuntarily with increasing ferocity as the Bolton hordes launched another attack.)

The 90 minutes are nearly up. How much injury time? 6 minutes maybe? 8 (EIGHT). Wow. Well, maybe. Goals, subs, the odd injury. We survive yet another scare. (They’ve stuck on a sub with pace who is simply waltzing through our midfield). We are camped on the edge of our box, all subs used. Then it happens. A ball comes in from the left, a Trotter goes down next to a Reds player (Earl?) the ref can’t wait to point to the spot. Now, obviously I’m biased, and I’ve since replayed it a dozen times...and the TV picture is inconclusive. Would I want it for us? Certainly. Would I shout for it? Definitely. Would we get it? Not in a million years. Still, there’s pressure on the taker, and Roberts has been magnificent. There’s always hope. Roberts saves, but the rebound falls kindly to the visitors and it’s two-all. I can’t say they haven’t deserved it, but one more point of order, m’lud. The goalscorer wasn’t in the area when the penalty was taken, but he’s undoubtedly in the ‘D’. I’ve long since lost track of the rule changes since I officiated, but shouldn’t this be a re-take? Or is that too much for a linesman and a ref to notice? Why else is he 4 yards ahead of every Reds player?

We kick off and Kane hoofs it straight to their keeper to start another Bolton attack. There’s only one team gonna win this now.

Onwards and upwards!

*** Roberts. Can’t fault for either goal, made some incredible saves and punched a corner out in a crowded area.
** The Frenchman. Intercepted balls, passed it around and set up the opener.
* Jordan William. What a difference having a RWB who can control a ball. Consistent throughout and made 1 or 2 crucial blocks.

Official MOTM: Pines

Londontykes’ MOTM: 1= De Givigny / Roberts 3. Pines

Despatches:
Up until they scored, Bolton’s best chance of a goal looked like giving Pines the ball to feet. I know it’s early days, but you’re either comfortable in possession or you’re not. What makes this particularly crucial is that he’s the central player of a back 3, meaning if he loses it, they’re clean through, which happened once. I also thought that having a giant centre half would mean we’d never concede off a corner again, but we always looked shaky last night. I did enjoy Courtney on OUR corners though…being marked by Big Vic, who may be ‘big’ in girth, but must be 6 inches smaller than Pines. Earl, like MDG, brought the ball out easily in possession and consistently found his men. Whatever I’ve said, these 2 are massive January signings and we’re a much better side for them, nevermind that it allows Jordan to be switched out right. What can go wrong?

Cadden never had the chance to get forward as much as usual, but at least wasn’t being skinned like Derby. Taken off at 68 for the fresh legs of O’Keefe. Kane...what can I say? He was blowing chunks after the hour and was always 2 yards from any ball, puffing and panting his way through the second half. If I give Collins fair dues for the tactics (high press), he has to take criticism for keeping Kane on. (Imagine a slower version of Russell!) Connell had a good game, getting about and putting in challenges, though, again, their fresh legs meant we struggled late on. Phillips and McAtee were playing well when they were hauled. McAtee in particular was causing them problems, but he was on a booking. Grant looked alright (for McAtee) while in injury time, Collins brought on Cosgrove for Cole. Cosgrove. Every match I see him barged, grappled, thrown over, without any recompense from the officials. Same again, as he’s barged, midair, off the pitch. They’re given the throw and (in my mind’s eye) run up the pitch for the penalty. (*note: some of you may have seen on Twitter that the referee apparently is a Washday fan. If so, incredible.) A former Londontyke (guess) reports another Londontyke (guess) commenting ‘he (Cosgrove) needs to be gangraped to get a foul’. Cole was a willing runner throughout, and if he had half of SSW’s nouse for a goal, woulda scored a hattrick. Did you know he’s been outscored by Pines in the last 9 games? Just saying!

Drink du jour: Leffe in Bramahs.

Away: 1,980. ‘Two nil and you f***ed it up.’ Cheers lads, you milk it. You deserved it.

The Damage:
c.£8 petrol
= c.£8