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As Wanderers take on Leeds United this weekend, bwfc.co.uk takes a look at some of the players who have figured for both sides.
Stephen Warnock
An academy graduate at his favoured club Liverpool, Stephen Warnock swapped Melwood for Aston Villa, from whom he joined Bolton on loan.
He joined in September 2012 and played 15 times for the Wanderers. Warnock even played against Leeds whilst at the University of Bolton Stadium, unfortunately giving away a penalty in a 2-2 draw.
In the January window of the same season, the left back secured a permanent move to Leeds. He led the team on later down the line that season and even found the back of the net against Yeovil, bending in a deep free kick – wind assisted.
Warnock came back to haunt Wanderers, scoring the only goal for Leeds in a 1-0 win in August 2014, in a season where he would go on to be named Leeds captain full time.
In January however, Warnock moved on to Derby County in a permanent deal.
Andy Lonergan
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Born not far from Botlon in Preston, Lonergan started his career with his hometown club, making over 200 appearances – and scoring once!
He joined Leeds from PNE and spent a season between the stick as Elland Road. He received much acclaim during the first half of the season, receiving man of the match awards and making penalty saves.
Due to a fractured finger that required surgery, ‘Lonners’ required surgery and lost his place to loanee Alex McCarthy. When the loanee was ineligible against his parent club Reading, Lonergan got his place back and kept it until the end of the season.
Bolton moved to sign the stopper that summer, with Paddy Kenny brought in by Neil Warnock.
Adam Bogdan was his competition for a starting spot and an knew injury in training ruled Lonergan out for two months. On his return to the Wanderers side, he was man of the match.
He spent two further years at Bolton, making another 50 appearances, in and out of the number one role, before leaving when his contract expired in 2015.
Andy O’Brien
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Andy O’Brien came to BL6 in 2007, signing from Portsmouth. He quickly became an important player, performing in the UEFA Cup and captained the side against Sporting Lisbon.
He scored his first Trotters goal in a 4-3 loss to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, his the first of three in eight minutes as Wanderers tried to fight back from the four-goal deficit.
From Wanderers, O’Brien joined Leeds on loan. He initially started his career with United but was released at the age of 14.
He was an important player whilst on loan in Yorkshire and signed a permanent deal at the end of his extended loan. He went on to play over 30 times for his boyhood club.
Robbie Elliott
Elliott joined Wanderers from his boyhood club Newcastle in 1997, becoming the clubs record signing at the time.
Elliott joined just as the club was moving into the University of Bolton Stadium but in his first game he suffered an awkward fall that resulted in a double fracture of his leg, missing the entirety of his first season at the club.
On his return, Bolton reached the Play-Off final – having been relegated whilst he was injured – but were beaten by Watford.
In the following two season he would help Bolton to semi-finals in the League Cup and the FA Cup, as well as two Play-Off campaigns. In the latter, he finally tasted success, beating Preston in Cardiff in 2001.
Shortly after promotion, he returned to Newcastle on a free transfer. Having left the Magpies for local rivals Sunderland, he then joined Leeds.
He spent one season at Elland Road, making seven appearances before being released at the expiry of his contract.
Jermaine Beckford
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Beckford made his name at Leeds, joining the club in 2006 and showing blistering form.
The former Chelsea youth player scored 71 times in 126 games, including a famous goal at Old Trafford in the FA Cup, seeing off the Red Devils.
In his final season at Elland Road, Beckford scored 31 goals and won the goal of the season award for his strike against Man United.
In 2013, after spells with Everton and Leicester, Beckford joined Bolton. He spent a season at the club playing 35 times, scoring on nine occasions. He also played 13 further games the following season before moving on loan to Preston, finding the net 18 times to help them win promotion at Wembley.
Gary Speed
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A legend of the English and Welsh game, Gary Speed was as consistent a player as you could ask for.
He begun his career with Leeds, coming through their youth system. He spent eight years in the United first team, making over 250 appearances, scoring 39 times.
He was a key part of the Leeds side that were crowned champions of England in 1992, playing 41 of 41 games, being named the clubs player of the season.
The following season Speed scored what he described as his best ever goal, with a volley against Stuttgart in the Champions League as Leeds battled from 3-0 down in the first to win 4-1 at Elland Road, and eventually, go through. He was named in the PFA team of the year at the end of that league season.
After leaving Leeds for Everton and then Newcastle, the former Wales manager made history whilst at the University of Bolton Stadium. Speed became the first player to make 500 appearances in the Premier League as Wanderers beat West Ham 4-0 in 2006.
Across four years in BL6, Speed made 121 appearances scoring 14 times, before leaving for Sheffield United. With 85 caps for his country, Speed was named Wales manager in 2010, and shortly after leaving the role he sadly passed away.
Luke Murphy
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Having started his career at Crewe, Luke Murphy moved to Leeds for over £1m, fighting off competition to attain his signature. On his debut for United, Luke scored a dramatic late winner in a 2-1 win over Brighton.
In his following season at Elland Road he fell out of favour but battled back into the side and kept his place, being nominated for player of the year at the end of the campaign.
When he left Leeds in the summer, to come and sign for Bolton, he had made 111 appearances scoring seven times.
This campaign Murphy has started seven of the eight games he’s played in.
Ben Alnwick
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Alnwick joined Leeds United on loan for a month in 2010. He was contracted Tottenham at the time and joined United on an emergency loan, acting as cover for the first team.
He joined Wanderers from Peterborough on a free transfer, challenging Mark Howard for the gloves. An early injury meant he made his debut a few months into his time here but hasn’t looked back once grabbing the starting spot.
Alnwick was named Bolton’s Player of the Year last season and has started 25 games so far this term.
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Stephen Warnock
An academy graduate at his favoured club Liverpool, Stephen Warnock swapped Melwood for Aston Villa, from whom he joined Bolton on loan.
He joined in September 2012 and played 15 times for the Wanderers. Warnock even played against Leeds whilst at the University of Bolton Stadium, unfortunately giving away a penalty in a 2-2 draw.
In the January window of the same season, the left back secured a permanent move to Leeds. He led the team on later down the line that season and even found the back of the net against Yeovil, bending in a deep free kick – wind assisted.
Warnock came back to haunt Wanderers, scoring the only goal for Leeds in a 1-0 win in August 2014, in a season where he would go on to be named Leeds captain full time.
In January however, Warnock moved on to Derby County in a permanent deal.
Andy Lonergan
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Born not far from Botlon in Preston, Lonergan started his career with his hometown club, making over 200 appearances – and scoring once!
He joined Leeds from PNE and spent a season between the stick as Elland Road. He received much acclaim during the first half of the season, receiving man of the match awards and making penalty saves.
Due to a fractured finger that required surgery, ‘Lonners’ required surgery and lost his place to loanee Alex McCarthy. When the loanee was ineligible against his parent club Reading, Lonergan got his place back and kept it until the end of the season.
Bolton moved to sign the stopper that summer, with Paddy Kenny brought in by Neil Warnock.
Adam Bogdan was his competition for a starting spot and an knew injury in training ruled Lonergan out for two months. On his return to the Wanderers side, he was man of the match.
He spent two further years at Bolton, making another 50 appearances, in and out of the number one role, before leaving when his contract expired in 2015.
Andy O’Brien
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Andy O’Brien came to BL6 in 2007, signing from Portsmouth. He quickly became an important player, performing in the UEFA Cup and captained the side against Sporting Lisbon.
He scored his first Trotters goal in a 4-3 loss to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, his the first of three in eight minutes as Wanderers tried to fight back from the four-goal deficit.
From Wanderers, O’Brien joined Leeds on loan. He initially started his career with United but was released at the age of 14.
He was an important player whilst on loan in Yorkshire and signed a permanent deal at the end of his extended loan. He went on to play over 30 times for his boyhood club.
Robbie Elliott
Elliott joined Wanderers from his boyhood club Newcastle in 1997, becoming the clubs record signing at the time.
Elliott joined just as the club was moving into the University of Bolton Stadium but in his first game he suffered an awkward fall that resulted in a double fracture of his leg, missing the entirety of his first season at the club.
On his return, Bolton reached the Play-Off final – having been relegated whilst he was injured – but were beaten by Watford.
In the following two season he would help Bolton to semi-finals in the League Cup and the FA Cup, as well as two Play-Off campaigns. In the latter, he finally tasted success, beating Preston in Cardiff in 2001.
Shortly after promotion, he returned to Newcastle on a free transfer. Having left the Magpies for local rivals Sunderland, he then joined Leeds.
He spent one season at Elland Road, making seven appearances before being released at the expiry of his contract.
Jermaine Beckford
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Beckford made his name at Leeds, joining the club in 2006 and showing blistering form.
The former Chelsea youth player scored 71 times in 126 games, including a famous goal at Old Trafford in the FA Cup, seeing off the Red Devils.
In his final season at Elland Road, Beckford scored 31 goals and won the goal of the season award for his strike against Man United.
In 2013, after spells with Everton and Leicester, Beckford joined Bolton. He spent a season at the club playing 35 times, scoring on nine occasions. He also played 13 further games the following season before moving on loan to Preston, finding the net 18 times to help them win promotion at Wembley.
Gary Speed
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A legend of the English and Welsh game, Gary Speed was as consistent a player as you could ask for.
He begun his career with Leeds, coming through their youth system. He spent eight years in the United first team, making over 250 appearances, scoring 39 times.
He was a key part of the Leeds side that were crowned champions of England in 1992, playing 41 of 41 games, being named the clubs player of the season.
The following season Speed scored what he described as his best ever goal, with a volley against Stuttgart in the Champions League as Leeds battled from 3-0 down in the first to win 4-1 at Elland Road, and eventually, go through. He was named in the PFA team of the year at the end of that league season.
After leaving Leeds for Everton and then Newcastle, the former Wales manager made history whilst at the University of Bolton Stadium. Speed became the first player to make 500 appearances in the Premier League as Wanderers beat West Ham 4-0 in 2006.
Across four years in BL6, Speed made 121 appearances scoring 14 times, before leaving for Sheffield United. With 85 caps for his country, Speed was named Wales manager in 2010, and shortly after leaving the role he sadly passed away.
Luke Murphy
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Having started his career at Crewe, Luke Murphy moved to Leeds for over £1m, fighting off competition to attain his signature. On his debut for United, Luke scored a dramatic late winner in a 2-1 win over Brighton.
In his following season at Elland Road he fell out of favour but battled back into the side and kept his place, being nominated for player of the year at the end of the campaign.
When he left Leeds in the summer, to come and sign for Bolton, he had made 111 appearances scoring seven times.
This campaign Murphy has started seven of the eight games he’s played in.
Ben Alnwick
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Alnwick joined Leeds United on loan for a month in 2010. He was contracted Tottenham at the time and joined United on an emergency loan, acting as cover for the first team.
He joined Wanderers from Peterborough on a free transfer, challenging Mark Howard for the gloves. An early injury meant he made his debut a few months into his time here but hasn’t looked back once grabbing the starting spot.
Alnwick was named Bolton’s Player of the Year last season and has started 25 games so far this term.
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