Much of Bolton's early success would come in the FA Cup, being losing finalists in 1894 in a 4-1 defeat at the hands of Notts County, and again in 1904 - beaten 1-0 by Man City in a tight Final.

A respectable First Division season in 1920/1 saw them finish in 3rd place behind Champions Burnley & 2nd placed Man City. This is a position they have matched since, but never bettered.

BWFC would also make several visits down into Division Two, only to be returned by promotion, as runners up in 1899-00, 1904-05 & 1910-11 and as Second Division Champions in 1908/09.

Bolton Wanderers' first FA Cup triumph came in 1923, which was the first one held in the new Wembley Stadium. This game became known as the White Horse Final, as the many thousands of fans who entered the ground were famously marshalled by a policeman on a white horse. It is estimated that upwards of 200,000 people were inside the ground with thousands more locked outside. Those present witnessed Bolton victorious over West Ham United by 2-0.

The 1924/5 season would also prove to be a good one for the Trotters with a very creditable 3rd place in Division One, only 3 points behind the winners, Herbert Chapmans astounding Huddersfield Town side, and just 1 point behind WBA in second. This would prove to be the best league season for a long time to follow.

Success in the FA Cup was a different matter altogether, with another win in 1926, 1-0 over local rivals Manchester City. This was followed in 1929 with a third FA Cup trophy, this time overcoming Portsmouth 2-0.

Bolton were threatening to be a dominant club without ever really being able to sustain the levels of performance they were undoubtably capable of.

One record Bolton Wanderers can lay claim to came in 1928, when Arsenal paid the first 5 figure sum in a transfer, to take David Jack to Highbury for £10,000. I don't know what that equates to in todays terms, but it seems like an awful lot of cash nearly 80 years ago.

Much of the next 2 decades would pass without any significance, except for 1 day in 1946, that still evokes memories, albeit bad ones. A huge crowd had turned up at Burnden Park to watch Bolton play against Stoke City, a crowd which was swelled by the fact that Stanley Matthews was playing for the Potters.

It is estimated that well over 80,000 had turned up, and as many fans got in without paying and thousands others surged in through an open gate, the ground was at bursting point. The surge caused crash barriers to buckle and 33 people were killed, crushed to death.

In 1953 Bolton Wanderers Football Club again reached the FA Cup final, this time beaten in a 4-3 thriller by a rampant Blackpool, inspired by the two Stanleys - Matthews & Mortensen. This game is still referred to today as the "Matthews Final", although it was the other Stanley who netted the only ever 20th Century FA Cup Final hat-trick on the day.

Better was to come for BWFC in the same competition 5 years later as the Trotters beat bitter rivals Man Utd 2-0, with both goals scored by Bolton hero Nat Lofthouse, even though the second is still contested to this day as a foul on the United goalkeeper, Harry Gregg. Still, men were men in those days.

There have been few triumphs for Bolton Wanderers since that day, and they have spent time in all four Divisions since.

Champions of Division 3 in 1973, winners of the Division 2 title in 1978 have been the only noteworty events until very recently. In 1995 Bolton reached the Coca Cola Cup final, where they were beaten by Liverpool , although a consolation was promotion to the Premier League via a play off Finals win over Swindon Town in an amazing 4-3 result.

Bolton went straight back down the following year, but returned as Nationwide League Champions, and with the modern Reebok Stadium in 1997. Bolton now seem firmly entrenched in thePremier League , with Big Sam Allardyce at the helm and recent league performances have improved to the extent that Bolton Wanderers Football Club now ply their trade on the European stage as well.