Ivan Campo Pens New Letter To Bolton Faithful

The letter was posted on the blog of Guillem Ballauge, a Sky Sports pundit and the network's Spanish football expert. Ivan Campo's first letter, posted in 2008, was also on the same site. Without further ado, here it is in its entirety:

Dear Bolton Fans,

When I left in 2008, I wrote you a letter, because I never had the chance to say a proper goodbye. I was overwhelmed by the support I received in response to that letter - the sheer number of you who took the time and trouble to thank me for the contribution I made to your club's history was amazing.

This time, I am writing to you to offer my services to shape the future of a club which has a special place in my heart. Although the way my departure from the club was handled did upset me, I was never bitter or resentful, and I have always wanted the club to do well.

Although it has been a while since I was part of your club, I still remember the six wonderful years I spent as a member of the Bolton family and the experience I had during what what they refer to as the ‘golden age' of Bolton. I really valued my time there.


When I initially joined the club on loan from Real Madrid, I was not expecting to love Bolton as much as I did. After six seasons, I have many fond memories of my time spent there, and particularly the unique relationship I had with you, the fans.

It is sad for me to see Bolton's poor start to the season, and the subsequent sacking of Owen Coyle. But that's the name of the game; if you're not up to scratch and maintaining the standards of the club, it's time for someone fresh to take over the reins and ensure that the club's future will be more promising.

I am sure that Coyle had good intentions for the club, but unfortunately, he has not been able to rectify Bolton's performance.

Personally, it would be a dream for me to return to the Reebok Stadium, where I spent several seasons playing. However, I would not be returning as a player, or even a manager or a coach. But if anybody at the club thinks I can be of any use to Bolton Wanderers, here I am. In a way, I would be giving something back to the club which provided me with some of the best years of my football career.

I am eager to see a return to the glory days of Bolton; we have had success before, and, with the right guidance, there is absolutely no reason why the club cannot turn its fortunes around, and return to the Premier League.

My passion for this club is unrelenting, and it is obvious to me that this club is desperate for a boost in morale. I can use the experience I have obtained over the years, in different clubs with different ambitions. I am keen to help Bolton overcome the difficulties they have had in achieving what I know they are capable of accomplishing, in addition to ensuring a solid contribution to the life of my club. Let's all help the club return to where it belongs -the Premier League.

With my warmest regards,

Ivan Campo

I, for one, am disappointed that certain words aren't capitalized a la his tweets. We do love Campo though, lots. He was the best defender that couldn't defend that this club has ever had. We'll certainly always have a place for the Bolton legends in our hearts.