The statue of club legend Nat Lofthouse has had its annual pre-season clean thanks to Wanderers’ fan Craig Carroll.
The lasting memorial to the Whites’ finest player and former club president stands proudly outside Wanderers’ stadium and is seen by thousands of supporters every week.
After a year’s weathering, the statue and its stone base and surrounding area has again been steam-cleaned by season-ticket holder Craig Carroll to be in pristine condition before the 2023/24 campaign kicks-off.
“He deserves to be looked after,” said Craig, who owns Bolton-based Deep Blue Restorations Ltd but cleans the statue free of charge as a labour of love.
“People don’t want to see it not at its best and it looks so much brighter and stands out, especially in the sun, when it’s been cleaned.
“It’s nice for his family to know it’s being looked after and it’s something I like doing – to give something back.”
As well as cleaning the statue, Craig – who watches Wanderers from the Nat Lofthouse Stand with dad Steven and son Louis George – also spruced up the floored area which contains memorial bricks remembering past Wanderers’ fans – including his grandfather Alan Tomlinson.
England great Lofthouse, who died at the age of 85 in 2011, played over 500 games for Wanderers before going on to manage the club and remains the Whites’ leading goalscorer with 285 goals from a 15-year one-club career.