Club unveil plaque in memory of the 33 Burnden Park Disaster victims
Bolton Wanderers held its annual Service of Remembrance at Macron Stadium on Tuesday evening.
More than 200 people attended the event, which started with the special unveiling of a plaque at the Nat Lofthouse statue in memory of the 33 individuals who lost their lives in the Burnden Park disaster.
The service, led by club chaplain Phil Mason, then continued in the Platinum Suite and featured a monologue written by Martin Thomasson which helped tell the story of how the Burnden Park disaster unfolded back in March 1946.
Families and friends were also invited to come forward to light candles in memory of their loved ones, whilst the names of those remembered in the previous year were displayed on screens around the room.
Music during the service was provided by the band of the 103 Regiment Royal Artillery.
Reflecting after the service, Mason told bwfc.co.uk: “It shows how important it is for people to come here and remember their loved ones at a place where those people came to enjoy games, celebrate and have fun.
“This is a place where they want to remember their loved ones and it just shows too what a family club we still are and how important it is within peoples’ lives.”
He continued: “It has been a very important year for us to remember the 70th anniversary of the Burnden Park Disaster. All the way through, anything we have put together has been very well attended.
“I think the “the forgotten disaster” is no longer “the forgotten disaster” – it is very much out there.
“To remember it in our annual service is very important to us, and the unveiling of the permanent plaque outside the Nat Lofthouse statue to remember the 33 has created that sacred space which is so important for the history our club.”