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It has been seven years since Wanderers last had a game called off because of the weather – and pure bad timing meant it happened to be on one of the longest journeys of the season.
Not since snow forced Arsenal to shelve a Premier League game against a managerless Whites in January 2010 have fans been sent away in such disappointment so close to kick-off.
Among the 1,000-strong Bolton contingent en route to Roots Hall on Saturday was Burnden Park favourite Tony Kelly, who was due to summarise the game for Tower FM.
In his playing days as part of Bruce Rioch’s promotion-bound side in 1993 the weather threatened a number of key games, including an FA Cup meeting with Liverpool at Burnden.
The holders were perturbed by the frosty pitch, with Graeme Souness particularly critical that the game had gone ahead after watching his side escape with a draw.
“They (Bolton) reckoned the undersoil heating got broken overnight but we’ve heard plenty of rumours about it getting switched off,” Kelly told the Bolton News.
“It worked a treat because Liverpool didn’t fancy it at all.
“If it ever looked like the game might get called off at Burnden Park, the gaffer used to send us out in short sleeved shirts to try and influence the referee.
“The ref didn’t know we had loads of Fiery Jack slapped all over us. We had to run around to cool us down.
“When Liverpool came out they were covered in scarves, gloves, hats, you had the likes of Ian Rush looking at us and thinking ‘what are these lunatics doing?’
“It was all mind games.”
Wanderers will now have to reschedule their Southend trip to midweek and have two games in hand on the leading pack in League One.
Kelly remembers a game even further afield in the promotion campaign at Exeter which was claimed by heavy rain – forcing an awkward rescheduling/
But, like Bruce Rioch’s side, the former playmaker believes Phil Parkinson’s players will take it in their stride.
“Games didn’t get called off that often,” he said. “If it snowed they just got shovels and marked the pitches out that way.
“They also used to use blue paint, which would rise up and look awful.
“I remember going down to Exeter and Nicky Spooner made his debut. The game got abandoned at half time because of the driving rain and the ball just wouldn’t move.
“We had to go back on a Tuesday night and we were going for promotion. Loads of people looked at it and said it was a game we could have done without but at that time your match fitness is there, playing games is what you want to do. We won it too.
“We played 60-odd games in some season, with cup replays and Anglo Italian as well but you just keep yourself ticking over.
“The match fitness is what you need. Phil Parkinson is experienced, his staff are experienced and he knows it’s about managing your players and making sure they stay in shape.
“I don’t know how he’d manage with me. I wouldn’t have fancied having a GPS on my back like the lads did at Christmas.
“They would have been phoning NASA and complaining my satellite didn’t work.”
One game was definitely claimed that season, with Wanderers’ Friday night visit to Stockport County called off because of a late deluge.
Celebrations on the team bus, looking forward to a rare night out, were soon cut short by manager Rioch.
Kelly retold the tale: “We went to Burnden Park for a pre-match meal as normal in the afternoon, travelled to the game but when we got to Edgeley Park it was flooded – they couldn’t play the game.
“An hour before kick-off the referee rolled the ball, it wouldn’t go, and we were all made up – Friday night off!
“We were all at the back of the coach rubbing our hands, me, John McGinlay, Phil Brown, Aidan Davison, all planning this night out.
“When we got back to Burnden Park we got the shock of our lives, the floodlights are on. Bruce just stood up on the coach and said ‘right, everyone in the changing rooms.’
“We get in there and Alan Whittle has put all the training gear out. Bruce ran us around the track for two hours. We were practically sick.
“He did it so we wouldn’t go out later. I think we sat in the bath for about an hour after it all, and nobody fancied a pint after that!”
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Not since snow forced Arsenal to shelve a Premier League game against a managerless Whites in January 2010 have fans been sent away in such disappointment so close to kick-off.
Among the 1,000-strong Bolton contingent en route to Roots Hall on Saturday was Burnden Park favourite Tony Kelly, who was due to summarise the game for Tower FM.
In his playing days as part of Bruce Rioch’s promotion-bound side in 1993 the weather threatened a number of key games, including an FA Cup meeting with Liverpool at Burnden.
The holders were perturbed by the frosty pitch, with Graeme Souness particularly critical that the game had gone ahead after watching his side escape with a draw.
“They (Bolton) reckoned the undersoil heating got broken overnight but we’ve heard plenty of rumours about it getting switched off,” Kelly told the Bolton News.
“It worked a treat because Liverpool didn’t fancy it at all.
“If it ever looked like the game might get called off at Burnden Park, the gaffer used to send us out in short sleeved shirts to try and influence the referee.
“The ref didn’t know we had loads of Fiery Jack slapped all over us. We had to run around to cool us down.
“When Liverpool came out they were covered in scarves, gloves, hats, you had the likes of Ian Rush looking at us and thinking ‘what are these lunatics doing?’
“It was all mind games.”
Wanderers will now have to reschedule their Southend trip to midweek and have two games in hand on the leading pack in League One.
Kelly remembers a game even further afield in the promotion campaign at Exeter which was claimed by heavy rain – forcing an awkward rescheduling/
But, like Bruce Rioch’s side, the former playmaker believes Phil Parkinson’s players will take it in their stride.
“Games didn’t get called off that often,” he said. “If it snowed they just got shovels and marked the pitches out that way.
“They also used to use blue paint, which would rise up and look awful.
“I remember going down to Exeter and Nicky Spooner made his debut. The game got abandoned at half time because of the driving rain and the ball just wouldn’t move.
“We had to go back on a Tuesday night and we were going for promotion. Loads of people looked at it and said it was a game we could have done without but at that time your match fitness is there, playing games is what you want to do. We won it too.
“We played 60-odd games in some season, with cup replays and Anglo Italian as well but you just keep yourself ticking over.
“The match fitness is what you need. Phil Parkinson is experienced, his staff are experienced and he knows it’s about managing your players and making sure they stay in shape.
“I don’t know how he’d manage with me. I wouldn’t have fancied having a GPS on my back like the lads did at Christmas.
“They would have been phoning NASA and complaining my satellite didn’t work.”
One game was definitely claimed that season, with Wanderers’ Friday night visit to Stockport County called off because of a late deluge.
Celebrations on the team bus, looking forward to a rare night out, were soon cut short by manager Rioch.
Kelly retold the tale: “We went to Burnden Park for a pre-match meal as normal in the afternoon, travelled to the game but when we got to Edgeley Park it was flooded – they couldn’t play the game.
“An hour before kick-off the referee rolled the ball, it wouldn’t go, and we were all made up – Friday night off!
“We were all at the back of the coach rubbing our hands, me, John McGinlay, Phil Brown, Aidan Davison, all planning this night out.
“When we got back to Burnden Park we got the shock of our lives, the floodlights are on. Bruce just stood up on the coach and said ‘right, everyone in the changing rooms.’
“We get in there and Alan Whittle has put all the training gear out. Bruce ran us around the track for two hours. We were practically sick.
“He did it so we wouldn’t go out later. I think we sat in the bath for about an hour after it all, and nobody fancied a pint after that!”
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