Ken Anderson - update.

Natasha Whittam wrote:

finlaymcdanger wrote:They wouldn't be third in the league if they were intimidated by a few vocal opposing fans.

No, they'd be top.

Eh.....?



That doesn't make sense.

You having an off day?

Bread2.0 wrote:

Eh.....?



That doesn't make sense.

You having an off day?

It makes sense in my head.

Firstly, I would also like to extend a warm welcome to the family of Gary Speed who will be attending our game against Bristol Rovers tomorrow night as our special guests.

They are raising awareness of the Gary Speed Trust which was established following his passing in November 2011 and continues the promotion of Gary’s work in regards to supporting numerous sports teams, schools and hospitals. 

Focusing back on matters on the field, I had a strange feeling about the Sheffield United game all last week, particularly when they asked us to return half of our allocated tickets. 

We made our disappointment known to them in no uncertain way, but they had no intention of changing their minds. 

As you can imagine, I was even angrier when I saw the area that we should have had behind the goal half empty on Saturday. It is fairly obvious now that they didn't want too many of our supporters there cheering us on.

As the week went on, it was becoming more likely that we were going to be without several key players, either through suspension, injury or illness and then, at the very last minute, we were deprived of Gary Madine by illness as well which meant a late change to our game plan.

Obviously, it wasn't one of our better performances and whilst I don't like making excuses, I think that up until the penalty – which was a quite clearly a dive – we were still in the game.

Likewise, I am not sure how John Fleck did not receive his marching orders when he poleaxed Tom Thorpe which effectively ended his game a short time after.

In regards their first goal, it ultimately came from us giving the ball away and a consequent rare slip by Mark Beevers and whilst I think it was a well taken chance by Billy Sharp, how many times have we seen balls bounce out when they hit the post?

Although we lost out to Sheffield United, despite fielding an under strength team due to illness, suspensions and injuries, it’s worth reminding ourselves that we had beaten them twice already this season, so in terms of the league points gained against one another honours are even. 

As to who will be promoted, we shall wait until the end of the season, but I seem to recall that several seasons ago they were in a similar situation at the top of the league with a seemingly comfortable gap but ultimately lost out to bitter rivals Sheffield Wednesday. 

As I keep saying, there will be lots of twists and turns before the end of the season.

That said, we have to put the defeat behind us and move on to this week when we have two games at home where if we manage to take maximum points, it will put us right back amongst those pushing for the automatic promotion spots. 

Hopefully, we will have a fully fit squad available for both of these matches and can look to make our mark in front of our home crowd once again.

With that in mind, there is now a special Final Five ticket offer available to buy which will start from our game against AFC Wimbledon onwards and I encourage all of you to get involved as we look to turn our home into a cauldron of vociferous noise during the final months of the season.

It would also be fantastic to see a wall of white across the terraces at Macron Stadium, with both home and away shirts currently available for just £19.99 in Bolton Central.

I am also pleased to confirm that we are now holding regular meetings with the Supporters’ Trust and I look forward to meeting with them again this week.

Hopefully, we will find a way where they can help fund the club’s academy which will be a great benefit to everyone who is involved up at Lostock.

Elsewhere across the club, the hotel are set to hold a number of notable events such as an 80s Party Night and various offers on dinners for Easter and Mother’s Day, details of which can be found on the club's social channels.

Finally, it has been great to see a number of our players out and about across the local community in recent weeks supporting our Community Trust’s various projects.

We are proud of our family-orientated mentality at this football club and the importance of strengthening our relationships with the town as a whole cannot be underestimated. 

As usual, let’s be loud, let’s be proud and let’s get behind the team.

Kind regards

Ken

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Anderson and Parky seem to be creating a blame culture at BWFC.....blame anyone but the players.

We lost because we were shit. Just like we were shit at Coventry, Chesterfield and all the other shit clubs we've been dicked by.

Natasha Whittam wrote:Anderson and Parky seem to be creating a blame culture at BWFC.....blame anyone but the players.

We lost because we were shit. Just like we were shit at Coventry, Chesterfield and all the other shit clubs we've been dicked by.

I agree with you in part FFS.

We did have a fair amount of possession but didn't create enough with it and a defensive error let them in but whilst everything didn't go our way, we simply didn't do enough going the other way to deserve anything other than a defeat. We were definitely not robbed if that's what Parky and Anderson are implying.
Whilst I accept that a manager shouldn't undermine his players in public (we've had this conversation before) and even if he bollocks them privately, using this tone of language does imply that he's not going to be making any major changes to either system or selection any time soon.
I suspect we'll bumble along for the rest of the season being just not quite good enough to dominate the league, which is a worry as we really do need to push for promotion. This season.

I don't believe Ken worded the last update. He may have ok'd it, but it doesn't sound like his earlier ones. Its just too polished, and sounds like its been worded by a professional. I like the sentiments, but it doesn't feel right to me.

As taken from his programme notes in this weekend's edition of Wanderers' matchday magazine, Ken Anderson address the club's supporters

Around the ground after the 1-1 draw against Bristol Rovers on Tuesday evening, there was a feeling of frustration evident, one emphasised by the manager when he spoke to the press following the game.
 
It was certainly a testing fixture for the team and having gotten ourselves into a strong position, we all hoped that the players would be able to push on and put the result beyond doubt, but unfortunately it wasn’t to be against dogged opposition, whose recent results against all the top teams have been very good. 
 
Fortunately with results elsewhere falling in our favour, it could ultimately prove to be a priceless point come the end of the season and everybody at the club needs to look forward to our upcoming fixtures and not dwell on Tuesday’s match. I also believe that on reflection, it was more a case of one point gained as opposed to two dropped.
 
Everyone at the club is aware, that we mustn't slip up now and let all the hard work and results over the last seven months come to nothing and all the players and coaching and support staff are totally focused on getting the results we need to get us over the line in the next couple of months. 
 
Your continued support will play a big part in helping us achieve our target of promotion this season, so please continue to give the team your continued support and get as many of your friends and colleagues to the matches as possible. 
 
It was disappointing to see Jay Spearing’s evening cut short on Tuesday. We do not know the extent of his injury at the time of writing, but regardless of the outcome of his appointment with a specialist which takes place today, we hope that he is back out on the field as soon as possible.
 
Our ladies sides meanwhile have been impressing across the board in their various age groups throughout the season as a whole, while their senior side are within touching distance of silverware.
 
The hard work that has gone into their exploits during the current campaign cannot be underestimated and that also extends to the staff who have worked with all the girls to get them to where they are now.
 
I was delighted with the announcement last week regarding our International Football Programme and their impending trip to the United States for a junior football tournament.
 
Whilst there, they will be representing the football club under the stewardship of Danny Clarke, Head Coach of BWIFP, and I look forward to hearing of their successes over in America.
 
I know that many of you have taken us up on our various offers and I am hopeful that will continue and include our Final Five ticket incentive which starts at tomorrow’s game against AFC Wimbledon and also our discounted prices on replica home and away shirts. 
 
Indeed, the sales last week were the best since Christmas and this particular offer will close and revert back to its original pricing on Monday, so I encourage all of you to get kitted out before then either in person at Bolton Central or online at [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] and wear your colours with pride.

You may have also noticed that we brought back the "I Feel Good" song after we scored in midweek. We feel it adds to the atmosphere which will ultimately support the players as we head towards our crucial final run in.
 
We have also introduced “We Will Rock You” prior to games and I hope that this will add some extra bite to the cauldron of noise that you can all create.
 
Let's hope we will be hearing it plenty of times between now and our final game against Peterborough.
 
Enjoy the game tomorrow – as usual, let’s be loud, let’s be proud and let’s get behind the team.
 
Kind regards,
 
Ken Anderson

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Ken Anderson addresses the Club's supporters in his latest website column

The end of the season is coming ever closer and every point we play for is precious as we pursue our push for promotion.
 
Draws against Bristol Rovers and AFC Wimbledon in each of our last two home games are not the worst results and there are very encouraging signs performance wise, but with matches running out we need to get back on the winning track.
 
I have every confidence that we will get promoted but, as Andy Taylor said in his post-match comments, it is time for every Bolton Wanderers player to stand up and be counted.
 
We have got the squad, we have got the talent and we have got that burning ambition to go back up.
 
As the manager made reference to, the performance against Wimbledon was an improvement on recent weeks and we are trying to find our rhythm once again. 
 
Hopefully, Jay Spearing’s injury lay-off won’t be as long as initially feared and he will be back pulling the strings in midfield for the final push. 
 
Our fans have played their part and have backed us to the hilt.  As I have mentioned on many occasions, they have been our twelfth man – and I can think of no finer example than against Scunthorpe United on New Year’s Eve. 
 
The atmosphere on that day was exceptional and was a crucial factor in us grabbing that memorable last minute victory against one of our promotion rivals.
 
We have four more league games left at Macron Stadium and with your support we will get over the line.
 
But it’s not only at home, where we need you. Our travelling Super White Army has been immense, impressive and is a credit to the club. 

It’s important that you continue to follow us all over the country for our final run-in. There are some midweek, long-distance games against Gillingham, Southend and Oxford on the horizon and I know that you will be there in numbers and singing your hearts out for the team.
 
It’s a great shame that we were unable to have more tickets for our game against Fleetwood Town this Saturday, but I know that every one of you there will be 100% behind the manager and the players.
 
They have enjoyed a great run of form recently which has put them in contention for promotion, but I know that on our day we are capable of getting the right result.
 
Kind regards,
 
Ken

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A year ago today, Dean and I finalised the deal to complete the ownership of Bolton Wanderers Football Club.
 
From the situation we inherited, to be in the position where we stand now, has been a great achievement by all who are connected to the club; from the supporters to the staff, everybody has played a significant and crucial role. 

There have been challenging moments along the way and we are still some distance from where we ultimately want to be. But the support you have shown us, given what you have all been through following this great club in recent years, has been nothing short of inspirational and completely reinforces my decision to become involved.
 
Tomorrow, against Fleetwood Town, we come up against Sky Bet League One’s in-form team and a side who are one of our promotion rivals. Some people are building up this fixture as a ‘must-win’ game. 

And, yes, while of course we want to win all our games, it is important to remember that we continue the resurgence in our performances. We have a number of games remaining, many of which are on the road, and there will be plenty of twists and turns.
 
Our squad has self-belief and a resolute togetherness, which will stand them in good stead for the 12 games we have remaining. There are still plenty of points to play for and our destiny is still very much in our control.
 
During the week, I held further conversations with the EFL regarding the transfer embargo situation and we remain hopeful of bringing in another emergency loan signing. 

We have an excellent working relationship with them and generally speaking they have been very helpful throughout both windows. We brought in 12 players in the summer and five in January, but we’ve had terrible luck with long-term injuries which has severely depleted the size of our squad at various stages throughout the season. 
 
We tried to promote one of our younger players, Jeff King, into the first team ranks to boost the squad. Phil believes Jeff is ready to play first team football and deserves his chance, but the embargo has prevented us from doing this unfortunately. 

We appealed to the EFL Board but unfortunately we haven’t been successful. While we are disappointed with the decision, we fully respect the EFL’s stance.
 
I will always do my best for the club, our players and supporters, and if that means having detailed and at times difficult conversations then so be it. 
 
Earlier this week, we announced our Community Fiver initiative for our forthcoming Sky Bet League One game against Chesterfield. Every Bolton Wanderers supporter will be able to attend the match for just £5. 

We want to ensure that as many people come to Macron Stadium as possible to get behind Phil and the lads. As we all know, a passionate, partisan support makes a huge difference. 

The game is also our Community Day and showcases the Bolton Wanderers Community Trust’s sterling work. Tickets can be bought ONLINE HERE. We will also be doing some more deals on our replica kit in the run-up to the fixture, so please stay tuned.
 
Finally, I’m pleased that we’ve been able to support the GB Deaf Football Team who are looking to secure funding so that they can take part in the Deaflympics later this year. 

They are staying in Bolton Whites Hotel at the weekend and training at Lostock ahead of their fundraising match against a Kevin Davies XI on Sunday at Ashton United. 
 
Be loud, be proud and get behind the boys this weekend and against Gillingham on Tuesday.
 
Ken

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Firstly, I would like to congratulate Phil Parkinson and the team on winning the LMA’s LG Performance of the Week award for the game against Fleetwood Town – an accolade that was fully deserved.

It was a result which certainly ensured that people noticed Bolton Wanderers and to follow that up just a handful of days later at Gillingham with another solid display and result is a testament to the talent and indomitable spirit that is so prevalent within the squad.

The travelling support at each of these games also underlines the passion that Wanderers supporters have for the team.

We have ten cup finals coming up and our destiny is still in our own hands. At this stage of the season we cannot ask for any more - the players are playing with a real edge and are in supreme confidence. 

Darren Pratley’s return to action meanwhile after such a lengthy lay-off has been phenomenal. Normally, players would need plenty of time and action with the Under-23s to get their match sharpness back.

However, Darren – in the past two games – has put in performances which suggest that he hasn’t been away. Credit must be given to our medical department and to Darren himself, while having your captain back at such a crucial stage is a tremendous fillip.

It’s a very exciting time to be following Bolton Wanderers and with your continued support, I am very confident that we’ll achieve our goal of promotion back to the Sky Bet Championship.

Northampton Town are the visitors here at Macron Stadium this weekend however and while I know the manager won’t let the players get complacent, we want you to make our home a fortress. 

With this in mind, I hope many of you will take advantage of our Community Fiver offer for our game against Chesterfield on April 1.

To buy tickets, please visit Bolton Central in person or the club’s online portal, [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

We’ve got some great momentum on and off the pitch and if we can maintain this intensity and keep our focus, our dreams will come true.

Off the field meanwhile, we have many exciting events planned both at the stadium and hotel in the coming months including the visit of Anthony Joshua on May 13 and the Autism Masquerade Ball on April 8 which will raise awareness and funds for Autism Support UK.

We have recently announced details of how fans themselves can play on the hallowed turf following the conclusion of the current campaign while that information can be found by CLICKING HERE.

And finally, we have reintroduced a discounted rate on prices for our replica shirts both in-store and online at [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] as we bid to create a wall of white at games both here and away from home between now and the end of the season. 

I hope to see as many of you as possible sporting your colours with pride as we aim for success in these last ten games of the campaign. 

As usual, let’s be loud, let’s be proud and let’s get behind the team.

Kind regards,

Ken

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Games are certainly coming thick and fast as we reach this point of the season and as I write these notes, the team are on their way to Oxford after collecting nine points from three games in the last week which has moved us up to second in the league standings with a game in hand. 

Even despite falling behind on Saturday, the determination shown by the players after a long and arduous week was so pleasing to see and I don’t think anybody could begrudge us the victory following the final whistle.

Of course, the game saw Adam Le Fondre score his fourth goal in three games, with Alfie showing exactly why we fought to bring him back to the club back in January.

Like the team as a whole, he is playing with a smile on his face and long may that continue.

It was also hugely pleasing to see Filipe Morais get off the mark too, especially given his exploits in terms of assists in recent weeks. Whilst reading the column of Alan Houghton, who heads up the BWSA, I found his referral to his town’s motto of ‘Supera Moras’ – or ‘Supera Morais’ – very appropriate.

Translated from Latin, it speaks of overcoming difficulties – a very ironic reference given the hard work put in by all at the football club this season to get us into an extremely promising position heading into the final stretch of the campaign.

We have some true warriors in the team too, especially the likes of Jay Spearing and Darren Pratley who have battled against the odds to get back into the mix much earlier than we anticipated in our fight for promotion.

With only nine games left, we need everybody to be at their best and their inclusions will only strengthen our bid.

Hopefully, our winning run of late will continue at Oxford on Tuesday night and help us move further clear of the chasing pack, but as I keep telling myself, there will be many twists and turns before the end of the season and it is important that we only focus on one game at a time.

I hope to see as many of you as possible meanwhile at our away games this week. It will also be superb to see yet another sell-out on our travels at Shrewsbury Town this coming Saturday. 

As I have mentioned on numerous occasions, your backing has been imperative this season and I think that was again clear to see on Saturday against Northampton, with your efforts ultimately playing a big part in the referee eventually giving us a penalty after numerous ones being turned down.

Even when we went a goal down, you were still right behind the team and were the epitome of a twelfth man. The character, spirit and drive shown by the players and yourself will ultimately pull us over the line and we need to be relentless in each and every game between now and April 30.

I was also pleased to see the atmosphere prior to the game ramping up. It is important that we make our home ground an intimidating place for visiting teams from the word go and that has certainly been the case of late.

The manager and Ben Alnwick both commented on the importance of your backing at the weekend and with that in mind, I hope to see as many of you as possible at our upcoming home games, especially against Chesterfield where tickets are just £5 across the board and can be bought HERE.

I have also been pleased to see many of you sporting your colours with pride having taken advantage of our discounted home and away shirts. They are still available, so please visit Bolton Central or [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] to get yours and show your support for the team.

Off the pitch meanwhile, our commitment to the Academy and retaining our Category Two status remains as strong as ever, something which has been demonstrated by the purchase of a dome to cover one of the artificial pitches at our Lostock training ground. 

Following our successful planning application last year, the new dome - funded by the BWDA - will be completed in time for the start of next season. 

This £400k purchase shows how important the great work of the BWDA is to the club and I urge all supporters to support wherever possible. Details of how you can join can be found HERE. 

Finally, I am pleased to see that the Supporters’ Trust are now a year old and I look forward to working together with them in the future on various projects.

We have already held discussions as to how they could help the club on assisting in the funding of the Academy and training ground projects at the end of this season and I am excited at the prospect of strengthening our relationship with them from hereon in. 

As usual, be loud, be proud and get behind the team.

Kind regards,

Ken

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Many of you will have seen the press release about Inner Circle Club acquiring Sports Shield shares last Friday. I am pleased that this has now been resolved in an amicable manner and I look forward to working with Dean as an Ambassador for Bolton Wanderers going forward.
 
I have scheduled in a meeting with Blu Marble and I am confident that a satisfactory outcome will be achieved with the target being to have us out of the embargo and ready for the summer transfer window.
 
Moving to on field matters, I write these notes the morning after our victory at the Kassam Stadium. If we are to make an immediate return to the Championship then it is possible that we will look back at this game as the one that helped us on our way.
 
This was one of our ‘games in hand’ and the win put us four points ahead of third-placed Fleetwood Town. It was also a historic occasion as it was the first time in the club’s distinguished history that we have scored four goals in three successive away fixtures. A remarkable feat and one which we should all take great pride in!
 
As expected, it was a difficult game against Oxford United who were targeting a play-off place, but whilst it wasn't pretty, largely due to a difficult playing surface, we dug in, stuck to the job and came away with a result and thee points. 
 
We are now unbeaten in six games having won our last four and if you take our form into consideration over the past ten games we sit at the top of the ‘form table’ ahead of Sheffield United.
 
The support last night was phenomenal. For over 500 of you to make that distance in midweek underlines the pride and passion you have for the club. 

We will be backed once again by a large travelling support for the forthcoming games against Shrewsbury Town and Scunthorpe United where we have sold out of our initial allocations. Though I understand, the club are looking at getting an increased allocation for the latter.
 
Looking ahead to the weekend, it is important that we only focus on the next match in hand and to ensure that the momentum we have built up recently is maintained. It is crucial to keep this level of intensity going and the spirit and desire within the team to succeed.
 
It’s not only the first team that is on a good run. The Under-23s picked up their fifth consecutive win earlier in the week when they travelled to Crystal Palace and beat them 2-0. 

They were up against a very strong Palace outfit who boasted a number of first teamers. Huge credit must go to the players involved and also to David Lee and his coaching team. What a great job they are all doing!
 
It was also pleasing to note that David Wheater and Mark Beevers were named in the Sky Bet League One Team Of The Season. Not only have the duo helped our defence become the meanest in the division but they also frequently chip in with crucial goals. Well done!
 
Off the field, Bolton Whites continues to hold a number of events which bring in important and vital revenue to the business. I urge you all to support these events where possible. Anthony Joshua is hosting a dinner at the Hotel on May 13 and tickets are selling well. It will be a great opportunity to meet a world champion. We also have the Estonian national team coming to stay at the hotel this week as part of the International Football Programme.

This Sunday, we will be hosting a Mother’s Day Carvery while there will be another opportunity to treat your family on Easter Sunday. Please visit [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] for more information and follow them on their social media channels to keep up to date.
 
Don’t forget, our next home game, against Chesterfield on Saturday 1 April, is our Community Fiver day. As well as showing your support for the excellent work our Community Trust does, you will also be able to support the boys for just £5 as we charge for promotion! We are expecting a bumper crowd for this fixture so we advise you to buy early HERE.
 
Replica kit is continuing to sell well and now is an ideal opportunity to show your true colours and buy a home or away shirt for just £19.99. There is only a limited stock available and once they’ve gone that will be it! You can buy online by CLICKING HERE.
 
Finally, I look forward to seeing you down at Shrewsbury where we hope we can carry on our great form.
 
Be loud, be proud and let’s get behind the team.

Kind regards,
 
Ken

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Loving Ken's marketing drive. Every week we get a few paragraphs on what he thinks is going on with the team, a few words on how fantastic the support is and then he always finishes off with several paragraphs of unashamed sales pitch. I think we can safely assume that the marketing department drafts these updates for him which is great if it brings more dosh into the coffers.

wanderlust wrote:Loving Ken's marketing drive. Every week we get a few paragraphs on what he thinks is going on with the team, a few words on how fantastic the support is and then he always finishes off with several paragraphs of unashamed sales pitch. I think we can safely assume that the marketing department drafts these updates for him which is great if it brings more dosh into the coffers.

Natural sales person if he is an agent.  Like you said if it just reminds a few people they can grab a bargain it soon adds up

With just seven league games remaining, the confidence being exuded by the team at present is palpable and is down to the hard work by all at the football club over the course of the season so far.
 
As I write this column, we have just picked up our fifth win on the spin – four of which came away from home – with 18 goals scored in that period. 
 
Even on Saturday, in a game which was always going to be a potentially tricky game given Shrewsbury’s league position, we changed our style of play to combat Gary Madine’s withdrawal and ground out a result in the end.
 
The downside to the game however was that we had three enforced substitutions due to injury, two of which look serious. This comes just as we were all hoping that our incredible bad run of luck with injuries might have come to an end. 
 
All of the players have been superb, but of course special praise must be reserved for Filipe Morais who has been a revelation since his arrival in early February.
 
To have eleven assists and two goals in his last six games is nothing short of sensational – almost double the assist tally of Nathaniel Mendez-Laing in Sky Bet League One throughout the month of March.
 
I also noticed that one of our supporters has created a little verse to the tune of “That’s Amore” in honour of Filipe. Therefore, and to follow on from “I Feel Good” when we score, we will be playing that song when Filipe next scores here at Macron Stadium.
 
It would be superb if you could all chant the new lyrics to show our appreciation for his efforts, while I hope you have all appreciated the introduction of “We Will Rock You” before kick-off and the second half as an emphatic anthem.
 
Mark Beevers has also been superb of late, both in defence and in front of goal. It is unheard of for a centre-half to score four goals in five games, but Mark has proven himself a real threat in front of goal and in turn, he became the first Bolton player since Michael Ricketts to score in four consecutive away games. 

He was also named in the Sky Bet League One Team of the Year recently alongside David Wheater, with his efforts being recognised outside of the football club.
 
It is ultimately a team effort, of course, but the exploits of certain individuals will always take the headlines.
 
During this recent period however, we have had – as we have all season long – an incredible backing at each and every game which has undoubtedly made the difference, with you set to back the team in your numbers in our upcoming fixtures.
 
I hope to see as many of you as possible down at Macron Stadium this coming Saturday for our game against Chesterfield as we aim to make it six in a row, with tickets just £5 across the board. To buy, please CLICK HERE or visit Bolton Central.
 
The games are coming thick and fast now though and starting this Saturday, it will be a crucial seven day period with a home game followed by two tough away trips to Southend United and Scunthorpe.
 
With the finish line in sight, I hope to see as many of you as possible as these games as we all look to get behind the team and pull them over the line.
 
We have seven cup finals left to try and get that automatic promotion slot at the first attempt, while our recent results have put the pressure back on Sheffield United and Fleetwood both above and below us in the league table.
 
With your support however, I am hopeful that we will achieve the goal that we set out for ourselves back in August. 
 
The team spirit and camaraderie not only across the playing staff but across the football club behind-the-scenes is clear to see and we are tantalisingly close to achieving our unified dream of returning to the Sky Bet Championship.
 
Right now, we are all prouder than ever to be associated with this great football club and I hope to see all of you sporting your colours in our last seven games. For those of you who are yet to take advantage of our discounted home and away shirts meanwhile, they remain on sale in limited numbers for £19.99 at Bolton Central or [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
 
We will shortly be announcing details of a competition for local schools and clubs to enter where they can win a full kit for their team, details of which will be announced in due course.
 
Looking ahead to the end of the season, I hope to see many of you there at our special dinner following the Peterborough United game on April 30 – a night which, with any luck, will be one of celebration.
 
For more details on this, please visit [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] or phone the club’s corporate sales team on 01204 673 761.
 
We also announced details of this year’s pantomime at Macron Stadium which will be Aladdin starring Stu Francis. To book your places for what promises to be a superb event in the run up to Christmas, please CLICK HERE.
 
As always, let’s be loud, let’s be proud and let’s get behind the team.
 
Kind regards,
 
Ken

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What a week this has been! Every day, the demand for tickets to today's game against Chesterfield has exceeded all my expectations. 

As I write this, we have already exceeded our biggest attendance of the season and are fast approaching 23,000.

It is even more incredible if I look back just 12 months ago, when everywhere there was doom and gloom both on the pitch and terraces. 

What a turnaround it has been meanwhile. I would like to thank each and every one of you here today for helping that to happen. Your continued support has been an inspiration to everyone at the club and hotel.

There is no doubt that the appointment of Phil Parkinson and his support team have played a big part in galvanising this squad of players into a competitive team, whether putting on a showpiece and winning by a four-goal margin or digging in and grinding out one-goal backs to the wall wins. 

As you may have read in The Bolton News today, we now have players who want to be here next season and I can't tell you what a joy to my ears that is.

No decisions have been taken on the players out of contract yet and each and every one of them has the opportunity to showcase themselves in the next seven games. 

What I do know is that we have a squad of players capable of playing in the Championship, where if we are fortunate enough to get there, they will play in front of crowds of 20,000 plus most weeks and the stakes and rewards for everyone will be much higher.

As has repeatedly been said by the players and the manager, we have seven cup finals left and to quote the old cliché, it is ours to lose now having opened up a six point lead over Fleetwood.

That said, we all know that every game will be difficult, starting with today's opponents Chesterfield who are fighting for their lives. 

We have to repeat the same level of intensity and chase down every ball as we did against Fleetwood recently and at times dig in and stand firm as we did against Oxford. Nothing less than 120% will do.

That is where you, the supporters, come in as the twelfth man. The support from you all season, both home and away, has been incredible. 

As already asked by the manager, please get behind the team today and let yourselves be heard. There will be times when your patience will be needed throughout games, but at the same time, your backing and enthusiasm will drive the team on. 

If you see anyone's head drop, then please get behind them and encourage and lift them to give that little extra and make everyone proud.

A great deal of hard work and determination has gone into getting us in this position and we must continue the level of focus, intensity and determination that has got us here.

We have three huge games in the next seven days, but if we can play as we have over the last month or so, we will not only give ourselves a great chance of gaining automatic promotion, but we will be in with a chance of chasing Sheffield United down for the championship. 

They say “only two things are guaranteed in life - death and taxes”. Well, I can tell you that if we continue to perform as we have recently and win all our remaining games, then we will be promoted. 

That is the mindset we all have to go into every game with, starting today.

Let's be loud, let's be proud and let’s get behind the team today.

Kind regards

Ken

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Although Saturday’s game was ultimately one of frustration come the final whistle, it is certainly one which we must look back on as a point gained as opposed to two lost.

It was always going to be a difficult encounter for the team, but coupled with results elsewhere falling in our favour – namely Fleetwood’s defeat to Swindon Town – it was certainly a positive point in hindsight and one that extends our advantage to seven points.

There will be many twists and turns before the end of the season, both for ourselves and the other teams around us, but we must focus on our own results and take the remaining six matches we have one at a time.

The attendance meanwhile on Saturday was absolutely superb with over 23,000 spectators here at Macron Stadium.

Your fantastic backing was prominent from the first minute to the last and it was just a shame that come full time, your support wasn’t rewarded with maximum points.

The manager and players all massively appreciated your backing however, something that has been reiterated in their various post-match interviews, and your support – as it has all season long – will prove to be crucial in our final run in.

This week sees us boast two more impressive followings on our travels too, with over 500 tickets sold for Southend ahead of Tuesday’s game and a sell-out contingent of 2,200 fans set to make the trip to Scunthorpe this coming Saturday.

These two fixtures could go a long way to determining our fate this season and with that in mind, to see so many of you there will be a huge boost for the players out there on the pitch.

Please continue as you have all year long to back the boys as we aim for success this month.

I would also like to congratulate our Ladies team who won promotion to the Women’s Premier League after a 3-0 victory over Blackpool on Sunday afternoon.

The team have managed to go the entire season so far unbeaten, with just one game remaining, and they wholly deserve their successes.

I look forward to seeing them make their mark meanwhile in a higher division next season and I hope that you will all join me in showing your support for them.

Elsewhere across the business, many of you may have noticed that our Twitter and Facebook pages boasted a social media sponsor in the form of Bolton Audi for Saturday’s game.

Our commercial team are constantly continuing to explore new and inventive ways of bringing in additional revenue and instances such as this will be a benchmark for future investment at the football club.

Looking into the community meanwhile, we are currently holding a special competition for local football clubs and school sports teams to win a full replica BWFC kit for their squad.

We are encouraging clubs and teams from groups and schools in Bolton to submit reasons why their squad deserves a full kit and why their community is so important to them.

Entries will be judged by a panel comprising of manager Phil Parkinson, myself and head of the Bolton Wanderers Community Trust, Phil Mason. For more information on this, please CLICK HERE.

The importance of our bond with the town as a whole cannot be underestimated and that has been clear to see in recent weeks with a number of our players making special visits to our charity partners, primary schools and food banks.

Here at Bolton Wanderers, we are proud of our reputation as a closely-knit club and hopefully with the efforts of all here, everybody across the town will feel a part of the Bolton Wanderers family.

I look forward to seeing many of you at our games this week – as usual, let’s be loud, let’s be proud and let’s get behind the team.

Kind regards,

Ken

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The euphoria from Tuesday night’s last-gasp victory at Southend United was tempered somewhat 24 hours later when Fleetwood Town and Sheffield United picked up wins.
 
Those results – particularly Fleetwood’s – served to remind everybody that there is still a job to do in order for us to achieve our target of automatic promotion.
 
The manager and all the players subscribe to this school of thought and are treating each game as it comes. Indeed, there are five cup finals remaining and 15 points to play for, and our focus cannot be distracted by what other teams are doing. 

As I keep saying, there will be twists and turns along the way but ultimately our destiny is in our own hands.
 
We travel to Scunthorpe United tomorrow for yet another tough test on our travels and, once again, we will be backed by a superb following of Wanderers fans. 

Again we have sold our entire allocation of tickets, and your support has never been as crucial. It’s been fantastic all season – and I have to mention specifically the 600 plus fans who made the trip to Southend in midweek which was nothing short of phenomenal.
 
Our next game after Scunthorpe sees us make the short journey to Oldham and I was pleased to learn yesterday that we will be taking around 4,300 fans there. I can tell you that the staff and players greatly value this level of support. It does make a huge difference.
 
Each and every one of you has a crucial role to play, both on our travels and for the final two games at Macron Stadium.
 
Let your friends, family and colleagues know about the games against [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] on Tuesday 18 April and [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] on Sunday 30 April, and also about our special offers on [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]. By raising the noise levels at Macron Stadium and by [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.], you will make a difference.
 
It was pleasing to hear the news today that [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] and [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] have won the Sky Bet League One Manager of the Month and Player of the Month awards respectively. 

It is a fitting tribute to the team’s stunning performances in March. These accolades are the latest in a long line of awards the club has won this season to acknowledge our great form – and long may they continue!
 
Let’s be loud, let’s be proud and let’s get behind the boys tomorrow and for the rest of the campaign.
 
Kind regards,
 
Ken

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Despite ultimately coming out on the wrong side of the result at the weekend I am sure, like myself, you are all looking at the Sky Bet League One table this morning with a positive outlook as we head into the final stretch of the campaign.

The game against Scunthorpe on Saturday was always going to be a tough encounter for the players and as was proven when we hosted them here at Macron Stadium in December, Graham Alexander’s side are deservedly in the upper echelons of the league standings.

Whilst it's no consolation meanwhile, it was nice to note that Alexander himself said it was probably the best performance from his Scunthorpe side all season. We would have preferred it though if they had saved it for another team however!

Despite a busy week however with a long trip to Southend on Tuesday, the players fought until the very end and were only denied a share of the spoils courtesy of some superb saves by Scunthorpe’s goalkeeper.

It was a great disappointment to lose our recent away record, but we have to look at the bigger picture – we are still seven points clear of third with a better goal difference than that of the teams chasing us for that final automatic promotion place. 

We have four more cup finals and until it is mathematically impossible, l for one will not give up on catching and overhauling Sheffield United for the league championship. 

We have come so far from where we were this time last year – something which is only compounded by the statistic that the team have only conceded 46 goals in Phil Parkinson’s first 50 games in charge – fewer than any other manager in the club’s history.

As I keep saying however, there will be many more twists and turns in the final run in and we still have everything to play for. 

It is more important than ever now that we must not lose focus or take our foot off the gas and ensure that we complete the job we started last August. 

Everyone at the club appreciates the great support we have had from you, our supporters, all season long and the numbers of you making the long away journeys, particularly over the last month, along with the fantastic turnout at our last home match makes all the difference to the players.

We will be taking a sell-out contingent of 4,500 supporters to Oldham this coming Saturday while tickets are selling quickly for our final away game against Port Vale.

It would certainly be a bonus to see a similar bumper turn-out for our final two home games as well as you did for the Chesterfield game – with you all as our twelfth man, your backing and vociferous support will help to pull the team over the line. 

It would be fantastic as well to see many of you there sporting your colours with pride with huge reductions on replica kits and training wear set to come into effect at Bolton Central this coming Easter weekend. Please keep tabs on our social media outlets and website for details of this.

Finally, places are selling well for our End of Season Dinner at Macron Stadium and I encourage those of you considering joining us to act quickly to avoid disappointment.

It will certainly be a night to remember for everyone and it would be superb to share it with you all.

For more details and to book, please call the club’s Corporate Sales team on 01204 673 761 or at [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

As usual, let’s be loud, let’s be proud and let’s get behind the team with our unified dream well and truly in touching distance. 

Kind regards

Ken

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Don't forget your replica kits, he doesn't give up does he?