Our match against Bolton Wanderers, at The Mem, on 11th March, was the 35th league meeting between the sides and our 3-2 win that night, achieved by goals from Chris Martin (2) and Connor Taylor, was our 11th win against the side we face again tomorrow.
Bolton have won 14 and there’s been 10 draws. In terms of goals then Bolton have the edge, with 50 to our 38.
The first league meetings between the clubs took place in 1971/72, by which time we had already met three times in the FA Cup. Those first league meetings saw Rovers win 2-0 at Eastville on 30th October 1971 thanks to goals by Brian Godfrey and Phil Roberts. The return fixture, at Burnden Park, on 19th February 1972 was goalless.
Last season it was honours even as goals from John Marquis and Antony Evans gave Rovers a 2-1 win at The Toughsheet Community Stadium on 16th December 2023 while Eoin Toal scored for Bolton who had Ricardo Santos red carded after only 33 minutes.
The return fixture at The Memorial Stadium on 6th April 2024 saw Bolton win 2-0 thanks to goals from former Rovers striker Aaron Collins and a 98th minute penalty converted by Aaron Morley.
Having lost to Oxford United in last season’s League One Play Off Final, Bolton area once again looking to be involved in the play offs again this time around.
There are a few of tenuous managerial/staffing links between the clubs that take in Martin Dobson, Mark Hughes and Ali Gibb. Dobson began his career with Bolton but was released without appearing in a league game for them and it was with Burnley and Everton that he enjoyed success as a player. He won England caps under three different managers, namely Sir Alf Ramsey, Joe Mercer and Don Revie.
He succeeded Gerry Francis as Rovers manager in the summer of 1991 but saw only one win in his 11 match reign as boss and parted ways with the club on 4th October that year.
Former Rovers player Mark Hughes is now Assistant Coach to recently appointed manager Steven Schumacher while Gibb, who made a goalscoring debut for Rovers, against York City in March 2004, went on to appear in 64 league games for Rovers and is now Senior Academy Physiotherapist at Bolton.
Tom Eaves, Mark Little, Trevor Morgan, Erhan Oztumer, Victor Adeboyejo and Aaron Collins have all turned out for both clubs while Vaughan Jones, Mark O’Connor
and Marcus Browning made their Rovers league debut against tomorrow’s opponents.
While we suffered a disappointing midweek defeat at the hands of league leaders Birmingham City, Bolton were 1-0 away winners at Wigan Athletic thanks to a 90th minute Chris Forino-Joseph goal.
Those results see Rovers still down in 20th place, with 42 points from 40 games, while Bolton now occupy the final play off place with 63 points from 39 games.
Bolton have won 10, drawn three and lost six of their 19 home league games, while Rovers have lost 15, drawn two and won just three of their 20 away games.
It’s going to be a tough game at the aptly named Toughsheet Community Stadium, but if Inigo Calderon’s side can show the battling qualities that were on display on Tuesday evening at The Mem, then a positive result is possible.
We wish all supporters a safe trip to, and from, Bolton tomorrow.