Any Previous? Bolton v Latics

The Latics make the short hop over the hill at ‘top of Aspull’ on Saturday to tackle the EFL’s number one performing team, or so they’d have you believe, Bolton Wanderers.

 

We have met our neighbours on 48 occasions down the years with the Latics just shading things with 18 wins to 17 for Bolton.

 

The first meeting came in the 1983/84 season when we were both in the third tier of English football, a crowd of 10,045 crammed into Springfield Park for the Boxing Day clash, Bolton coming out on top with a narrow 0:1 win.

 

Parity was restored in late April of the same season, a paltry crowd of 6,142 turned out at Burnden Park to see the Latics win the game 0:1.

 

The games in that first season set the tone in terms of tightness, with 35 of the 48 meetings between the two clubs ending in a draw or have been settled by one goal either way.  

 

The Latics have seven victories away at Bolton with the last one coming in the 2011/12 season, a Premier League clash at the Reebok Stadium with both clubs fighting to maintain their top flight status.

 

Prior to the game over 600 people walked the six miles from the DW Stadium up to Horwich to raise money for 8 year old Wigan girl, Emma Hoolin, who was suffering from Neuroblastoma and required treatment in the US, over £20,000 was raised and the treatment was successful.

 

Latics skipper Gary Caldwell claimed "the sight of so many fans walking to the game in support of such a wonderful cause was inspiration enough to motivate the lads that extra percent", goals from Caldwell and James McArthur secured a 1:2 win with Latics staying up and Bolton relegated come the end of the campaign.

 

Classic Encounter

Following the dismissal of Owen Coyle in November 2013, Uwe Rossler was appointed the new boss of the Latics, his first game in charge on the 15^th December, was a Championship home fixture against local rivals Bolton.

 

A buoyant derby day crowd of 19,226 witnessed a Ben Watson penalty and Nick Powell’s spectacular overhead kick give the Latics a two goal first half lead. Bolton came out fired up in the 2^nd half and staged a fight back dragging themselves back into the game via a Danns header and a 64^th minute Moritz penalty, only for Callum McManaman to win the game for the Latics with a 68^th minute left footed strike.

 

Highlights – Latics 3:2 Bolton

 

Full Record v Bolton Wanderers

Played – 48

Won – 18

Drawn – 13

Lost – 17

 

Last Six Meetings

Date	Competition	Result
24 Aug 2021	League Cup	Latics 0:0 Bolton
16 Mar 2019	Championship	Latics 5:2 Bolton
01 Dec 2018	Championship	Bolton 1:1 Latics
21 Mar 2015	Championship	Latics 1:1 Bolton
03 Jan 2015	FA Cup	Bolton 1:0 Latics
07 Nov 2014	Championship	Bolton 3:1 Latics