Bolton Wanderers - fan's review of 2008/09 Premier League season
Bolton Wanderers - fan's review of 2008/09 Premier League season
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Tuesday, 02, Jun 2009 03:23
Good, bad or just the same old, same old? What the fans made of the 2008/09 season.
It wasn't always easy on the eye, but Gary Megson's Trotters can be relatively pleased with a season of stability and consolidation as they continue to shake off the hangover from the dizzying highs of European football under Sam Allardyce.
The Ginger Mourinho even managed to pick up a manager of the month gong in November after guiding the Whites through a purple patch that produced three wins in four games and a handsome six-goal haul - something of a feast for the largely goal-starved Wanderers.
Bolton also continued to be, along with a certain Norwegian referee, the most unwelcome guests at Stamford Bridge - rattling in three goals in ten minutes to give the Chelsea playboys another scare in their own back yard.
All this despite captain Kevin Nolan's solid-gold career move of jumping ship for Newcastle United and record signing Johan Elmander misfiring in the number nine shirt.
Still, a respectable 13th-place finish notwithstanding, Megson remains as popular as an 87th-minute Benni McCarthy equaliser among many of the Bolton faithful and he will have to couple his in-your-face charm offensive with some ambitious summer signings if he wants to finally win over the doubters.
Grade: C+
High Point
Although the goals didn't flow thick and fast this season, Bolton produced one or two demolitions to lift the spirits, with the 4-1 thumping of Sunderland proving too much for Roy Keane to take.
Bolton will also miss Middlesbrough, having knocked seven past the hapless Teesiders this term.
Kevin Davies' late show against Spurs on New Year's Eve showed that they can do last-gasp excitement at the Reebok too.
Otherwise, highlights were a bit thin on the ground in a low-key season, with Wanderers falling at the first hurdle in both the League Cup and FA Cup.
Low Point
Gary Megson's not-entirely-unreasonable blow-up at the fans after Wanderers surrendered a 2-0 lead to fierce rivals Blackburn Rovers left everyone in a right huff. It didn't help that Big Sam was in the opposition dugout.
After 15 months of taking discontented grumblings on the chin, Megson could take no more and branded some of his own club's fans "pathetic" and a drain on the team's morale.
"You have to wonder about the intelligence of these people - it has to be heard to be believed to be honest," the gaffer raged.
Ouch.
The manager
Megson's reign at the Reebok is proof that you can't please all of the people all of the time.
But in his defence, he's kept the club up despite the departures of Anelka, Diouf and Nolan - players that would leave a big hole in any team in the bottom half.
Perhaps some fans' sights remain on Europe but when chairman Phil Gartside is concocting zany plans for a two-tier Premier League to basically ensure Bolton are never again haunted by the spectre of relegation, the realistic goal is staying in the top flight and he's done that two years running.
Fan's Player of the Year
- Kevin Davies -
An Indian summer for the 32-year-old saw him rack up 12 Premier League goals this season and his all-round commitment to the Bolton cause remained undimmed. There was even talk of an England call-up. Well, if it can happen to Darren Bent...
Honourable mentions go to Matthew Taylor for chipping in with ten league goals and the consistently excellent Jussi Jaaskelainen, who played every minute of Wanderers' season.
The Finn will be rewarded with a testimonial against Hibs in August after 12 years and 425 appearances between the sticks for Bolton.
Needs for Next Season
Bolton still have a small squad and, if there are funds available, the gaffer will probably want to strengthen every department.
Wanderers failed to score in 18 Premier League games and record signing Elmander managed a paltry five goals in his debut season, so more firepower will be high on the agenda.
And, despite Jaaskelainen's best efforts, they only kept seven clean sheets so more defensive cover and some steel and guile in midfield will also be in demand.
Megson is reportedly weighing up a £6 million bid for Tottenham's Tom Huddlestone. He might also vie with Stoke in an effort to prise the aging Paul Scholes from his beloved Old Trafford for one more season of first-team football.
Other rumoured targets include Portsmouth's veteran French defender Sylvain Distin and Sporting Lisbon's highly-rated Miguel Veloso.
Andy Jowett