[Archived] Bolton 0 - 0 Rovers

[Scotty]

Nothing special this time - just a Q&A with my mate Dave who's a Bolton season ticket holder.

How pleased were you with Bolton last season?

Extremely. How couldn't I be with our highest finish in 50 years and our first qualification for Europe?

Do you think Big Sam has done well in the transfer window? Who are your in’s and out’s?

Only time will tell. He's brought in lots of midfielders, but left us very short in defence, especially at fullback. As usual with Allardyce, I'm expecting some of his signings to be great, and some to be atrocious. I am looking forward to seeing Nakata and Borgetti, but less impressed with the signings of Ian Walker and Fabrice Fernades.

The only out of any note is the retirement of Fernando Hierro, who showed his class towards the end of last season.

How far do you think you can go in Europe?

My aim would be to still be in Europe after Christmas. This will mean we have made it past the first round, and then progressed from the group stage. But I'm not confident we'll even make it into the group stage!

Where do you think you’ll finish this season?

Anywhere from 5th to 15th. For the last two seasons we've finished at the top end of the also-ran bracket, and we'll be in that group again.

Rovers have seen their crowds slip markedly so far this season.  It seems to be a trend throughout most of the league - has it affected Bolton?

From the two home games we've had so far, it doesn't seem to have affected us yet. This is probably because we're still riding on the wave of last season's high finish.

The cheapest tickets we’ve been offered for Bolton are £32.  This seems to be about average for most of the away grounds these days. Do you think the common fan has become priced out of football?

It's definitely getting that way. This season we've played Everton and Newcastle at home, two teams you would expect to fill the away end, but neither team has come close.

Do you attend as many games as you used to?  If not, why not?

No, basically because of the cost. I buy a season ticket so I don't have to make a conscious decision about spending £30 to watch Portsmouth on a cold Tuesday in January (the answer would be no).

I used to attend as many away games as I could, now I'm far more choosy. £35 to go to Selhurst Park last year? No thanks. And then add in the never-ending array of kick-off times, and the fact that you can now watch most games at some dodgy local pub, and the willingness to travel away decreases even further.

A group of Rovers fans are in the process of starting up an Independent Supporters Association.  Does Bolton have anything like this?  What do you think of ISA’s in general?

They are a good way of getting tax-free savings.

If Bolton did/does have an ISA what issues would you like it to tackle?

I'm not aware of Bolton having such an organisation, but if it did I would expect it to tackle the issues that affect the fans, such as pricing of tickets etc. But when my annual contribution to the club pays just a couple of hours of Okocha's wages, I wouldn't expect the club to give a toss about such a group. The fact that clubs like Bolton are looking to expand their audience in the Far East shows where the clubs' interests lie these days.

What are your views on Rovers this season?  Do you think we’re stronger or weaker than last season?

I can't say I've seen much of Rovers so far this season, but you should be stronger just because of signing Bellamy.

We have gained a reputation as a team of thugs.  Do you feel this reputation is deserved?

Didn't you know tackling Arsenal and Chelsea players had been banned? But a team including Todd, Savage, Neill, Dickov, Mokeona etc. is going to get itself a reputation, and it isn't going to be good.

We haven’t lost at the Reebok for a few years.  Why do you think this is?

It's your biggest game of the season, and so you're well up for it.

Finally, what’s your score prediction for the Bolton v Blackburn game?

2-0 home win.

[T4E]

A group of Rovers fans are in the process of starting up an Independent Supporters Association.  Does Bolton have anything like this?  What do you think of ISA’s in general?

They are a good way of getting tax-free savings.

[1864roverite]

just hoping for a 1-0 win for Rovers

[The1mattjansen]

Does anyone have any information on how tickets are selling?

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

1-1 Bellamy............PLEASE!!!

[MarkBRFC]

Does anyone have any information on how tickets are selling?

344670[/snapback]

I imagine there will be quite a few left yet.

[Ronin]

Would be happy for a draw, although much could depend if Bellamy is back and how well the loan signings gel with the rest of the team.

[Cheshireblue]

Biggest game of the season?

Dream on sunshine. Bolton away isn't anybody's biggest game of the season. Except maybe Bury.

We are not your local rivals, you don't really mean anything to us. You don't really mean anything to anyone, and that is why you try to create rivalries whenever you get chance.

We'll beat them 2-0. With 10 men.

[AggyBlue]

They're my local rivals. I get hell when they beat us, which hasn't been too frequent these past few years. Hopefully we're becoming a bit of a bogey team for them down the Breezeblok.

[James No. 7]

1-0 victory to Rovers is my prediction. MGP with a terrific goal.

[OscarRaven]

Dont think this will be a high scoring game....

Its been a while since we lost here so.... just maybe..... nah 1-0 Rovers - Steven Reid.

[Hughesy]

The pub i mentioned for drinking "the greenwood" has shut don on saturday nigtht so no drinking there.

The beehive is home fans only.

Best places therefore are either Horwich town centre (Albert pub or the bridge)

Or bolton town centre.

Id say Horwich is probably better as it isnt too far away from the ground -

Taxi number for after the pubs 01204 694040 or 01204 690096

[pick32]

bellamy to come back with a blast 3-2

bellamy x2

MGP

ockocha

nolan

[Quack]

2-2 , Bellamy / Reid, Spit the dog and Pie boy for the Trotters, red card for Nolan after taking out Savage. Not going to the Breezeblock - I will buy tickets for the Huddersfield game instead.

[Cocker]

Scotty, tell your mate Dave that was a good read

Anyway, I am hoping that the Bolton old man brigade starts to tire in the second half which means ped and bentley can go on a rampage.

1-3 Rovers

Ped/Sav and er......er......Matty

Speed for them

Edited September 6, 2005 by Cocker

[Stefan]

I'll predict a Rovers win 1-0

Debut boy Bentley getting the only goal.

[den]

Don't know how much credence to give this, but Bellamy is back in full training and could play against Bolton.

[Ozz]

Den, that doesn`t look like the kind of site you should be trawling...btw were you also the one millionth visitor to the site?

[den]

Den, that doesn`t look like the kind of site you should be trawling...btw were you also the one millionth visitor to the site?

345047[/snapback]

Why? World footballers - can't see anything wrong there.

[G Somerset Rover]

Bound to have been mentioned elsewhere but Bellamy and Dickov have a chance of making it this sunday according to the LET. I hope that Hughsey doesn't try rushing Bellers back to quick as we need him fully fit week in week out to stand a chance of a top ten finish. I think we'll sneak this 1-0 with an Emerton winner.

[Presty On Tour]

nobody has said it yet so im going for a blakburn win and kuqi 2 score a few

[rovernik]

1-1

j-j and mgp to score, (I hope, got em both in my dream team )

[Uxbridge rover]

1-1

j-j and mgp to score, (I hope, got em both in my dream team )

345110[/snapback]

Sorry but why would you want any team to score against us

[rovernik]

the prize money has a lot to do with it!!!

of course id rather the 3 points tho!! and i hope we win 1-0

[BRFC4EVA]

Does anybody know how many tickets we have sold for the game. Im mean its a local derby, i hope we can at least sell out that allocation of 1,800 for crying out loud, we took 3k there last yr!

Looking forward to this 1 as i think we can sneak a victory form this game. 2-1 Rovers