Bolton Wanderers

Bolton Wanderers F.C. are an English professional football club based in Horwich, Bolton. They are currently in the FA Premier League. In 2005–06 they participated in European competition for the first time but were knocked out of the UEFA Cup in the round of 32 by Marseille.

Bolton moved to the Reebok Stadium in 1997. Their former home was Burnden Park. Wanderers' President is Nat Lofthouse and their manager is Sam Allardyce. Their other personnel include, Sammy Lee and Ricky Sbragia.

Formed in 1874, Bolton Wanderers were Football League founder members in 1888 and winners of the first FA Cup final at Wembley in 1923. Further FA Cup glory followed in 1926 and 1929 and Wanderers were also riding high in the First Division with third-placed finishes recorded in 1921 and 1925. The legendary Nat Lofthouse provided the club with a fourth FA Cup final victory in 1958 with both goals in a famous 2-0 victory over Manchester United. After a steady decline, Bolton were playing Fourth Division football in 1987 but a spectacular revival saw them promoted to the Premier League for one season via the play-offs in 1995. Burnden Park celebrated its centenary in the same year but a move to the Reebok Stadium was just around the corner. Wanderers' impressive new home was soon hosting top-flight football again following the club's Division One title romp in 1997 and another promotion in the 2000/01 campaign, after which they maintained their Premier League status. Their impressive sixth-placed finish in 2004/05 secured a first taste of European football for the Trotters in the UEFA Cup.
Bolton are established in the big time with their top-class roster of players matching the impressive surroundings of the Reebok Stadium. Manager Sam Allardyce has continued his policy of signing proven talent for bargain fees, with Ivan Campo and Stelios Giannakopoulos following in the footsteps of Jay-Jay Okocha and Youri Djorkaeff. It's a world away from their position at the inception of the Premier League in 1992 when The Trotters were playing in the Second Division. But promotion in 1993, followed by a memorable 4-3 Division One play-off victory against Reading in 1995, handed them a way back into the top flight. Under Colin Todd's leadership, Wanderers claimed an impressive win against Arsenal but the campaign was to ultimately end in relegation. A runaway First Division title success in 1997 and a switch to a new stadium brought a second Premier League season but a final-day defeat to Chelsea consigned them to the drop again. Successive play-off defeats to Watford and Ipswich caused consternation in Lancashire but, at the third attempt, victory over rivals Preston North End lifted them back into the Premier League. The 2006/07 campaign marks Bolton's sixth consecutive season in the Premier League and they will be determined to continue their progress.