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Never Forgotten

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1Never Forgotten Empty Never Forgotten Wed Mar 09 2022, 10:52

karlypants

karlypants
Nat Lofthouse
Nat Lofthouse

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Today is a day in the history of Bolton as a town and as a club that will never be forgotten as we remember those who tragically lost their lives in the Burnden Park Disaster.

On 9 March 1946, Wanderers were playing at home in an FA Cup quarter-final second-leg tie against Stoke City in front of an estimated crowd of 85,000.

Devastatingly, events of that day meant Burnden Park became the scene of the worst tragedy in British football history at that time, as 33 Bolton Wanderers’ fans were crushed to death and many more had life-changing injuries.

Remarkably, the game was allowed to finish with a 0-0 draw seeing Wanderers progress 2-0 on aggregate to the semi-finals. The report that followed recommended more rigorous control of crowd sizes, regulation of sports grounds, turnstiles able to mechanically record spectator numbers and the introduction of internal telephone systems at football stadiums.

“Even now I often talk to people who remember a relative being at the game and anxiety in the family as the news broke - waiting the safe return of their loved ones from the match, many of whom did not even realise that such a tragedy had unfolded,” said Phil Mason, CEO of Bolton Wanderers in the Community and Club Chaplain.

“We are one of a handful of clubs that stand together in the history of tragedies of this kind.

“Each disaster must never be forgotten and the people that lost their lives must hold a special place in our memory.”

The club’s Book of Remembrance remains open at the front of the stadium where the names of those who died are listed.

And at our Annual Service of Remembrance and Thanksgiving at the end of the season, to be held on 10th May, we shall pause to remember those that died in this tragedy and light candles in their memory.

We shall never forget them.

Wilfred Addison

Wilfred Allison

Fred Battersby

James Battersby

Robert Bentham

Harry Ratcliffe Birtwistle

Henry Bimson

John Thomas Blackshaw

William Braidwood

Frederick Campbell

Fred Price Dearden

William Evans

Winston Finch

John Flinders

Albert Edward Hanrahan

Emily Hodgkinson

William Hughes

Frank Jubb

John Livesey

John Thomas Lucas

Harold McAndrew

William McKenzie

Morgan Mooney

Harry Unsworth Needham

David Pearson

Joseph Platt

Sidney Potter

Granville Roberts

Richard Roby

Thomas Roby

Thomas Smith

Walter Wilmott

James Wilson

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2Never Forgotten Empty Re: Never Forgotten Thu Mar 10 2022, 01:34

wanderlust

wanderlust
Nat Lofthouse
Nat Lofthouse

I remember reading that almost half those that died came from the Wigan area. Wigan were non-league in those days and a fair chunk of Wiganers were Wanderers fans. RIP.

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