Burnden Park circa 1985 or The Macron Stadium 2016.

NickFazer wrote:My heart wanted to vote for Burnden, but the move to the Macron was the right thing to do, there isn't any point looking back except to recall the good (and the bad) memories. Better atmosphere with 5k at Burnden than 15k at the Macron though

Burnden was great for the memories, but was a shithole and we needed a better stadium for the big ambitions the club had, it was also a great location, right slap bang in the heart of Bolton, I'd love it if they would've just knocked Burnden Park down and replaced it with the new stadium on Manny Road,( not possible I know) but we've had our best top flight football played at the Reebok, and I remember that atmosphere rocking under Big Sam, (Great memories too) also the best players in the world came weekly and I had my best time as a Wanderer watching them.(footballing wise)

For a stadium like we have at present, (Macron) we need to be playing
top flight football, otherwise it's worthless.

Hopefully one day they shall return, if we get bought out by a Billionaire!

Top thread Bread. I was talking about the exact same thing to a Wanderer the other day.

Macron everytime, the location, facilities, the way it's attracted big players which in turn has brought the club success. I doubt we'd be getting 14,000 fans at Burnden in our present predicament.

Your right, we were shite in 85, and the five years previous. I don't ever recall fans booing and abusing players not near half as much as they do now. In fact, crap players where made cult figures. Remember "yed down, arse up" Joyce ? That ground still had the ghosts of Wanderers players watching from the rafters. Our town, our club, proud of it, as shite as we were. Only the Warby's got any stick thrown by the crowd.

Now, same shite but the crowd have no patience. The young have no idea where our proud history came from as the town itself has had its heart ripped out of it. Bolton ain't Bolton anymore. Anything goes now, the new fans have tasted success and think the tap can be turned back on if they hurl enough abuse at players and managers alike.

So where here and it's now. League two could be on the cards but we've been there before too 87/88. I seem to remember we signed Andy Walker a couple of seasons later......and so it begins again.

The Macron has no soul, no atmosphere.

Burnden Park everytime so long as you had a wee before you went.

We used to stand about here.
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Norpig wrote:

Natasha Whittam wrote:It seems worse nowadays because of the internet. In 1985 I'm guessing people just went home and moaned to the wife or cat.

Nowadays the world is full of keyboard warriors who can't wait to give their opinion, and like mugs we reply to them while stating our own opinion.

 so speaks the forum Gay Queen, lets face it Nat where else would you get to act like this?

And be a woman

I started going in the late 80s but I was very young and can't remember much about the atmosphere at that time. The Bruce Rioch era is where all my early memories start and the atmosphere was great. Personally I much preferred Burnden but during the Prem years and in the championship play offs the Reebok was absolutely rocking. I think Arsenal found it quite intimidating at times. 

Going back to the original question, if we are comparing the Macron at this present moment and burnden in similar circumstances, it's Burnden every time.

The 60s/70s were my best times at Burnden.
The Macron is okay comfort wise, at my age now  

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The atmosphere at Burnden was much better than the Macron, it was ruined though when they built the supermarket on half the Embankment.
We used to go in the Burnden paddock towards the Embankment end but when they started singing the Burnden stand used to join in and stamp on the wooden floors.
Oh when the whites go marching in used to be my favourite because it usually caught on right round the ground.
When I was old enough to go on my own with my mates we used to go in the Lever End and sing we are the lever, the lever enders

Early 90s for me.  Similar to 58, the rioch era.  Went with a mate of mine who was a couple of years older and we stood on BT.

Best education ever.

i was a Paddock boy,happy days 

Norpig wrote:i was a Paddock boy,happy days 

whats that a euphemism for, I've lost track of where we are but after this many posts on a thread we must have hit the gay sex part 

there was no gay sex in the paddock but i bet a few blokes got their cocks out and pissed where they stood 

its easy to look at this with rose tinted glasses, Burnden was awesome when we had a winning team, under Ian Greaves the Worthy era, and under Rioch "Super John era. but what a bloody dump it was at the end. No atmosphere at times i have been on when it was just as soul less as any other ground. 

We had to move, we attracted the very best due to the move, and it was the right thing to do. People make atmosphere we have had great times at the Reebok but agree that it was easier to build an atmosphere at Burnden because you had to get to your spec well before kick off, these days people are in Asda at 2-45pm knowing they have a seat