Foot in Both Camps: Bolton Wanderers v West Bromwich Albion

Bolton Wanderers take on West Bromwich Albion on Monday 21 January in the Sky Bet Championship and with that in mind, bwfc.co.uk take a look at players who have turned out for both sides involved.

Lloyd Dyer

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Following a youth career at Aston Villa, Dyer joined West Bromwich Albion in July 2001.

He made his debut for the Baggies in the League Cup away at Wigan Athletic in October 2002 in a 3-1 defeat.

The tricky winger fought his way into the first team squad on a more regular basis and was a large part of the 2003/04 promotion back to the Premier League.

Fast forward to 2018 and 36-year-old Dyer signed for Wanderers in September 2018 on a short-term contract, making his debut against Blackburn Rovers in October 2018.

Sam Allardyce

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The former England manager started his playing career off at Wanderers in 1973. During his time with the Whites, he was a part of the 1977/78 side that gained promotion to the First Division. 

He had a second stint with the Trotters in the 1985/86 season, before joining Preston North End the following year.

‘Big Sam’ took over as Whites boss in October 1999.

From there, Allardyce enjoyed an eight year tenure at the University of Bolton Stadium.

He took the club into the Premier League in 2001, beating this weekend's opponents at the Millennium Stadium in the First Division Play-off Final.

From there, Allardyce and his Wanderers side enjoyed a successful stay in the top flight of English football.

It was capped off in 2004/05, when the Trotters finished sixth and won qualification to the UEFA Cup for the first time in the club’s history.

In February 1989, Allardyce was hired as a player-coach at the Hawthorns by Brian Talbot and spent two years in the Midlands managing and playing for the reserve team.

Nicolas Anelka

A UEFA Champions League and European Championship winner by this time in his career, Anelka joined Wanderers in August 2006 on a four-year contract for a then club record transfer fee of £8million.

Only staying one season and a half with the Whites, the Frenchman dazzled the fans at the University of Bolton Stadium as he finished as top goal scorer for the club in the 2006/07 season.

His flair and finishing ability had the Wanderers support in awe, until he left to join Chelsea for £15million in January 2008.

Looking forward to July 2013 and following his release from Shanghai Shenhua, Anelka joined West Bromwich Albion on a free transfer and spent the 2013/14 season at the Baggies before having his contract terminated.

Barry Cowdrill

Cowdrill began his career at West Bromwich Albion, as he signed his first professional contract in 1979.

With a ten-year stint at the Baggies under his belt, the defender joined Wanderers in 1988.

During that time frame, he was a part of the 1989 Associate Members’ Cup winning side.

Fabian de Freitas

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The Suriname born striker joined Wanderers in 1994, arriving from FC Volendam.

He lives long in the memories of Trotters fans far and wide for his heroics in the 1995 Division One play-off final against Reading, as he scored two goals in a 4-3 victory over the Royals to send Bolton into the Premier League.

With an intermediary stint at Spanish side CA Osasuna, de Freitas spent two years at West Brom before seeing out the reminder of his career in Holland with various sides.

Bob Taylor

Arriving from Bristol City in 1992, Taylor enjoyed a six year stay at the Hawthorns.

He enjoyed promotion from the Third Division in 1989/90 via the play-offs, in whcih he was the top scorer in the league with 27 goals.

Following a fruitful experience as a marksman in front of goal for the West Midlands side, he went out on loan to Bolton Wanderers.

Following loan spells at the Whites in 1998, this move became permanent in July for a reported fee of £90,000.

A total of 27 goals in 96 games followed for Taylor whilst at the Whites, gaining cult hero status in his early days on loan scoring Wanderers goal in a 1-1 draw against Manchester United.

He re-joined West Brom in the 1999/2000 season, where he contributed to getting the club into the Premier League in 2001/02, where Taylor was quoted in saying "I've got my beloved Baggies into the promised land".

Tyrone Mears

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A Jamaican international full back, Mears joined Bolton in 2011 from Burnley – as he joined the club with Clarets midfielder Chris Eagles.

With his early Wanderers career blighted by injury, Mears made 32 competitive appearances for the club before moving to the United States to join Seattle Sounders – where he won the MLS Cup in 2016.

Currently, Mears is a West Bromwich Albion player after signing from Minnesota United in August 2018.

He has made nine appearances for the Baggies so far this season.

Abdoulaye Meite

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Coming to BL6 from Marseille where he had previously won the Intertoto Cup and been UEFA Cup runners-up, Meite joined Wanderers in July 2006.

He spent two years in Lancashire before moving to West Brom for an initial fee of £2million.

The defender made 56 competitive appearances for the club before joining Dijon in June 2011.

Steve Parkin

Back in 1989, Parkin joined the Baggies from Stoke City, where he spent three season at the club in the Second and Third Divisions.

In present day, Parkin is involved as a part of the coaching staff at Bolton Wanderers, as assistant manager.

Since joining Wanderers in June 2016, Parkin has been involved in the club’s League One promotion in 2016/17.

Julian Darby

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The former defender came through the ranks at Bolton, making an impressive 346 appearances during a seven year tenure at the club with 52 goals to his name.

In 1988/89, Darby was a member of the Wanderers squad that won the Football league Trophy, scoring in the Final against Torquay United.

With a spell at Coventry City in between, Darby joined the Baggies in 1995 and spent two years with the West Midlands side.

Paul Robinson

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This tough tackling full back joined West Brom in 2003 from Watford for an initial £250,000.

He won the club’s Goal of the Season award in 2005, with an injury-time header which equalised against Aston Villa away from home.

Furthermore, Robinson was named in the PFA Championship Team of the Year alongside teammates Jonathan Greening and Kevin Phillips, with Albion winning promotion to the Premier League.

In July 2009, Robinson joined Wanderers on an initial loan move, reuniting with a former manager in the form of Gary Megson.

This deal saw Robinson joining on a one-year loan, with a two year permanent deal to follow immediately after.

He made 87 competitive appearances for the club in his three years at the University of Bolton Stadium.

Daniel Sturridge

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Whilst at Chelsea in 2011, a young Sturridge joined Wanderers on loan in January 2011 until the end of the season.

He hit the ground running for the Whites, scoring eight goals in 12 games and producing terrific performances week in week out under Owen Coyle.

The England international had a short stint at West Brom on loan in the latter half of the 2017/18 season, playing six games.

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