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The 25th April marks twenty years since Bolton Wanderers' last game at Burnden Park, a resounding 4-1 win against Charlton Athletic.
I did go to Burnden, although I was only two. I'm told that every game I had a pie and fell asleep.
Seeing as I don't have anything else to say about my time at Burnden, let's hear from the fans who have fond memories of Bolton's former home.
We asked for your favourite Burnden moments, so here are some more!
Tony Tatton - "First game was around '84/85, lived in Walkden at the time and by passed burnden park in the way in Bolton shopping.. (always remembered getting a Bolton top for Xmas in the late 70,s... god knows why or how as we lived in south Cheshire at the time).. anyway on my way back from shopping I clicked the next home game on the advertisement board and the rest is history.... 1st game I got of the bus on manny rd and followed the crowd into Burnden terrace... loved every minute of it... never looked back since, I was bitten by the bug!
The best goal for me was a Phil brown 40 yarder against chesterfield in a 5-0 win... sat in the manny Road stand at that game.
Last game against charlton will always be special but every game was special, stood on burnden.... no matter who we played or how many were in the ground we always sang.. couldn't beat a meat and potatoe pie with a cup of oxo.."
Andrew Gallagher - "First game was aprox 1978 ish wolves at home....was only young but certain me and my Dad stood on the embankment end....i remember getting there early and my dad sitting me on the hoardings so i could see....kept turning round so i could my dad who stood under the floodlight pylon....then it turned round few minutes later and just saw a mass of people thought fuck where they all come from haha....after that we moved to manny road terrace and its was from here i witnessed the likes of Big Sam, Peter Reid....etc grace the hallowed turf...all though having to look up at the raised pitch was a bastard if stood at front...following promotion of Phil Neal's team back into the third tier we moved to the posh seats in manny road stand with our first season ticket....i still have the old books somewhere!
And from there had the pleasure of witnessing many a classic game and character...the Blackpool freight rover semi final northern section....John Thomas (i think breaking his jaw in another match) could hear the crack of it echo round ewwww.....then came Bruce....and immediately stuck a plastic chair on the touchline and sat on it....i thought this guys is a lunatic hes not a clue....little did i know what was to come....The preston penalty and subsequent pitch invasion......magical cup matches v Norwich/Liverpool/Spurs/Chelsea (the night Mathew Harding died)...and then it happened....Premier league football at My Burnden....least said about that season the better....protests outside..Todd taking full charge....getting spanked by the red filth....and relegation against Southampton. But what followed next was the greatest last season at a stadium ever....100 goals...98 points ( would have been hundred if that scouse ******* hadn't fluked one from 40 yards last game away at Tranmere) all finished with Super John sticking his leg out to slide home the last goal at the famous old ground in front of a lever end........Happy day indeed!"
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David Kershaw - "First game was Bolton v Notts Forest 0-0 at half Time, 6-1 full time. I was 7 think it was 1960 (1962). Best game at Burnden was beating city 3-0 in the cup c1973. I reguarly hitched from Liverpool regularly to home games. Also beating Southampton 3-0 1st game off the 1978 season after we won div 2 and after Whatmore's goals thinking. This is it. The worst game at Burnden.. losing 4-0 to wolves to be relegated from top flight in 1964."
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Arvind Jadwa - "I really enjoyed beating Manchester United 3 nil in 1978. My love for Bolton Wanderers started when a friend dragged me to an FA cup game in 1974. I think we won 3-2. Having moved to London in 1981, and working most Saturdays, my last game at Burnden Park was against Swindon in 1997. We won 7 nil. I was in the Great Lever Stand. (sentimental because I had a season ticket there since the mid 70s while I lived in Bolton) I was there with my kids, my son was 7. A ball came towards us, and my son grabbed the ball and threw it back to Branagan. He then looked at me with a smile so wide, and that feeling like "Dad, I just grabbed the match ball and threw it back to the goalie" His smile made my day!"
Richard Atherton - "The matchday experience was much more passionate and raw than now, walking down from Raikes lane, all singing and up for it. My favourite Burnden goal is between Frank Worthington's goal against Ipswich and Sam Allardyce's rocket header vs Sunderland in front of over 40,000 people."
Thank you to everyone who took part. If you have any great memories of Burnden, you can share them in the comments box below.