Big Match Preview: Bolton Wanderers away Friday, February 2nd 2018 City are back to winning ways after seeing off QPR last week. Next up is a trip to the Macron Stadium, where league strugglers Bolton Wanderers await Lee Johnson's side. While Bolton have racked up just a handful of wins this season, the majority of those have come in front of their home support meaning the long trip north may not be an easy one for the Robins. The Friday night clash, which will be screened live on Sky, presents an opportunity for City to keep pace with their promotion-chasing rivals, while the Trotters will be keen to move out of the bottom three. FACTFILE Formed 1874 Nickname Trotters, Wanderers Website www.bwfc.co.uk Twitter @OfficialBWFC Ground Marcon Stadium Capacity 28,723 Honours Second Division 1908/09, 1977/78, 1996/97 Third Division 1972/73 FA Cup 1923, 1926, 1929, 1958 Football League Cup 1995, 2004 Football League Trophy 1989 Charity Shield 1958 Last seasonLeague finish 2nd in League One FA Cup Third round, lost to Crystal Palace EFL Cup First round, lost to Blackpool Checkatrade Trophy Group stage Top Scorer Josh Vela & Gary Madine, 10 goals Average attendance 14,934 HOW DID THEY GET HERE? It is 13 years since Bolton recorded their highest ranking in English football - 6th in the Premier League to secure their spot in the qualifying rounds of the UEFA Cup for the first time in their history. In fact, between 2003/04 and 2006/07, only Chelsea, Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal had a better level of consistency in the top division, as the Trotters finished in the top eight in four successive campaigns. The departure of Sam Allardyce and a cash crisis which threatened to cripple the club saw them slide down the table and, eventually, drop out of the Premier League in 2012. Fast forward to the modern era and Bolton – with money troubles seemingly behind them now – have made an immediate return to the Sky Bet Championship after one season in the third tier. The step up has been a painful one, however, with the Greater Manchester club failing to win in their opening 12 games of the 2017/18 campaign. They have won only six games in the league in fact, with five of those being recorded in front of their home fans. As a result of their few victories, Bolton have flaunted with the relegation zone and currently sit 22nd in the Sky Bet Championship, level on points (26) with 21st-placed Hull. WATCH: SMITH AND JOHNSON DISCUSS BOLTON WANDERERS AWAY Free to watch please log in to view this image Free to watch please log in to view this image THE KEY FIGURES please log in to view this image Phil Parkinson helped bolton return to the second tier at the first time of asking MEET THE GAFFER – PHIL PARKINSON Parkinson is an experienced manager who helped Bolton bounce back to the Championship at the first time of asking last season. He started out in management at Colchester United, taking the U’s to an unlikely promotion to the Championship. Parkinson spent a brief time with Hull City before moving to Charlton Athletic, initially as assistant boss before taking the top job from Alan Pardew. At his next club, Bradford City, Parkinson enjoyed his second managerial promotion and a trip to Wembley in the League Cup final. He also famously guided the Bantams to a shock 4-2 FA Cup win at Chelsea in 2015. He moved to Bolton in June 2016. please log in to view this image Ameobi challenges Eliasson in the reverse fixture at Ashton Gate STAR MAN – SAMMY AMEOBI Winger Ameobi will be among those called upon to fill the goalscoring gap left behind by Gary Madine, following his January deadline day move to Cardiff City. Ameobi, 25, is one of the Trotters' creative sparks, with three goals and an assist to his name in the first half of the 2017/18 campaign. Able to play on either the left or the right, Ameobi crafted his game at Newcastle before a brief loan spell with Teeside rivals Middlesbrough. More loan spells followed as he made 39 appearances for Cardiff City - 28 of those as a substitute - before helping Bolton return to the Championship from League One last season. He signed permanently for the Wanderers last summer. please log in to view this image Flint all smiles after grabbing the second goal against Bolton at the Gate BACK AT THE GATE BRISTOL CITY 2-0 BOLTON WANDERERS Goals: Diédhiou 39, Flint 77. Goals from Famara Diédhiou and Aden Flint piled more misery on ten-man Bolton Wanderers, inflicting a hard-fought 2-0 victory at Ashton Gate back in September. The visitors were doing fine up until the moment they fell behind to Diédhiou’s 39th-minute scrambled opener. Felipe Morais’ dismissal before the break then turned the hill they had to climb into a mountain. City pressed and pressed for a second to seal victory and it duly arrived 13 minutes from the end as Flint deflected in Marlon Pack’s driven attempt. The result extended City's unbeaten run in all competitions to double figures, while winless Bolton remained rooted to the foot of the table. City: Fielding, Wright, Flint, Baker, Bryan, O'Dowda, Smith, Pack, Paterson, Reid, Diédhiou. Subs not used: Steele, Magnusson, Eliasson, Brownhill, Taylor, Leko, Woodrow. Bolton: Howard, Taylor, Wheater, Little, Beavers, King, Henry, Pratley, Morais, Noone, Madine. Subs not used: Taylor, Le Fondre, Ameobi, Burke, Robinson, Cullen, Wilbraham. AND FINALLY... Officials Andrew Madley James Wilson and Robert Merchant Fourth Official: Jeremy Simpson Betting (via SkyBet) - as of 11am, Friday February 2nd. Bolton 11/4 Draw 12/5 City 11/10 https://www.bcfc.co.uk/news/big-match-preview-bolton-wanderers-away/
BBC ~ Match Facts. Zach Clough could make his second debut for Bolton when they host Bristol City in the Championship on Friday. Striker Aaron Wilbraham (calf) is a doubt against his former club, while defender David Wheater faces a late fitness test. Promotion-chasing Bristol City's centre-back Nathan Baker is suspended. Midfielder Gary O'Neil is back in training for the visitors but unlikely to feature, while striker Matty Taylor is out after a hernia operation. SAM's prediction Home win 25% Draw 27% Away win 48% SAM, the Sports Analytics Machine, is a super-computer built by @ProfIanMcHale of the University of Liverpool. Bristol City head coach Lee Johnson told BBC Radio Bristol: "It was a difficult game when [we played Bolton] at home and they were reduced to 10 men. "They were still catching up and evolving then. Now they're a really well-coached team. "It is a tight pitch and it'll be a tough ask for us." Match facts Bolton have not lost at home to Bristol City since August 1994, winning three and drawing one since in all competitions. Bristol City have won their last two Championship meetings with Bolton by an aggregate score of 8-0. Phil Parkinson's last home league meeting against Bristol City was in April 2015 as Bradford manager - the Bantams lost 6-0 in League One, Parkinson's heaviest ever defeat as a manager. Bristol City have not failed to score in three consecutive away Championship games since January 2016 (a run of four). After losing each of their first five home league game this season, Bolton have lost just one of their next nine (W5 D3). The Robins have scored the most goals via Englishmen in the Championship this season (34).
Joe Bryan Retweeted please log in to view this image Children's HospiceSWVerified account@CHSW 2h2 hours ago You have just under 40 mins left to bid on this @hallyink print of @bcfctweets players @joebryan & Korey Smith & help raised funds for #CHSW #FundraiserFriday https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/273042152720… please log in to view this image Great print..
Need 3 points tonight to keep pace with the likes of Villa, Derby and Cardiff and to keep our distance from Fulham and Middlesbrough. Don't care how we get them, but 3 points are a must
Bolton Wanderers 20:00 Bristol City Championship, Sky Sports Mix (19:00), Sky Sports Football (19:00) Channel 407 Sky sport mix. Channel 510 Virgin/ Sky Sports.
Bristol City FCVerified account@bcfctweets 9h9 hours ago please log in to view this image IT'S MATCHDAY! please log in to view this image please log in to view this image @OfficialBWFC please log in to view this image Macron Stadium please log in to view this image @SkyBetChamp please log in to view this image 8pm please log in to view this image Pay on the night please log in to view this image @SkySports please log in to view this image bcfcsnap please log in to view this image #BOLvBRC please log in to view this image
We’re Bolton’s tactics to keep the ball in the air for 80 minutes and suddenly play football whilst we had cricked necks? Well it worked
We could have been there for another 2 hours and still not scored! Maybe should have had at least a pen, evens it self out with the Derby game.. Only positive, thought Kent looked good.
We were as bad as Bolton. Ameobe - best player on the pitch. The only player - his crosses were good and the goal was brilliant. Hate him.
Poor tonight , Corrie missed from midfield, should have started mags and left Corrie in the middle. Was pack Injured, if not don't understand why he was taken off. Nice to see engval get a run out , but what's he going to do in 5 minutes? Too many played well below par . Is it just me or did it seem they seemed to believe their own hype. I did think Lee had it spot on in his after match interview whiches bodes well as regards putting things right. Still learn from it and move on.
watched it live here in Australia, very noisy stadium, well done to the Bolton fans making the noise, if City get promoted they will be straight back down on that performance
