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This is what Nathan thinks about things these days -
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NATHAN Blake returned home to Cardiff after a playing career that took in spells with Shefffield United, Wolves, Blackburn Rovers, Leicester City and Leeds United. But it will be that record-breaking 1996/97 season with Wanderers that will remain etched in his memory and those of many Whites fans who recall that promotion party.
BORN and bred in Cardiff, it is natural Welshman Nathan Blake still holds playing for his home-town club close to his heart.
But the striker concedes Wanderers remain his number one club outside of his homeland after a spell with the Whites he says was the highlight of his club career.
Having endured a tricky first season at the club, following his switch from Sheffield United in 1995, which ended in relegation, the forward hit back with a bang the next campaign.
He netted 19 of Wanderers 100 league goals as they stormed to the Division One title to earn promotion back to the top-flight.
And despite another relegation the following campaign, Blake says those three years from 1996-99 remain the high point of his playing days.
He said: “That season when we got 98 points and scored 100 goals was unbelievable.
“It was the best and most enjoyable season of my career.
"I started well at Bolton initially then it was a bit disappointing and to be honest, I was pining a bit for Sheffield.
“As a team, we weren’t good enough and went down but we bounced back in style in that 1996/7 season and the following few years were the best part of my life.
“Beating Man City at Maine Road, hitting seven past Swindon and scoring a 40-yarder against West Brom were all special moments.
“I still regard Bolton as my number one club and get up as often as I can to watch.
“I keep in touch with Brett Warburton (director) and I do miss life there.
“There was something about the place, even though I didn’t live in Bolton when I was there, I loved the feel when I went into the town.
“I would definitely go back and live there, somewhere like Blackrod.
“It was a family feel at the club as well where everyone was on first-name terms from the reception girls at the front desk to the canteen staff, it was so homely.
“I went to Blackburn and it was completely different. They were considered bigger than Bolton at that time but I never felt more comfortable as a player than at Wanderers.”
Now back in his native Cardiff, Blake keeps busy with media and radio work for the BBC and also has a column in the local paper.
He has a sports management consultancy representing players and keeps involved in the game.
Watching Cardiff from the press boxes around the country, he knows exactly how tough life in the modern-day Championship can be and says Wanderers are suffering with the adjustment after more than a decade at top level.
The forward, who netted 48 times in 124 Wanderers appearances in all competitions, went on: “It hasn’t been a good start for Bolton and that’s why Owen Coyle has gone.
“It’s a shame because he is a good man and was a good player but I think if he hadn’t been such a good servant as a player he may have gone sooner because of the results.
“I think Bolton are suffering from being in the Premier League for so long; not many players know what it is like at Championship level.
“In my time, we went up and down before we found stability but many at the club will not know what that is like.
“I remember at Sheffield United and players would look at the fixture list in the lower league and think they would win most games; it doesn’t pan out like that because it can be a culture shock.
“You hit a bad run of form and that’s what has happened to Bolton.
“It is such a tough league, it’s the toughest Championship for seven or eight years for me with the strength of the teams in there but I hope Bolton can turn it around and be up there challenging.”
Never short of an opinion, as was illustrated with his passionate views on racism in the game in Saturday’s Bolton News, Blake has seen many changes since he hung up his boots six years ago.
But he steers clear of airing his views on social network sites and says he would not have got embroiled were he still playing, despite having forthright views.
Blake added: “Can you imagine? I would definitely have steered clear of Twitter and Facebook – I don’t even have an account now.
“I like my privacy too much.
“You look at some players now and they live their life through Twitter.
“I don’t think you can complain about press intrusion if you do that.
“It’s not for me that stuff.
“I do have a Facebook account but never use it; I only set that up because of my kids.
“I’ll stick with having my say the old-fashioned way.”
[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
This is what Nathan thinks about things these days -
[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]
NATHAN Blake returned home to Cardiff after a playing career that took in spells with Shefffield United, Wolves, Blackburn Rovers, Leicester City and Leeds United. But it will be that record-breaking 1996/97 season with Wanderers that will remain etched in his memory and those of many Whites fans who recall that promotion party.
BORN and bred in Cardiff, it is natural Welshman Nathan Blake still holds playing for his home-town club close to his heart.
But the striker concedes Wanderers remain his number one club outside of his homeland after a spell with the Whites he says was the highlight of his club career.
Having endured a tricky first season at the club, following his switch from Sheffield United in 1995, which ended in relegation, the forward hit back with a bang the next campaign.
He netted 19 of Wanderers 100 league goals as they stormed to the Division One title to earn promotion back to the top-flight.
And despite another relegation the following campaign, Blake says those three years from 1996-99 remain the high point of his playing days.
He said: “That season when we got 98 points and scored 100 goals was unbelievable.
“It was the best and most enjoyable season of my career.
"I started well at Bolton initially then it was a bit disappointing and to be honest, I was pining a bit for Sheffield.
“As a team, we weren’t good enough and went down but we bounced back in style in that 1996/7 season and the following few years were the best part of my life.
“Beating Man City at Maine Road, hitting seven past Swindon and scoring a 40-yarder against West Brom were all special moments.
“I still regard Bolton as my number one club and get up as often as I can to watch.
“I keep in touch with Brett Warburton (director) and I do miss life there.
“There was something about the place, even though I didn’t live in Bolton when I was there, I loved the feel when I went into the town.
“I would definitely go back and live there, somewhere like Blackrod.
“It was a family feel at the club as well where everyone was on first-name terms from the reception girls at the front desk to the canteen staff, it was so homely.
“I went to Blackburn and it was completely different. They were considered bigger than Bolton at that time but I never felt more comfortable as a player than at Wanderers.”
Now back in his native Cardiff, Blake keeps busy with media and radio work for the BBC and also has a column in the local paper.
He has a sports management consultancy representing players and keeps involved in the game.
Watching Cardiff from the press boxes around the country, he knows exactly how tough life in the modern-day Championship can be and says Wanderers are suffering with the adjustment after more than a decade at top level.
The forward, who netted 48 times in 124 Wanderers appearances in all competitions, went on: “It hasn’t been a good start for Bolton and that’s why Owen Coyle has gone.
“It’s a shame because he is a good man and was a good player but I think if he hadn’t been such a good servant as a player he may have gone sooner because of the results.
“I think Bolton are suffering from being in the Premier League for so long; not many players know what it is like at Championship level.
“In my time, we went up and down before we found stability but many at the club will not know what that is like.
“I remember at Sheffield United and players would look at the fixture list in the lower league and think they would win most games; it doesn’t pan out like that because it can be a culture shock.
“You hit a bad run of form and that’s what has happened to Bolton.
“It is such a tough league, it’s the toughest Championship for seven or eight years for me with the strength of the teams in there but I hope Bolton can turn it around and be up there challenging.”
Never short of an opinion, as was illustrated with his passionate views on racism in the game in Saturday’s Bolton News, Blake has seen many changes since he hung up his boots six years ago.
But he steers clear of airing his views on social network sites and says he would not have got embroiled were he still playing, despite having forthright views.
Blake added: “Can you imagine? I would definitely have steered clear of Twitter and Facebook – I don’t even have an account now.
“I like my privacy too much.
“You look at some players now and they live their life through Twitter.
“I don’t think you can complain about press intrusion if you do that.
“It’s not for me that stuff.
“I do have a Facebook account but never use it; I only set that up because of my kids.
“I’ll stick with having my say the old-fashioned way.”
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