Defiance, pride and anger as Bolton fans cheer on team of strangers

03 August 2019 06:43
Fans travelled in big numbers to see their hastily-assembled team put up a fight against Wycombe after a chaotic summerThe coaches rolled out of Horwich at 9.30am, beginning a 400-mile, seven-hour round-trip to rural Adams Park. They came by train and car, too: an 1,800-strong army of Bolton Wanderers fans, marching south for the first match of the campaign. There was, however, little in the way of opening-day optimism. Instead, there was defiance, pride and anger. This summer Bolton have been embroiled in a crisis, with players unpaid for months, staff fed by a food bank, training facilities padlocked.Relegated from the Championship and in administration, Wanderers had 12 points deducted before the season had even begun. Founder members of the Football League, Bolton have spent only one season in the bottom tier – in 1987-88– but a second now looms. But at least the EFL allowed them to play, unlike similarly stricken neighbours Bury. Related: Premier League clubs should bail out Bolton and Bury, says Nigel Clough Related: Bolton players under ‘severe stress’ after not being paid for 20 weeks Related: League One 2019-20 season preview Continue readingreadfullarticle

Source: TheGuardian