A note from the Chairman

It has certainly been an enjoyable few weeks for the most part here at Bolton Wanderers, with the team having taken nine points from a possible 12 in their four fixtures over the festive period.

The only blemish on that record was our result up at Middlesbrough, but had you offered anybody here at the club that return prior to Christmas, I am sure that they would have snatched your hands off.

Monday’s victory over Hull City meanwhile sees us enter this coming weekend and the third round of the Emirates FA Cup sitting 20th in the Sky Bet Championship which, given where we found ourselves at the end of September, is an extremely pleasing sight.

The result over Nigel Adkins’ side simply epitomised the strength, determination and passion that this group of players have – this was undoubtedly summed up by the fact that inside the closing stages, Gary Madine was clearing a header out of his own six-yard box one minute and then narrowly missing an opportunity to double our advantage the next.

Coupled with our wins over Cardiff City and of course, Sheffield United, where we ended our long wait for an away win at this level – results which no doubt sent out a statement of intent to the rest of the league – we have been able to start the calendar year in probably as strong a position as we could have hoped for given our opening few months of the campaign. 

We continue to prove our doubters wrong and I am sure I speak for the manager Phil Parkinson and his players when I say that their dismissal of us inside the early months of the season merely added fuel to our fire and now we are in a position to build on our efforts and push on.

We have also brought more teams into the mix down at the lower end of the league table, all while showcasing our ability to play in a variety of formations with a number of players who haven’t figured as much as they would have liked so far this term stepping up to the plate.

Confidence and belief is sky high in the camp and as you have been all season long, you all got firmly behind the players over the Christmas period and were rewarded for your support with a number of superb results.

That needs to continue however and so brings us to this coming weekend's Emirates FA Cup game against Huddersfield Town, while I hope many of you will take advantage of our reduced prices of £15 and £5 for this fixture.

Tickets can be bought HERE, by phoning 0844 871 2932 or visiting Bolton Central in person.

Coming up against Premier League opposition on Saturday will undoubtedly be an indication of our progress of late and although the manager may use the game as an opportunity to give a number of players game time, they all have points to prove if they are to force their way into his reckoning during the second half of the campaign.

With the transfer window now open meanwhile, the month may see changes in playing personnel with us keen to give those who have not figured regularly the chance to do so elsewhere alongside strengthening in specific areas.

The January window is always a difficult one to contend with as you very much need to recruit players who are ready to hit the ground running, but our scouting team and the manager have been working hard to identify those that they believe could make a positive impact on the team.

This month will no doubt be an interesting one, but come its conclusion, we need to make sure that we are as strong as we can possibly be for the final months of the season.

Finally, I’d like to remind you all of our half season tickets, with the time period to purchase them having been extended up to the Ipswich Town game on January 20.

For just £15.45 per match or just £5.45 for Under-18s, you can show your support for the team in our last ten games of the 2017/18 campaign whilst spreading the cost with our Direct Debit scheme.

As I have said on so many occasions, your backing is vital and with you right behind the team, we know we can achieve our collective dream of remaining in this division come May 6.

To purchase yours, please visit www.eticketing.co.uk/bwfc, phone 0844 871 2932 or speak to our staff members in person at our retail outlet.

As always however, let’s be loud, let’s be proud and let’s get behind the team.

Kind regards,

Ken

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