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If Eidur Gudjohnsen gets the chance of an Indian summer with Wanderers he will be in good company.
Signs are positive the Icelandic legend, now 36, will be offered a short-term deal at the Macron Stadium after he impressed manager Neil Lennon in training and in a behind-closed-doors friendly this week.
He certainly won’t be the first experienced player to try to prolong his career late on with the Whites since some household names have proved golden oldies down the years.
Here we take a look at some of the best elder statesmen to wear the Whites shirt.
FERNANDO HIERRO
Appearances – 35 Gls – 1
The Real Madrid legend had won three Champions Leagues and five La Liga titles at the Bernabeu but his time in top-flight football looked over when he signed a deal with Qatar club Al Rayyan in 2003.
Hierro spent a single season in the Middle East before accepting an offer from Sam Allardyce to play in the Premier League.
At 36, some people required convincing his body could handle the rigours of English football. But after glowing recommendations from former team-mates Steve McManaman and Ivan Campo, his short spell with Wanderers proved a match made in heaven.
Hierro took a while to earn a regular spot – and was even placed on a list of players made available for transfer in January 2005 – yet he recovered to lead Wanderers into Europe with a late-season surge.
The classy Spaniard was given a standing ovation on his final appearance against Everton.
GARY SPEED
Apps – 139 Gls – 14
Much missed midfielder who joined Wanderers 12 years after helping Leeds United to the First Division title.
Speed was 34 when he cost £750,000 from Newcastle United but few would argue over the course of four seasons that the club got their money’s worth.
The vastly-influential Wales international twice helped the Whites into Europe and passed 500 career Premier League appearances in a 4-0 win over West Ham in December 2006.
After Sam Allardyce left the club Speed was appointed as a first team coach, and though a fall-out with Sammy Lee soured his final months with Bolton he departed for Sheffield United in a £250,000 deal aged 38.
ASA HARTFORD
Apps – 101 Gls – 10
Hartford played at two World Cups for Scotland and had enjoyed successful spells with West Brom, Manchester City and Everton before pitching up at Burnden Park in 1985, fresh from scoring the winning goal for Norwich City in the League Cup final.
He joined Bolton at a difficult time but played at Wembley in the 1986 Freight Rover final and was made captain of the club at the age of 35, playing in every game of the 1986-/87 campaign.
ROGER HUNT
Apps – 84 Gls – 25
World Cup winning striker joined Wanderers for £32,000 after a decade of distinguished service at Liverpool.
Hunt was 32 when he came to Burden Park and, like Hartford, arrived at a time when the Whites were in slow decline.
But his goals in the 1972/73 campaign helped to stabilise the club under the stewardship of Jimmy Armfield and he retired at the end of the season to concentrate on his family’s haulage business.
YOURI DJORKAEFF
Apps – 81 Gls – 20
Another World Cup winner whose career had fallen on tough times at German club Kaiserslautern, Djorkaeff still shocked the football world by signing a deal with Wanderers in an effort to make the France squad for the 2002 World Cup.
At the age of 34 it quickly became clear he had lost none of the skill that had seen him lift European club trophies with Inter Milan and Paris St Germain, and Dorkaeff became an instant fan favourite at the Reebok.
He played on for another two seasons under Allardyce and helped Wanderers into the Carling Cup final in 2004.
PETER THOMPSON
Apps – 134 Gls – 2
Effectively written off at Liverpool, where he had spent a successful decade and earned 16 England caps before developing a knee injury, the winger represented a gamble when Jimmy Armfield signed him for £18,000 in January 1974, after a short loan spell.
Thompson was approaching his 32nd birthday but his educated wing-play made him an instant hit with fans. He became a regular in the side that eventually climbed back into Division One and more than 20,000 supporters turned up to his testimonial in April 1978 at Burnden against a combined Liverpool and Everton team.
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Signs are positive the Icelandic legend, now 36, will be offered a short-term deal at the Macron Stadium after he impressed manager Neil Lennon in training and in a behind-closed-doors friendly this week.
He certainly won’t be the first experienced player to try to prolong his career late on with the Whites since some household names have proved golden oldies down the years.
Here we take a look at some of the best elder statesmen to wear the Whites shirt.
FERNANDO HIERRO
Appearances – 35 Gls – 1
The Real Madrid legend had won three Champions Leagues and five La Liga titles at the Bernabeu but his time in top-flight football looked over when he signed a deal with Qatar club Al Rayyan in 2003.
Hierro spent a single season in the Middle East before accepting an offer from Sam Allardyce to play in the Premier League.
At 36, some people required convincing his body could handle the rigours of English football. But after glowing recommendations from former team-mates Steve McManaman and Ivan Campo, his short spell with Wanderers proved a match made in heaven.
Hierro took a while to earn a regular spot – and was even placed on a list of players made available for transfer in January 2005 – yet he recovered to lead Wanderers into Europe with a late-season surge.
The classy Spaniard was given a standing ovation on his final appearance against Everton.
GARY SPEED
Apps – 139 Gls – 14
Much missed midfielder who joined Wanderers 12 years after helping Leeds United to the First Division title.
Speed was 34 when he cost £750,000 from Newcastle United but few would argue over the course of four seasons that the club got their money’s worth.
The vastly-influential Wales international twice helped the Whites into Europe and passed 500 career Premier League appearances in a 4-0 win over West Ham in December 2006.
After Sam Allardyce left the club Speed was appointed as a first team coach, and though a fall-out with Sammy Lee soured his final months with Bolton he departed for Sheffield United in a £250,000 deal aged 38.
ASA HARTFORD
Apps – 101 Gls – 10
Hartford played at two World Cups for Scotland and had enjoyed successful spells with West Brom, Manchester City and Everton before pitching up at Burnden Park in 1985, fresh from scoring the winning goal for Norwich City in the League Cup final.
He joined Bolton at a difficult time but played at Wembley in the 1986 Freight Rover final and was made captain of the club at the age of 35, playing in every game of the 1986-/87 campaign.
ROGER HUNT
Apps – 84 Gls – 25
World Cup winning striker joined Wanderers for £32,000 after a decade of distinguished service at Liverpool.
Hunt was 32 when he came to Burden Park and, like Hartford, arrived at a time when the Whites were in slow decline.
But his goals in the 1972/73 campaign helped to stabilise the club under the stewardship of Jimmy Armfield and he retired at the end of the season to concentrate on his family’s haulage business.
YOURI DJORKAEFF
Apps – 81 Gls – 20
Another World Cup winner whose career had fallen on tough times at German club Kaiserslautern, Djorkaeff still shocked the football world by signing a deal with Wanderers in an effort to make the France squad for the 2002 World Cup.
At the age of 34 it quickly became clear he had lost none of the skill that had seen him lift European club trophies with Inter Milan and Paris St Germain, and Dorkaeff became an instant fan favourite at the Reebok.
He played on for another two seasons under Allardyce and helped Wanderers into the Carling Cup final in 2004.
PETER THOMPSON
Apps – 134 Gls – 2
Effectively written off at Liverpool, where he had spent a successful decade and earned 16 England caps before developing a knee injury, the winger represented a gamble when Jimmy Armfield signed him for £18,000 in January 1974, after a short loan spell.
Thompson was approaching his 32nd birthday but his educated wing-play made him an instant hit with fans. He became a regular in the side that eventually climbed back into Division One and more than 20,000 supporters turned up to his testimonial in April 1978 at Burnden against a combined Liverpool and Everton team.
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