Emirates FA Cup Third Round day is upon us this weekend at the University of Bolton Stadium, with Wanderers set to pit their wits against Sky Bet League One opponents in the form of Walsall who arrive here having defeated Sunderland in their recent second round replay.
And in a special feature ahead of Saturday's cup clash, bwfc.co.uk takes a look back at a handful of Bolton's third round cup ties from down the years.
Bolton 1-0 Wigan Athletic (2015)
Youngster Zach Clough scored on his Bolton debut to secure the Trotters’ place in the hat for the next round of the Emirates FA Cup and in turn, the bragging rights for the Whites’ faithful.
With the scores goalless and a replay looming, the teenage striker went one-on-one with former Bolton goalkeeper Ali Al Habsi with 14 minutes to go and dinked the ball over the shot-stopper.
And the Latics were unable to find a response in the clash as Bolton held out for a memorable victory to set up a fourth round tie with Liverpool at Anfield.
Bolton 4-0 Lincoln City (2010)
There was to be no cup shock when League Two outfit Lincoln City rolled into town in January 2010 where, despite being managerless, Wanderers swept aside the challenge of them here at BL6.
Imps defender Moses Swaibu put through his own net to start off the scoring and from thereon in, Wanderers turned up the heat and swaggered to victory.
That effort was added to by Lee Chung-Yong, while a Gary Cahill header and a first at the University of Bolton Stadium in Bolton colours for Mark Davies right at the end put the gloss on a memorable win for the Trotters.
Doncaster Rovers 0-4 Bolton (2007)
Bolton progressed in the fourth round of the FA Cup courtesy of an emphatic 4-0 victory away at Doncaster Rovers 12 years ago this month.
Kevin Davies opened the scoring at the Keepmoat Stadium inside eight minutes, while Andranik Teymourian doubled the Whites’ advantage with 22 minutes on the clock.
Idan Tal then got in on the act to ensure that the Trotters had a healthy 3-0 lead at the break, while Teymourian then added his second of the game shortly after the restart to ensure that the result was beyond doubt for Bolton.
Watford 0-3 Bolton (2006)
Wanderers cruised into the fourth round of the FA Cup back in 2006 after sweeping aside the challenge of Watford at Vicarage Road.
A much-changed Trotters side opened the scoring through Jared Borgetti from 12 yards out after Malky Mackay had failed to clear his lines from Ricardo Gardner's cross.
Stelios Giannakopoulos then fired home for the Whites after a cutback from Ricardo Vaz Te, while the Portuguese forward turned goalscorer for the Trotters’ third as he drilled the ball past Ben Foster from 25 yards with 17 minutes remaining.
Bolton 1-0 Cardiff City (1999)
The original tie of this fixture at the University of Bolton Stadium was postponed due to a frozen pitch and the rearranged fixture days later affected by heavy fog.
Third round day was being actually played in December this year, much to the dismay of cup purists who had hoped it would soon be back in its slot of early January.
Wanderers went on to reach the semi-finals that year under Sam Allardyce and it was current Bolton striker Eidur Gudjohnsen who got the only goal of the game against Cardiff to start a sequence of goals whereby he scored in every round but for the semi-final - only the late, great Nat Lofthouse has achieved similar at Bolton.
Bolton 2-2 Liverpool (Replay: Liverpool 0-2 Bolton) (1993)
The original tie at Burnden Park was anything but as the pitch was covered in frost and cup holders Liverpool did not relish the prospect of facing Bruce Rioch's high fliers.
John McGinlay rounded keeper Mike Hooper to give Bolton the lead and ex-Reds defender Mark Seagraves home to double the home side’s lead, but in the second period, the Reds fought back first with Mark Winstanley scoring an own goal and Ian Rush showing he had lost none of his predatory instincts in front of goal.
The replay at Anfield went one better for Bolton however as current Under-23s head coach David Lee ran riot all evening and his left wing cross found McGinlay early on, with the Scotland forward then turning provider for strike partner Andy Walker to complete a memorable cup scalp on a night that was White Hot indeed.
Bolton Wanderers’ FA Cup Record (1997-2018)
- 1997/98 – Third Round
- 1998/99 – Third Round
- 1999/00 – Semi-Finals
- 2000/01 – Fifth Round
- 2001/02 – Fourth Round
- 2002/03 – Third Round
- 2003/04 – Third Round
- 2004/05 – Sixth Round
- 2005/06 – Fifth Round
- 2006/07 – Fourth Round
- 2007/08 – Third Round
- 2008/09 – Third Round
- 2009/10 – Fifth Round
- 2010/11 – Semi-Finals
- 2011/12 – Sixth Round
- 2012/13 – Fourth Round
- 2013/14 – Fourth Round
- 2014/15 – Fourth Round
- 2015/16 – Fourth Round
- 2016/17 – Third Round
- 2017/18 – Third Round