The best Bolton Wanderers games of the decade

Today, Bolton Wanderers play their last game of the 2010s against Shrewsbury Town.

We’ve seen the Whites play hundreds of games this decade. Last minute winners, crushing defeats and dull draws.

Ten years, filled with few highs & devastatingly low lows.

So what have been the standout games of the decade?

We’ve cobbled together the definitive list from the opinions of our writers and your suggestions from twitter.

Here they are:

Bolton 4-2 Tottenham Hotspur

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We start with the time when Gretar Steinsson turned into prime Cafu & had Gareth Bale in his pocket for ninety minutes.

Following on from their great win against Inter Milan, Spurs were brought back down to earth thanks to a thrashing at The Reebok.

Wanderers went into a commanding 3 goal lead & despite two late Tottenham goals, Martin Petrov scored a composed finish in stoppage time to give Bolton the win.

Bolton 5-1 Newcastle United

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It was a day to forget for Wanderers legend Kevin Nolan.

As captain of The Magpies, Nolan gave away an early penalty as his Newcastle side were hammered 5-1 by a dominant Wanderers side.

Johan Elmander & Kevin Davies both scored twice, with Chungy also on the scoresheet.

The win lifted Bolton above Manchester City into the top four. Oh wow.

Bolton 2-1 Blackburn Rovers

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Having equalised with just a couple minutes of normal time remaining, it looked as if Rovers would be heading home with a share of the spoils. What happened moments later will forever be remembered by all Wanderers fans.

It Stuart Holden’s defining Bolton Wanderers moment. The day he was written into Bolton folklore for life.

Straight from kick off, Sam Ricketts thumped the ball up the pitch. It was headed on by Kevin Davies towards Holden, who found the corner of the goal with a sublime half volley.

Birmingham City 2-3 Bolton

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Like Rovers was Holden's definitive moment, the same can be said for Chung-yong Lee and Birmingham away.

Owen Coyle's side looked likely to be heading for a quarter-final replay with Brum before Chungy leapt like a salmon to send Wanderers to Wembley.

The less said about the semi-final the better.

Bolton 2-1 Arsenal

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The post Wembley period of the 10/11 season was a complete disaster, aside from the game against Arsenal.

It was callback to the glory days of the Big Sam era; winding Arsene Wenger up for ninety minutes.

Loanee Daniel Sturridge handed Wanderers the lead in the first half. After Kevin Davies failed to double the lead with a missed penalty, Robin Van Persie fired the Gunners level.

With the game heading towards stoppage time level, midfielder Tamir Cohen headed past Wojciech Szczęsny to win the game in dramatic fashion.

It was an emotional moment for Cohen, who dedicated his celebration to his late father Avi.

Bolton 5-0 Stoke

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Nobody will ever get over what happened that day at Wembley, though this result worked as a slight bit of revenge.

A rare highlight in a season that ultimately ended in relegation, Wanderers had struggled at home before picking up their first win in emphatic fashion.

Chris Eagles & Ivan Klasnic both scored braces, with Kevin Davies also on the scoresheet.

Joe Riley also made his debut.

Everton 1-2 Bolton

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Wanderers' first league game of 2012 was certainly a memorable one.

The hosts opened the scoring through Tim Howard, as his punt from his own box seemed to get caught up in a huge gust of wind, flew over Adam Bogdan's head & into the net.

Thankfully, Wanderers had the last laugh.

David N'Gog's scored an impressive equaliser, before Gary Cahill signed off on his Wanderers career with a thumping winner.

Bolton 3-1 Liverpool

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For a brief period, Wanderers moved out of the bottom three thanks to a win against Liverpool.

Mark Davies was at the top of his game as he opened the scoring with a mazy run and composed finish.

Nigel snakey Coker doubled Wanderers' lead, but Craig Bellamy halved the deficit in the second half. Thankfully, Gretar Steinsson restored the two goal lead with a thumping finish to give Bolton their first win against the Reds since 2006.

Bolton 1-0 Blackburn

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The 2012/13 season ended in a whimper, though the most memorable game was the midweek fixture against Blackburn Rovers.

With the score at 0-0 deep into stoppage time, player of the season Chris Eagles fired in a famous last gasp winner to boost Bolton's chances of reaching the play-offs.

Cue the famous Adebayor like celebration.

Bolton 4-0 Blackburn

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Normally games against Blackburn are close affairs, though this game was completely one sided.

Medo scored a diving header, Spearing scored a screamer.

What else is there to say?

Leeds United 1-5 Bolton

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In a season when Wanderers' away record was vastly better than their home one, Bolton went to Elland Road and put five past the mighty Leeds.

With Wanderers just one up at the half time break, they went on to humiliate the home side with a clinical performance.

Even Zat Knight scored. What a day.

Bolton 3-1 Wigan

Neil Lennon's honeymoon period was great. His tenure ended horrendously though his first couple of months were brilliant.

The return to prominence of Chungy, Craig Davies' towering header and Max Clayton's first Wanderers goal.

A great Friday night.

Bolton 2-1 Blackburn

Boxing Day. Wanderers have just announced the signing of Emile Heskey, who was far too old to be leading the line for Bolton.

But that didn't stop him from scoring on his debut after being set up by cult hero Eidur Gudjohnsen.

Darren Pratley added a second to ensure Wanderers won again at home against Rovers.

Liverpool 0-0 Bolton

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It wasn't quite White Hot, though thousands of Wanderers fans travelled to Merseyside to see Bolton keep a clean sheet against Liverpool in the 3rd round of the FA Cup.

Adam Bogdan turned into peak Jussi for the evening, a performance that convincingly Brendan Rogers to sign him that Summer.

Cardiff City 0-3 Bolton

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A thumping win for Wanderers in South Wales.

Eidur scored a volley & Craig Davies scored twice in an impressive performance for the forward.

Bolton 2-1 Scunthorpe United

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New Years Eve 2016.

Wanderers were facing top of the table Scunthorpe, a game that Wanderers desperately needed to win to keep up their promotion charge.

Josh Vela opened the scoring with a fantastic strike in the first half & Scunny equalised midway through the second.

With a draw not of much use to either side, loanee James Henry struck the ball into the bottom corner to lift Wanderers into the automatic promotion places.

Fleetwood Town 2-4 Bolton

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A crucial result in Bolton's promotion season.

Fleetwood had been unbeaten in eighteen games before Wanderers travelled to Highbury.

Darren Pratley's return from injury, coupled with Adam Le Fondre's first goals & Filipe Morais' pinpoint delivery all ensured an important win for Bolton.

Oxford United 2-4 Bolton

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Another 4-2 win, equally as important as Wanderers tightened their grip on second place.

Most memorable moment has to be Josh Vela's last gasp goal to ensure Bolton took home all three points.

Port Vale 0-2 Bolton

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David Wheater's second half header sent the travelling Wanderers fans into pandemonium.

We thought it was the day that promotion was going to be secured, though it wasn't to be.

A fantastic day nevertheless.

Bolton 3-0 Peterborough United

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Promotion was finally secured on the final day of the 2016/17 season.

Jem Karacan, David Wheater and ALF were on the scoresheet as Wanderers could finally celebrate heading back to The Championship.

Bolton 3-2 Nottingham Forest

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Quite easily the greatest Bolton Wanderers of the decade.

After the dour defeat to Burton Albion the week before, relegation to League One was a possibility. Wanderers went into the day in the bottom three, with a win crucial if they stood any chance of staying up.

You know the rest of the story. Mark Howard's goal kick, Karl Henry's flick on, ALF's cross, Aaron Wilbraham's diving header.

Perfection.

West Brom 1-2 Bolton

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Having only won one away game the season prior, it seemed impossible that Bolton would win their first away game of the 2018/19 season, especially against a side who had just been relegated from the Premier League.

But we did! Josh Magennis & Yanic Wildschut both scored debut goals to ensure Wanderers ruined many accas that day.

Wycombe Wanderers 2-0 Bolton

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This game was a suggestion on twitter & I've decided to include it.

The first ever meeting between the two Wanderers may have ended in defeat in Bolton, though the fact the game even went ahead is a miracle.

This was a game for the fans; those in attendance & those at home. After what we had to endure, we still had a club to go & watch. In that moment, that was all that mattered.

Bristol Rovers 0-2 Bolton

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Wanderers' first win this season had to be included. It might have taken until the end of October, though Bolton finally won their first game at Bristol Rovers.

Luke Murphy & Daryl Murphy scored in either half respectively to ensure Wanderers finally got off the mark.

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Have we missed any games off this list? Let us know in the comments box below.