Reflecting on Famous Bolton Goals

If watching wanderers is stressing you out, then why not book a nice break with our podcast sponsors, Destinology? An award-winning Bolton based company and proud sponsor of Bolton Wanderers FC, specialising in crafting exceptional holidays that blend expert knowledge, luxury accommodations and exclusive perks. seamless service and unforgettable destinations, Tailor made journeys designed just for you. Ready for the trip of a lifetime? Visit destinology.co.uk. Uh Welcome to Not the Buff, but to some stuff that you might have missed in the week on our YouTube channel. I'm aware that some of you buffeteers need something to listen to whilst you're cooking the tea, whilst you're walking the dog, or maybe you are driving down to Wembley Way. By the way, don't drive through Wembley Way. There's loads of people there. You'll get in loads of trouble. And also keep your eyes on the road if you listen to this in the car. Anyway, I know not everybody can watch the videos on the YouTube channel when they go out, so this is what I'm going to do. First off, as the theme tune suggests, we're bringing you team talk. Me, Tom, Wayne, Will. We get together every Tuesday. We have a nature about the game. It's a laugh. It's gone down really, really well as well. So I hope it translates to an audio podcast. You'll have to let me know if that's the case. Then second bit. I also caught up with Aram Wilburham and Adam Lafondre for a chat about the game. Both of them play for Bolton Obs, but they also started their career at Stockport County, so they're the perfect foot in both camp types, and we had a Natta. Secondly, let me give you a bit of a bit of a an update on a couple of things coming up. First of all, I know I'll keep on banging on about it, but please subscribe to that YouTube channel, Wanderers Live. It's great. We've got loads of exclusive content, and I need to get to a thousand subs this weekend. Or else otherwise I'm gonna cry. On top of that, we've extended our flash sale for subscription to the Bolton News until the day after the playoff final, that's May the 25th. Five pounds, five full months of coverage or 31 quid for the whole year. You'll find the details in the podcast notes. Help us keep journalism going. Help us get to these places and doing all this fancy stuff. This is how you do it, folks. This is how you back us. And lastly, make sure you buy the Bolton News, a physical paper copy on Saturday, because it is a 16 page pull-out in the playoff final that I have been working very, very hard round the clock this week to put together. There is loads of other wondrous tales at the back end of the paper from the press conference as well. And as ever, Baltimore have made sure that's as late as it possibly can be before my deadline. So hopefully, fingers crossed, I get as much in there as I can do. They never make life easy, do they? Anyway, before the game, we'll be bringing you another mini episode of The Buff, me and Henry making our predictions. Talking a bit about the game, there is a first word. all the good bits from that press conference. Uh Ross will be joining us. I've got a Bernata. Oh it's it's gonna be a bit of fun again. Then there is a live stream. Plenty of guests before the uh game. on the Saturday rather before the game. I've got some special surprises as well. You're going to enjoy them, I promise. Some real uh interesting videos. Anyway. I can't say too much. Okay. I don't want to spoil the surprise. But anyway, um I don't know that you've heard. There's also a game on. All the build up on the day. Me and Dan Barnes we're going to be at the Green Man Pub at Wembley. It opens at 8 a.m. If you can stomach being in a pub at 8 a.m. We're going to be around from early doors. There is space for 3,400 people. There is a lovely big but beer garden there. loads and loads of Bolton fans expected as well. So we're going to be having the Nata doing some video stuff with those th throughout the day, live on our match day live blog, which will be starting very early doors and going all the way through. So hopefully a winning evening at Wembley. We'll obviously then have the last word. Loads of reaction over Sunday, over Monday. Think positive, guys. Wear a hat because it's gonna be very, very warm. Bring some sunscreen. Bring your NAPI. because we're gonna be doing it like it's 1989 and we're going in the Sherpa van. Come on, you whites. Hello again on a massive week for Baltimore Wanderers. It's playoff final time. On Sunday, Stockport County, 90 minutes away from the championship. And if you're sick of the sight of me. Well, I'm gonna bring you in a bit of variety. We're gonna bring in Some extra Manpower to the stage in random order. There we go. Well Wayne and Tom. We're back again. F Musketeers. I don't know whether that's a good thing or a bad thing, but anyway, we're here to talk about the big day. Wondrous I mean, dare we dream? Dare we dream. I think I have to. Yeah. Um, Will, I'm gonna pick on you straight away, mate. How how confident are you? I feel quite calm. I do feel quite calm. I've took a load of Steven Schumacher. Must have been. Um I've took loads of confidence over the last couple of games. And um I feel really calm about it. I do. Um, obviously I feel a little bit different on Sunday. All the build up and who's gonna play, who's not, what the weather's gonna be like, who's gonna be the concerns and all the stuff that probably we're gonna talk about tonight. But yeah, I feel I feel relatively calm, quite confident. Love Thursday last week. I thought they're a brilliant I thought really, really good. Um that maybe. ten or fifteen minutes tops, rode our luck a little bit. Um but apart from that, yeah, two clean sheets. throughout the game. So yeah, feeling good, feeling positive. Um, but I'll probably say some negative stuff as well tonight. So I'll probably counteract myself. But uh yeah, I gen I genuinely feel okay about it. I do. Um I think we needed those couple of po a couple of performances that uh are brought out the best in, especially if to two or three players. And um long may that continue. I have some confidence going into the week. Yeah. I think the calmness is is important. I see it on the pitch as well. I see it off the pitch with the management team. Um I like them having a little bit of a moment on on Thursday with celebratory stuff and then it was a a bit of a For me. business is still to be done here. Let's get back in the changing room. We have a couple of days, we chill out, get our heads together and then we go again on the training camp and um Let's let's let's plan for this week and the week ahead. Absolutely. So yeah, feeling good, feeling positive and uh happy to chat about it tonight. Looking forward to talking about it. It's got interrupted by a text from Mark Beavers of all people. There we go. Nice bit too. I was just thinking that would be a cracking uh cracking addition. Um right, I mean we may as well get this over and done with this. There's someone on this call who made a bold suggestion in last week's team talk, who suggested that that Jack Bonham would rise to the occasion. What Would somehow become the hero and ram all our words back down our throats, Wayne, Go on, go on. Tell him you're right. Um well I I I don't like to be that guy who says I told you so, but I did send Mark uh an email that night saying I told you so. You did confess. Yeah. Well look some it's it's it's it's good when you you celebrate the victories, but you don't get too high with the highs or low with the lows, as the footballers always say. Yeah, exactly. Um Yeah, I just I don't know. I I just thought You know, the story writing got that was the way to go. You know, it it had a bad run. We've given him criticism, but that clean sheet, I just felt as though that was just something you could use as a springboard. So uh have a game that was really meaningful, really um impactful to to help us get. What we needed to get. Uh at the game. Um Yeah, um It it did great. He might even do it again. And look, I I think I think you're right. I think look double double clean sheet. It was it was perfectly timed and there's there's a there's a few plays in that boat. I think John O can definitely be included in that boat as well. You know, confidence boosting at the right time as well. You know, Chris Farino has had two fantastic games. Yes, we'll get on to talk about Tolly in a second, but I just think there is the Tom, there's there's room for optimism now, isn't there? We for for once we can actually describe this glass as being our full. We're going though. And that's it. I won't say anything else. I am very optimistic. I actually agree with Wayne and Will that I actually think that that game, they'll those two games were They weren't the best. I said last week you asked me for one word and I said consistency. And I what I seen in that team was a solid team. We weren't unbelievable. We weren't terrible. They just as people have already pointed out, they knew the jobs. They've done them down to a T. You know, we weren't prolific in front of goal, but when you've got players like you know, them absolute goal scoring machines like Javier Simons, who who cares? Do you know what I mean? But no, I thought that we played unbelievable well. Wayne, congratulations, you did Tell us. Hold on. And he was unbelievable. But I will also say that I have actually been a bit of a advocate for the Jack Bonham team since we have started this pause. Um this podcast and I actually do yeah whatever it is. Whatever this YouTube thing. Um but I actually do think that Bonham played unbelievable. And I think like you just said then uh Mark The defense was brilliant, I thought for Reno in the last two games, he just looks he looks different level. He looks he actually looks like a championship player. Um he really had. the the attack of Bradford in his back pocket. I I thought it was unbelievable. Johnston as well, you know, after all of us probably maybe doubted if he was playing or in the right form. There's no doubt that he's a good player. But Was he was he there at the moment? And I would say basically told us to shut up with his performances and he's just cracked on. But even when he moved into as a left centre half when Toli come off and I think swap with Farino and Conway come on. I thought Conway looked very, very good. I thought Conway looked very, very good. He looked strong. Um and he looked like he just fit into the game. So yeah, I'm with you two lads. I've I'm very, very um confident in the side. I think that Enough rubbish now. just get the job done is the attitude that they're probably going for. And that's the way it's coming across. They don't seem too lively. Obviously they were after the result, but it seems to have all quiet and down. You know, it's very much very calm. I get a calm feeling like you will then. Yeah, like a pr uh I I class that as a professional. Yeah, and and I think I think that's how we're gonna perform at Wemberley. A calm, know your job style. Um and yeah, and that's me. Is that a deliberate thing then, Will, I mean just Talking off ear there, the potentially your past experiences at Wembley will will mould the way you you go into this one. Wanderers have kept everything very low key this week so far. They've put off media duties until the very end of the week, just before they travel. There hasn't been any statements, no tub thump in particularly. They've let the ticket office get on with their work. Do you think that is radiating down from the kind of the way that Stephen Shemacher has gone about things in this playoff campaign so far? Yeah, I think it's just a continuation of who he is as a person and how his group what how he wants his group to be, isn't it? Um, for me, I like it. I like that calmness. I've said a couple of weeks ago when we did this show, I I didn't like the whole um circus around the Barnsley a couple of years ago against um at home, obviously that led us to Walpsy, I didn't like that. Um And I just feel we've got a nice environment here that's got a steady uh leader at the top. And I think it's what they need. Let's not get too carried away. Let's not get too heavy in the press. Let's not say we're this, we're that, the other. And I just get the impression it's just an another game to him. um every press conference that he does he's nice and calm, he's clear in his thoughts. He's He's also picking up on some areas that he that he found as though it could be an improvement for that second leg, and that's good. That's to me. it comes across as someone who's not getting caught up in the moment. And I firmly believe in these situations, playoff semifinal, first leg, second leg, going into a final, you need someone who's leading the show. be nice and calm because that just radiates down. So if you've got someone flapping, if you've got someone in the dressing room who's getting a little bit ahead of themselves. It's nice to have that steady pair of hands that Controlling the environment and letting the never say take the pressure off the players, keep them out of it, let them do their job, let them continue doing what they're doing. Take the pressure away from let him do his press conference. Let another player do a press conference and of weeks ago I did bang the drum a little bit about getting everybody on board for that first leg. But I think now we're settled into an environment where it's all structured. Everyone knows their job. club have been really important, getting there, you know, getting everyone to wear white and all that kind of stuff. And that's distancing it from the players. I think that's massively important. We've got a good leader, someone who's keeping it nice and calm. Let the lads do do their job. And hopefully, like I said a couple of minutes ago, that professional approach will get us over the line. We have got some challenges. It is going to be a difficult game. Um, there's some Players that we need to be concerned about. Um and obviously we'll talk about that tonight, I'm sure. Um but for me I'm quite happy with it. Keep it nice. Keep it calm. Keep it quiet. Get on with your job and finish it. Like Tom mentioned. Let's let's do it now. Now's the time. For me, um obviously we've had a couple of opportunities, a couple of semi finals, got to a final. And I'm also looking at Next year as well with this, I think now's the most important time to get up. We're gonna have Lutner gonna do well, next year Plymouth will do well. You've then got a big club in Sheffield Wednesday. No, they've had their their issues, but they're gonna be a big club, they're gonna be attractive to players to go to. Leicester are gonna be there, so you've probably got three or four, whereas I think now Hoddersfield, absolutely, Tom. Yeah. And you always get the a random, like a Lincoln or whatever. And I think for me now it's massively important. get over the line and like I say, nice calm leaders. I think that's gonna help the environment. I mean you can you can also evolve over the course of the season. Wayne, I think you pointed out to us in the chat about how Balton Mundrors have evolved since that first day of the season. No, I've got something a little little graphic to show you here. There we go. That is the team on the opening day of the season. that lost two nil at Edgele Park against Stockports. And it's fair to say it's moved on a little bit. There is there are a few there that that feel it feels like a bit a million years ago since we were talking about Carlos Mendez Gomez in the Baltimore first team. So So how far have they come, in your opinion? Me. Yeah, yeah, okay. Short question, you can you can answer it. Um I think we've come a long way. Um what we I mean let's just Compare those positions to who we've got now. Um Shaman Low and Bonham. I think we'd rather a bottom and goal, right? Thank you. Right. Dekret Cogley, even though we'll see him at the weekend. RC22. I prefer RC22. Yeah, and he was very good as well on the on Thursday night against Bradford. I thought it was one of his better games this season. Excellent. He was. He was. He did awesome. Um midfield pairing. of Marley and uh Simmons. Um but this time we've got uh Sheehan and Rodriguez. No Sheen and Arahan excuse me. Erahan yeah yeah. Um I prefer the midfield period that we had of um Bradford. Don't know about you two. I think Samson's got a shot, hasn't he? He's got a shot because I mean it I don't think he's done a great deal wrong. I think If he's fully fit Araham for me, but you got you guys may differ in your opinion. Are you gotta be playing the midfield for me. I mean look at the difference since he's come back. It's obvious. Two clean sheets. Screening the defense. He he's gotta be he's one of the first names on the on the team sheet for me. He's helping us get the these clean sheets. And Rodriguez seems to have settled that ten debate 'cause we've that's another one that's that's never really resolved itself most of the season. Yeah, that's true. I I do like Rodriguez playing that and Course I like him being in this team going into the playoff final because he's he has done it. You know, he' and he's won it. as well with Oxford. Um So Yeah, I'm happy with that. Um as Should it laugh. But um I do prefer I'm so called Gale there. Mm. Definitely. And First though. Yeah, well so he starts it and he's also um he maybe starts in this weekend, we don't know. I guess we'll talk about that after. Yeah. Um How far do you reckon, Tom, they've come since that that opening? Cause let's not forget, I mean, you know, it uh it it it does feel a long, long time ago, but I looked through some of the highlights the other day and Bolton should have been well ahead in that game. They dominated the first half, got a really lucky first goal stop, but second half was a bit scrappy in fairness, but Yeah, and some more deserved probably to be ahead in that in that top 45, but Balton were not far away. Yeah, no, definitely definitely, Mark. I mean I I went to that game um and we were wearing our lovely pink kit. I don't mind it. I'm happy we're not wearing it this Sunday. Uh because as the club has said, let's get a C white, but I went to that game. And that first half we were I thought we were excellent. Uh, if I'm correct, Burst or got dragged down in the box. Do you remember it? Should have had a penalty. That will not be an issue at Wembley. Is that confirmed, VAR? It they was last year. And so I can only assume they're gonna do it this year, but so can you can you confirm anything with VM VAR? Is is anything really that straightforward? No, but I think that that was obvious. An obvious error. Clear and obvious error. But no, from the first day of the season, you know, I think this squad's come on massively. uh the play that we brought in in January uh as I said about ten minutes ago. on him for me, if we'd have had him at the beginning of the season and he'd have had a full pre season with the club. I honestly believe that we would have maybe had ten more points towards the end of the season. did because if you look back to Blackpool away and that mistake of uh Shaman Law and there was a couple of instance like that. Was there Was there space for a a man that has been there and done it, you have to say yeah, there there was. You know, we n we needed an experienced goalkeeper. I I really do think that. As for Carlos Mendes Gomez, unfortunately his career at Balton. Never took off. Um I think that is down to two injuries. But it's also hindered him at Exeter this season. Um probably hasn't played as many games he would like. I think if he isn't out of contract this summer. we will be not seeing him in a wander shirt again anyway. Um as for Burst Orwin, yes, he started the last two games. However, if Dolby is fit, I do strongly believe we have to start him. Wemberley. He is our player of the season. He's our leading goal scorer. And I also think that he's someone that people look up to. I really do. And w when you've got a team that's so tall. Yeah. She and it's only Sheehan that I'm on about. Um but no I think that you know when you've got younger players in the in the squad like Max Conway. Uh I know that Sam Dolby's not, you know, a massive promotion man, but he's he always seems very composed and calm. Uh if you know if you noticed when we s when uh Simon scored. Actually on the video, he was the only one that didn't run over and celebrate straight away. He he went and high fived, I believe it was Makatee, and sort of went like that, like it's not over yet. Do you know what I mean? So no, um I think the squad's come on leaps and bounds. I mean uh You know, if you'd have told me at Stockport that our best player would have been Sam Thalbett with him being out for I think it was three and a half months from then, I would have said not a chance. So it's a it's a different squad. It's a totally different squad. But there's another point I think we we should be talking about. Even the players who were in that starting lineup, they've progressed. You know, like for Farino is playing the best football. He's ever played. You know, cause you do e He's a better player now than he was at the start of the season, right at the start. I think he's got like a good uh season's experience. He's developed. And one other thing, what we're not talking about, Steven Schumacher. No. I lost at the losses that we had in the first half of the season. And no one's uh No one's done a double on us this season, have they? No. And I don't think We've given Shumacu enough credit about that. He He I think it goes back and works on a a way on trying to find out a way of how to get a result. against when we play them in the returning fixture. I think we lost to Northampton. And Wickham. in the first half of the season. And Burton. And Burton, yeah. In the return, fish with birds and we beat them. We turn fixed with where can we beat them? And we drew with Northhampton, I think. Yeah. So I think that needs to be acknowledged as well. Um Shumaku is good at figuring out, well, okay, so how do I how do we beat them next time? We lost the stop by the start of the season. We had the draw as well. Is it time for the wind to come? Mm. Well I Is we're not giving Shinamaku enough credit? I think I think he's uh I think he's due some credit, really. I uh but the problem the problem in my eyes, I and I can see it, is that if the wrong result comes on uh Sunday, it will be hell fire and brimstone. because that will be the reaction. There'll be another year in League One for Baltimore Wanderers, bottom line. And there is still some residual disappointment theoretically that they're not in the top two. That will come down. you know, tenfold, won't it, if if the things aren't right on Sunday. That's the way it is. And and you know, I'm not saying that's right or wrong. That's just the the fact of the matter. Yeah, and I think the expectations with Bolton Wanderers fans is is high, isn't it? It's a huge ceiling. Um, I think it's down to the performance as well, Mark. You know, a couple of years ago when we played Oxford, it you know, we were expected to win, weren't we? Of course. You know, these things don't happen like that. Football's a funny old game. Um but I think if the the performance is there, it's just purely down to a bit of bad luck. Are we being a little bit too criti? Yeah. They have to show up. It's massively important they have to show up because the reaction will be absolutely horrific if it's twice in a row, um at Wembley. Um and rightly so. Um Yeah, I think he's had I think he's had a reasonably okay season. Okay to good for me. Um it's a it's been a season of What if for me. throughout this year. Uh I think we've had a little bit of uh unlucky periods with injury. Um we've locked lacked a little bit of a structure in a backbone goalkeeper, obviously we've talked about a bit of inconsistency around centre back. and then someone who can put the ball in the back of the neck consistently, not spells consistently. Um So I do think he gets a a little bit of uh a bit of stick sometimes. Um and I'm not one who jumps on the bandwagon, oh Schumacher out, Schumacher this, Schumacher, you know, he should have done this better. You know, he he's got his A lines, he's got his pro license, he's do he he's got the capability to manage teams because he's proven that. Um, but I think he's at a club where the expectation is absolutely so high. But sometimes he's damned if he does and damned if he doesn't on on in this role. Um But I think the last couple of games has made people realise that he's a he's a he's a really good tactician. Um, and he's got two results where probably let let's be let's be fair. Um We didn't expect. to keep a clean shit over two playoff legs, especially with the first one being at home and the second one being away. I d I I don't think any of us. Wayne didn't that old mean Mystic Wayne. Mystic Wayne. I I I don't believe that we um That we that we did, uh, other than Wade, but a lot of us I don't know whether you fall into that, Tom. I didn't think we were gonna keep two clean sheets. I really didn't. And I think a lot of the fan base and the people that I speak to go the game with. Like, no way we're not gonna concede over two games. Um I also liked as well a little bit of naughty tactics, the first ten minutes of that game against Bradford. Just literally just had the ball and put it out. How many throw ins. It was just pure. Kill the game. Get it understand and get a feel of the environment. Quiet in the crowd. And um Yeah, it's on your clearances. Absolutely. Yeah, don't give them anything. If the ball's up there, you can't do anything with it. Yeah, yeah. Um so for me, yeah, I think he's done an okay job. I think the expectation, like I say, is difficult for him within the role. Um and financially, again, he's been a little bit restricted there, I say. You know, he never had a considerable amount of money that he could spend and he's had to pick up the remnants of that squad. He's had to completely change a lot of the way that certain players play. There's certain players that have never play for the club but have come in and he's created this formation, he's created this squad, this nucleus. It's very, very difficult to put a squad together. From somebody else's that they've had maybe for three or four years. Um, obviously there's been the rotation of players and such in the natural um flow of players coming in and out. But for me he's brought so many different types of players in and had Bad luck with certain injuries to key players as well. So for me, I I I think he's done an okay job. I really do. Um however Do think if if Sunday goes badly wrong for him I think there'll be a a huge percentage of fans that will be really unhappy and want more. And and the thing is actually, I I will say that's the same for Stockport because Stockport's fan base have not been universally behind Dave Challener all season. They've had the low points and there's been moans and groans. And that's been the case, even given all his fantastic track record. He's done such a good job. with stock bought and generally as a manager since he came in. Um, but yeah, I I speaking to people over there, I think it's probably the same thing. I think they also feel it's been a so so to to satisfactory season and that a bad result on sunday may just get the groaners out but that's football is it what's what's made them difficult to beat Tom what's made them difficult to beat Stopport this season I mean they they've I think Henry on the podcast calls them the new wigan is that fair I don't agree with that. I just think that what they are is a little bit like the Bradfords and the Wrexhams, once they come up and then they go up again, there's this belief in a side, you know, that we're sort of indestructible sort of thing. What What I when I watched uh Stockport the other day, uh the first game I thought was a very dreadful game, by the way, by Stockport and Stevenage down at Stevenage. Jesus, that was uh it was a ball fest. However, I do think that Stockport like us in the last two games Even though they've had issues with defense over the last ten games. They are again. team. They do seem to play for each other. And one thing that they have. Which is a weapon. is Normal in midfield. I just think he pulls the strings and he pulls the team together. It's that experience that everyone always talks about. You can uh it's the same a little bit with Bradford, you know, they've got max power. He's been there, he's done it. He he was, even though I don't think they were very good. Uh I I do think that he was sort of the stand out player. You knew when he was on the ball, there was a command and presentness about him. on that football pitch. And I think then the other players raise their levels as well. Uh so potentially Maybe that's where they are with Stockport. I also think that he's a great manager. What is it, sixteen years, sixteen Uh Promotion finishes. He's done a fantastic job. I know all the way back to non league, filed and and and w managing in Wales and such like. I mean it's just I don't think he's Yeah, I don't think he's ever finished outside the playoffs. Yeah. That's just absolutely Insane. As for Shu Maka Will. Um I agree with what you're saying. Just hope. God that he isn't as laid back as he was when we played them down at Wemberley. Because he himself admitted that he got it wrong on the day. So let's just hope he's a bit more up for it then. Carmen. But let's hope from that. Like, you know, we've all said. Um and then you know, Stopport Who knows? I mean they do seem to be a bloody boggy team, don't they, at the moment, but uh uh is that just when people say we've not beat them in thirty seven years at all? You know, well how many times have we actually played them over that? Not many. No exactly. Uh not many. But County have only won once in seven t seven visits to Wembley. You know, County lost at Wembley this season their record at Wembley is dreadful. And and when you speak to county fans. problems they have with these big games is that you know something always happens. They've oh going back to the kind of early 90s, Danny Bagara, you know, a team that was was, you know, fantastic. He was going up the divisions, never, never quite managed to get over that that step really, because on the big occasion they struggled. So but wait, does when does Wembley record matter? And we've just been talking there about Shi and his last uh his last experience was obviously Plymouth and and coaching there. Does he change things around? Do Does Josh Sheen, does Josh uh George Johnson, Owen Toll? uh Kyle Dempsey, do they walk into Wembley and and have bad karma? Bad memories. I don't no, I don't think so. I don't think rec records matter. I mean, talking about first of all the record of how we've not won against that port for a long time. I don't think that matters, especially with the game being at Wembley. Okay. Um I just see this as two teams, two really good teams meeting and you know. neutral territory and um you know, we're going to see a football match. I really don't think records matter. Um is Sheehan and Car Dempsey gonna get Flashbacks, um The bad flashback? I I don't think so. Walking up those steps. Depends how many you've had in the green man before on it, man. It's like um I think it was Willow was saying before. Does this calm amongst the team? They seem quite grounded. I don't know if you've picked up on that, Matt, while it's you know interviewing them, but yeah. I'm just getting this. that they're really grounded. I mean we keep on talking about the celebrations after getting through um the semi final with Barnsley, which by the way, did we not actually lose that match? But we did an hour. Lost three two on the day, yeah. I mean Come on, we lost the the actual match, you know. It I don't know how you can be like don't get me going again, way okay, yeah. We won't talk about that again. So yeah. players like Carl Dempsey is learn from that you know uh well not learn for me I'm saying he's um Maybe let's keep his feet on the ground, literally. Yeah. Yeah. And. Yeah, uh I I I'm not concerned about that. It shouldn't it shouldn't have any any bearing really. It's probably for us types, you know, for us media types to stir that sort of pot and to to make stories out and and probably for the fans because that I mean football is is fifty percent actuality and fifty percent stories and and you know it's all about the stories of of the terraces. That's that's half the fun of it, really. Narrative pressure. Exactly. That's exactly that. They were the words I was grasping for, but never mind. I think that uh Cyrus Christie actually will be an amazing person to have. Good show. Yeah, great. Absolutely. Uh I think it'll be really Really about Cameron Jerome though to be fair. Yeah, but I think listening to how Christie's come across quite a few in his interviews, he he seems to have I don't know if any of you've noticed it, but when we've had a poor result or like at Cardiff and I I think we it away again earlier in the season. He sort of said give the lads a kick up the backside, really, didn't he, I think. And I I I actually think him in that dressing room, even if he's not in the squad, I think he'll probably be in the squad, maybe on the bench. But I think just him being there, he will he's another one that will ground them and just say We have a we have a job to do, that's I think we deal with pressure so well now like it it always I don't know, it feels a few times this season when there's been a bit of pressure like oh don't know if we're gonna get this win, like the wigging game, we're nervous about that. And then we go and We're going win. Um I just like goes to rest, son. He's led plenty of ghost to rest, Stephen Sheemak, since he's been in. Lots of lots of stats that I've been loving trolling out for the last ten, fifteen years have come to an end. I hope he breaks another one this weekend. Wha what a what an ending, uh what would that be, you know? We did it at the weekend as well. So We've we've kind of touched on it a couple of times, but obviously the big elephant in the room is whether or not Owen Toll picked up a a season ending injury, whether he's going to be able to play in the final or not. Um George Johnson got moved to centre half. Max Conway came on, played really well at left back. But you're losing your skipper. Is it a major concern, Will? Um I'm gonna go off the performance of second half on Thursday. Nothing there gave me any reason of major concern. in that second half that we're gonna miss him. However, he's still the leader, he's still the captain, he's still played the majority of the season. Um But again, I talked about it last week. If we've got him, we've got him. If we haven't, we haven't. And we've got the the the squad to be able to cope with it. Um I think the only thing that would concern me. Is if the occasion Got a little bit too much early doors for Max Conway. That would be the only thing that would worry me. That young lad, who I think's probably now going maybe into his second biggest game. I thought his first was last week, second. the second half was the biggest game he's probably played in. for um for pressure and where you know the importance of it. Um Would have done in the world a good. It would have concerned me if Toler got injured in training. And then obviously playing again this weekend. Um Or not playing again this weekend, shall I say, and then k Conway having to come straight in then. Um No, I d I I don't think so. No. I think whoever plays against Farino. Uh a place with Farino, sorry. Um we'll have absolutely no choice, but you have to play a top game, otherwise I'll just I'll just sort you out 'cause it just gave that impression, didn't he? Osit, you're coming with me for the ride. John O you're coming as well. Conway, you're coming. And we're gonna meet this head on. Um so from a from a captain's perspective. I've never seen Toll as a proper leader. Maybe I'm touching a a few dives, I don't know. Vocally. Um I think better at that personally. Yeah. Yeah. But I think leading across the back line, I think you've got two good lieutenants in um in Johnston and and and um Perino for that. So yeah, that my only slight concern would be Conway and his lack of experience. in that big game environment and um that setting. I'd r I'd would much rather, if you're asking me what the bat what you would want me the bat for, it would be obviously Aussie Tutu, Tall, Farino and Johnston. But We've got faith in in Conway, but like I say, that forty five minutes well bit over last week. Last Thursday will have done him good. And stop. And they've got concerns as well, of course. Yeah, yeah. I mean Kyle Watten's had to play centre half for them. They've had defensive injuries. I mean, they've got pace up front, whether it's uh Alohafe or whether it's Sadeb. Yeah, yeah. Barry's no slouch, either coming in off the left hand side. So you know, you're gonna have to you're gonna have to be on your wits. They're gonna be looking to get in behind Bolton. So pace is gonna be important issue. position is also going to be very important on a big pitch. So do you have concerns, Wayne? Is is there a concern there that that tall who is it a very quick player, actually. I don't I know his hamstrings haven't been the best recently, but actually his turn of pace is actually quite good. Um Concerns. Uh no. Um I think They're going to be dangerous on the counter. Uh yeah, they've got that page and Conway's good at getting back, isn't he? Well I would just say that I I I probably want um Sisoko playing in front of him rather than Gail because I think Sisoko does a bit better defensively than Gail. And it's sunny. And it's and he likes the son, does he? Yeah, you said it in an interview. Right, okay, well, I want a goal as well, please. If you want to. That's insane he likes the sun. Yeah. I don't think that'll go down that well with the manager. I have no idea. Yeah. I gotta agree with uh what Will says. Uh when you when you ask the question about My lead and not being the We've got Farino and George Johnston. And I I I think they're just as good when it comes to leadership. I think they're quite vocal and they they they really set the example. I love how they you know they really fight for the ball and when they go down, they shoot back up. And that is a really important message to send to the rest of the team, you know, that they're not soft. They get up and they deal with it. Um Yeah, so I'm I'm not too worried, but I'm not gonna lie, I I won't stop thinking about it until the day. Absolutely. Well you're you're a fan. That's that's part of the uh part of the job, I think. I I honestly do think having those two clean sheets under the belt. Tom. It's gonna do everybody the world of good 'cause especially John O I said I said before, I think it was on here. I talk a lot on YouTube nowadays. I can never understand where I'm going to be t actually saying things, but that you can he's a very expressive player. I think when when he's feeling it, you can see it. And and when he's really in that mood. And he's he's going in for those fifty fifties that he shouldn't win and all that kind of stuff. You can also see it. And I think over the last couple of games, he's been in the zone, hasn't he? Yeah, a hundred percent. I mean look I We have to be honest, that's the best two performances from George Johnston. probably gotta say this season. I I I really believe that. I think We've touched on it, he's been playing out of position, but at left back, he was brilliant. And when he moved in centre half, he was brilliant again. Toll for me is a huge loss for his peace. I do believe that Conway is quick enough to stay on that side. The only thing that worries me is Farino I think is actually really quick, by the way. When he gets going. It's like a sneaker. Santos pace, doesn't he? Yeah. The only thing I worry about is if a ball goes straight over, it's Johnston being quick enough to get back. However, he hasn't let us down. In the last two games, he's been unbelievable. Free knows been an absolute unit back there. And then to have young Max Conway. I mean, he's he's he's fit than any of us, that's for sure. And he's probably faster than us all as well. So base wise, I think look, we're gonna control the game as Bolton tend to do. I think it's a nice pitch for us to play football, but as was it Wayne, you just said then. We have to watch that counterattack. Because I I think that they are very quick. So I watched that Sadebe against um Stevenage and he was bum. He was straight through. Uh I believe they got him back from Scotland, didn't they? So he was up in Scotland. Bolton got offered him. Uh Bolton was offered him twice, in fact. Oh really? and and Balton have passed on him twice. So interesting times. Um I I I will I'm gonna I'm gonna invoke the uh May 2024 and talk about Oxford United and uh a manager called Des Buckingham, who On the day. made sure that Paris McGomer, who is Bolton's chief attacking threat, was was leveled in very, very early early in the game. And they also made sure that Bolton's chief creator, probably, Josh Sheehan. Had No in on the game whatsoever. I think tactically they got him out out of the game completely and it it it totally disrupted Bolton's plans. Only Norwood, arguably stock ports. version of Josh Sean, although the real version of Josh Hein is still on the pitch. He'll still be there on Saturday. Um and and we're talking about Louis Barry there and and Is it is it a is there a question of of of you know double insurance, double marking them, making sure that they don't get into the game there well? Um Ye yeah, you've always got to keep dangerous players quiet, haven't you? ' Yeah, but when we make extra insurance. I mean this this is the whole thing. It's do you do that all your flags? I'd stick one on him. If if in all fairness, absolutely. Uh huh. Um if that's exactly what Oxford then I was just error and I didn't have said. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Absolutely. It's an old saying, stick one on him, get one in early, and then Get it in your head. If not in Farino, that would hurt. Yeah, Farino would do it. Honestly. The size of him, Tom, he's an absolute unit. Um sometimes you have to do things a little bit naughty to get through and get a technical advantage. Dare I say a psychological advantage over players? So I'm all for it. snap him in half and get a red card and put us down at the tenor and we're all on the uh the M six heading back in an hour, you know? Um so do do things, but be smart about it. But I'm all for for winning first battles, absolutely. Um you know, look talking about the Norwood and Sheehan. I I look at that as a style versus style. And those two are gonna be key. For each team. Definitely. Um massively. So uh both good dictators of the play, can control the ball well, control the game well, they dictate the And the pace. uh set piece threats, good game management. But a couple of years ago against Oxford we didn't have Ruben Rodriguez, whereas we have now. So not only have we got the creative side of She and we've also got Ruben Rodriguez. And How fit is Louis Barry, really? You know, he's gonna be in the sunny day at Wembley. We and that's it. I was just about to mention that we are going both teams, we're gonna find out it it could be a survival of the fittest, 'cause we're going from playing nine months in you know in not the greatest of weather and especially we all know what it's like in Bolton. Um to twenty eight degrees. And it's gonna be a huge there in in in the physical element. So the using of the ball and the creative side is going to play a massive part in this game, I firmly believe, because the pressing and the closing down is going to be dictated by the environment. So for me Shein and Norwood, it's gonna be a nice battle. I think the two very, very lovely players, really lovely players, creative players, like say time on the ball. um dangerous in and out of play. um, you know, creating those pockets of space, bringing other players in. But like say, um couple of years ago with not having Ruben Rodriguez. We've we've got someone who who knows how to play on there and looks look super to bring other players into play and I' I'm I'm quite looking forward to seeing how he does on that open pitch and and lovely surface as well. So Wayne, you were shaking your head before when you said stick one on him. Uh don't let us into your mind. I'm thinking don't get a red card. I draw the line there. Yeah, yeah I draw the line there. To be fair, I think it was it is it long uh the the the full back didn't I didn't even get booked for the one he put on Paris McGomer. It was simply strong tackle, but That's fine. That's the ideal, I suppose, isn't it? You don't get booked. Yeah, but you know what? Um there's a point I wanted to make about that. When When that happened to Paris and McGomer. It kind of um It kind of um destabilized us. It's like, well, what do we do? What do we do? I don't think we have that problem this year. If you think about our most our star is a Mario. If he goes off in the first 15 minutes, it's not the end of the world. You bring on Gail, you switch the soccer over. And we can still be quite effective. I wouldn't be panicking. Yeah, I'd rather it wouldn't happen, but I'm saying like we don't need to panic like we have in the past. I do think we we know we've got a strong subs bench. And I'm sure that you know Steven's got a problem with what to do with like certain situations. So I'm I think we're better prepared. We've got A bit more solutions based now. Well big big Sam says Steven Schimaker's flexible and that's a that's a blessing as far as I'm concerned. Yeah. Do you agree, Tom? Yeah, I totally agree. To be honest with you, Wayne, I I I'm with you a hundred percent though. I think you know, if you go back to that team, if you took Charles out, let's say, and and McGorma, we didn't really have a heck of a lot, did we, really? If we're honest now if you're getting that out better, but you know Yeah, well, yeah. Well he's just been released off Plymouth, so um but if you actually look at the squad now, I I totally agree with you. You've got Shean, playmaker, Rodriguez, player maker. Dubri star man. Gail could be a star man on the day. He's a he's a player that would probably thrive in that environment. Sizor. So there's five there, just a name. And then you've got the top goal scorer for the club, Sam Dolby. I didn't even put him in in them five, but he should be in there. So I I actually think we're more of a well equipped squad this time round. I agree with you. Um I think that I listened to what Sam Aldice said and he was with Kevin Nolan and I I actually one hundred percent agree with him. Unfortunately, one of Ian Evert's biggest, biggest downfalls is It's it you're playing straight. My way the highway. It's this. That's it. No change, no difference. It was right. I'll take Charles off and put another striker on. I'll uh the subs were sub for sub, whereas sometimes if you watch Schumacher, it actually changes over, you know, he and he and he's a bit more As she said, flexible. Um So it did damage us that and I it we almost did suck the life out of the side, I thought when McGorma got injured. Um Obviously we hope that no one gets injured. However, I'm with you, Wayne. I uh I think that we've actually got a good enough squad. to be or care. But I also agree with you, Will, going that ten percent harder on a fifty fifty wouldn't hurt absolutely stop getting 'cause you can ex you can exploit with more than one. Yeah, that was beautiful. You get take their take one of their better players out. And I don't mean it in a nasty way. What I'm trying to what I'm probably trying to come across in a way is psychologically, it raises the bar for the other players as well. Yeah. Well well you're gonna get a lot of hate on air from Starport fans. I couldn't care less to be honest. They can watch all the one, they can uh yeah, I'm I'm thick skinned, I don't care. Um Yeah, um just turn your phone. Yeah, I'm honestly I'd I'll bring it on, Tom. I'm quite happy. Silence is golden as well, isn't it? So you just crop that bit and and send it to them all bring it on. With Will's face on and just waiting for it. Bring it on. Bring us up on the board. Love it. So yeah, it isn't about going out and intentionally hurting players. I'm not on about that. I'm on about making sure that we go that extra. And you do you don't be past that. Yeah, you n to get through. Difficult games. You have to do things in different different ways. It can't just be tactics against tactics. You've sometimes got to use a little bit of this. Maybe that's my experience. I remember he done one at Wigan, they were running. down the wing and he come right across and just wipes it. And it does as well, raise the ground. You've got to be smart though, Tom, and that's where I'm coming from. Not gonna go about injuring players and all of that. You don't need to do that. It's about being smart about how you go about Get in that. intelligence and that emotional advantage over someone who you're competing with. in your particular area of the pitch. We'll have to change this from team talk, how to injure a player. Without getting booked. Yes, exactly. Team talk. Yeah. Smartly. Smartly. It's all about being smart. Right. Okay. Before we get ourselves into any further trouble, um and also knowing that we need to wrap this up in about uh in about five minutes. So we're gonna have to be succinct in our discussions. But We are gonna need some predictions, some big predictions that can be thrown back to our face. by uh Hatters fans over the over the bank holiday weekend. Um right, Wayne, I'm gonna start with you. Um I want a prediction for the day. want to score for the day and and how confident you are in your words. Well I'm not as confident uh in my words as I was with the Bradford games, so my vision is a bit cloudier this week. One reason for that is um Startport's farm was I think they're hard to predict. Um I don't know what stock part is going to turn up on the day, but I felt with with Bradford you can predict, you know, they they they don't concede many and they don't score many, but they just usually you know often get a win. Um Stop uh Losing to Portville. Um What's the other loss that they had in the last six game? They had another strange loss, didn't they? I wouldn't say Exeter, but I might be wrong. They drew three three with Exeter. And they there was another loss as well. It's uh Can't quite remember. And I could do live I could do live research whilst we're doing this one, you're fine. Right, okay, I'm carrying. Okay. So yeah. Um Well they're coming into this with similar form to us. Two cleets. Um Um So it's gonna be a tight game for me. However, am I? Wait, can I ask you something? Yeah. Whose performances Better. Because I've I've actually looked sorry just to put in Mansfield, by the way. It was Mansfield. Mansfield. I think it's like the EFL fantasy team have put more of Stockport's players in that than ours. Do you believe that Stockport's performances against Stevenage were better than ours against Bradford. I don't I was quite surprised to see that. And you know what? If if we switched opponents, if we had Stevenage. And they had Bradford. then I feel as though you know we could have done as as good a job against uh Stephen. I think it'd be a Bradford final if that were the case. I do as well. It's a good point. Yeah. Anyway, back to mid-prediction. It's gonna be tight. What's my crystal ball say? Yeah. It's going to be A win for the resilient wanderers. One nil. And it's going to be whoever starts as the striker, D'abil Busto. There's a performative volume now about your predictions, Wade. Yeah. It's starting to become a bit of a bit of a thing, isn't it, really? Need a wizard hat for next week. Sorting hat of some description. Um Tom, same question. Probably less messing around on soccer base trying to find out what happened last week. Yeah. So uh look, mine's straightforward. I think we're gonna win three mil. I don't think this side concede. I actually think that Dubre and Sizorco have an absolute blinder. I really do. And not just because it's sunny, Sesorco. Not just because I think you're a good player. Um but no I think three no. I think We've talked about the worry that we have on their pace. We have to think that they're playing a cent centre forward at centre half, potentially. Why not think of how dangerous it could be for Sam Dolby to knock on to two wingers flying at them? Who, let's be honest, are both flying in confidence. So three nil wanderers. And if it's not. I won't be uh my phone will be off for a few days. Absolutely. Absolutely. Well, this is the thing. You guys can hide away, turn your phones off. I've still gonna write the crap anyway. It's uh like a three week funeral will. Bring it home. I'm with Wayne. I'm going three nil as well, eh? Oh one. No, no, it was Tom that was three nil. I'm one nil. I think the game's gonna be a continuation of the two Bradford fixtures. Where it's gonna be really cagey, really tight. And it's gonna be won by a moment of quality. Or a set piece. Or a penalty. St John's ambulance near the press box, please. I think it'll be a really cagey affair where both teams are gonna test each other out very early on. Do as I've mentioned it a couple of times, I do think the environment and the and the temperature is gonna play a massive part in it. And I think that moment of quality will get us over the line. I don't know who it's going to be. I can't predict that one, but I think there's a moment of quality. And I think Yeah, Wait, we're not go with that one. I think over the first leg of the Bradford. It was a moment of quality. And I thought the moment of quality came in the second leg with Simmons. And I think people have really underestimated how much of a decent finish that was from Simmons because they normally go up in the top over the bar. Um, and also people don't remember what an amazing ball it was for McAtee to set us away. Who, by the way, He will play a part. I still play a part. He could. Yeah. So do I Yep, that would uh that would Some Bolton season up pretty perfectly, really. If uh John McCarthy, the the player we were writing off at the very, very beginning of the season were to win the spoils. Wow. So three wins. Everybody is confident. I want you to bottle this thought. I want you to remember this thought on Monday morning. And remember how nice it was for just a few days. We can all live in harmony, peace and harmony. Ah dear. Right, Chents. Thank you very much once again for joining us on Team Talk. Um we will Actually, if Burton lose I'm not I'm just gonna dump the whole channel. I can't be bothered. I'm off I'm off see you later. I'm out going back to put me on for all the spot port phones that are after me. I'm not going back to Burton. Nope, nope, nope. Um no, not really. I'll be back. I'm I'm just condemned to stay here forever, aren't I, basically? Um yes, but thank you very much, gents. Enjoy your day. Don't get sunburned, wear a hat and uh Come back with a dub. See you later. Hello Mark again. Hope you enjoyed that. Let me know. Give me an email if uh that did translate to okay too. audio podcast because it's something we can think about and make sure that's available on the feed for you uh from here on in, I suppose. Another podcast to add to the collection. How do you fit it all in? Talking about fitting stuff in, we've got just enough time to add my chats with Aram Wilburham and Adam Lafondra, aka I'll be and Alfie. Enjoy Hello and welcome to a very special from the press box and a chance to speak to two special guests who know quite a bit about Bolton Wanderers and quite a bit about Stockport County as well, but we're not going to hold that against them. Um we're reuniting. Two of the players. who scored maybe the most famous goal. um in recent Bolton Wanderers memory. It's Adam Lathandra. Aaron Wilbram. How you doing, chaps? Hi Mark, okay. Cool thanks. Excellent stuff. Just saying there, um you probably lay cla conspiring for for the most famous Bolton goal in recent memory. Is that fair? Who's taking the credit? It was a great finish, but what a ball, Alpha. It's goal scorers get the credit, not the assist, mate. No one cares who passed the ball. I don't care. It's who scores. Don't forget Alfie scored the first one as well, by the way. It's a fair point. And didn't you set up Weeds for the second one as well? I did, yeah. Don't let Weeks forget that as well. I set him up against Peterborough at home for the the season before and then I set him up for his I don't know it was his first goal on the last day McCason as well. He should have scored more that year. Big dope. He didn't strike the ball that cleanly. from what I remember. I thought he was gonna fall over. That sums him up a little it stubbed it into the floor, didn't it? Absolutely. Absolutely. Uh nobody's gonna forget that though, Albie. That was uh that was some moment. I bet you how many times a week do you get asked about that, by the way? I watch I watch it a a a fair few times a week myself to be fair. But No, no, it obviously gets obviously gets brought up quite a lot and obviously on the anniversary of it, yeah. I can't believe it's been eight years since that. It's crazy. It seemed like two minutes ago, so Obviously yeah it's a great goal to look back on and Yeah, what a great day it was for us to survive the way we did. Well, I'll I'll get into that in a minute. I mean you both in a unique position really this playoff final in the in the you probably can't pick it's like picking between two two children, I suppose, because both of you got your big breaks really with stop porks. Spent a lot of time there and obviously we'll have lots of lots of connections. We'd like to think that you'd lean in towards bolt moders, but we're gonna be fair on you anyway. We'll start with start with Alfie. I mean you you you I remember you're a you're a kid, basically, weren't you? That's uh at at Stockport when you first first start and then they set you Set you on your way. Um, what was it? Seventy on seventy odd appearances, twenty goals. Not a bad start. Yeah, um You know, obviously I well I've started to stop port when I was about ten years old, nine years old, so um, you know, sort of living the the boyhood dream. I came through my my hometown club, living Stockport living in Stockport now. So uh made my debut for them and and progressed through and Um you know, they gave me that. that opportunity to make it as a professional football to to start my journey. Um so yeah, I as you say it is divided sort of loyalties for for me and Albecause we're very similar. Albe was sort of the player I looked up to because he was a very similar player in in the fact that he came from you know, with a young person breaking through at Stockport and forced a m a a great career out of football and And I was saying I was Think probably sixteen and maybe I'll be maybe just left or around the first team then and was probably the main striker in the club then with him and Luke Beckett. So Um I I've watched Albie play and for me to sort of break in and and sort of do that as well and and forge my career at, you know, after Stopport going to Rochdale, et cetera, et cetera. And You know, uh ending up at a a bolton two and And I I sort of said it on Twitter the other day, yeah. It's hard for me because I have great loyalty to stopport because they give me my career, but I shared something with Bolton that I didn't share with Stockport in the fact that I've shared some great moments in my career. One you know, outstanding moment of of what I've achieved in football. I've got two moments where I I can look back and think this is you know, some of the best days of my life in football and Bolton hold one of their moments. So That's why it's it's so hard for me to pick between the two is because I've shared something on the field with with Bolton and their fans and the club. that I didn't I didn't get the opportunity to do with stock port port Um obviously stop Paul give me my opportunity to become a professional footballer and allow me to to start my journey as well. So it's it it's weird, you know, when you sort of try and pick a team 'cause it is it's so hard to do so. Albeit had seven years down. Do you remember looking at Alfie and thinking he's he's got a chance, by the way? 'Cause I mean you didn't really cross paths in first team football, did you? But obviously it would have been around the place. Yeah. Yeah, and Alf I just remember Alfie coming up as a young lad. Obviously you get the YTS's join in with you every now and again and he just always scored goals. It was just scoring goals, all different types of goals, whenever you joined in with the first team. And everybody just knew. he was gonna have a great career because he was just always in the right place, right time, all different kinds of finishes. And I just remember Alfie. So how old are you now, Alfie? You No mate. Thirty nine, so you were seven years behind me. So yeah, I left when I was twenty four. So you'd have been like seventeen coming through, wouldn't you? As I left and went to Hull City. So yeah, but I just remember Alfie just every time he trained with us always being a goal scorer. Uh, but similar similar to Alfie, Stockport gave me my chance. I'd got released by Manchester City under sixteen, but Gave me the chance in terms of my dad had just passed away. I was still just like hanging around on the streets with my mates and my old PE teacher pulled me and said he knew to stop Port County. Youth team manager, do I want to go down for a trial. So a little bit of a loose end, just lost my dad. and just went on trial at Stockport at the age of sixteen and got a two year Y T S and my career just went from there, really similar to Alfie. So I'm I really whenever I look at Pumbits on the T V and they sit on the fence, I'm always like come on. Make a choice, but I'm I'm similar to Alfred, where I can't really choose or wanna go up because Stop Stockport give me that chance, like I was was there sixteen to twenty four, nearly eight years. And gave me a great chance in terms of my life and my career and my first football journey, whereas Bolton Me a chance a little bit off the field again at Bristol City, having lived away from my wife and daughter for three years to bring me back home to the North West at a great standard at the age of Thirty seven, thirty eight. Um, to come back home and play for a club like Bolton in a championship was an unbelievable feeling, obviously to score that goal that season. So I'm I'm the same as Alfie. I just I couldn't I couldn't pick. I am sitting on the fence this weekend, I'm afraid. You can both sit on the fence. It's I'm not I'm not worried about that. I I was looking you've only actually been in the same team seventeen times. In in the whole time. So it's it's quite weird because like I always kind of group you together almost in in terms of careers, but you know it's blame blame soul Parkinson for that. I think I want to play one striker. Yes, absolutely. Absolutely. And he won't be watching anyway. I imagine he's on a posh holiday now. There. So to be fair, like when when Gary Medine left and me and Alfie hadn't been given much of a chance that season, I honestly thought It me and Alfie might get a little bit of a go together and like because I we knew each other's game and It didn't work out that way. He either played Alfie and Josh Feller or me and it switched up a bit towards end of the season, but then obviously got us all together on the pitch at the end of it and then we scored three goals for the first time in our long so it obviously worked and that's probably the reason though literally because of the formation I think at Bolton that we did that season. Me and Alfie weren't Like to gather much on a pitch. But it all works out in the end. Alfie. I mean you have you had three spells in you because you had a couple of lone spells and then came back. permanently. And the the one thing I said straight away is you just bought bought into it straight away. It just clicked straight away with the fans and it you couldn't you couldn't really put a foot wrong with with Balton. Yeah, when I when I joined the first time with with Lenny, obviously for me The way the the sort of the gaff of Lenny at the time put his arms around me, the way the fans embraced me at that point at Cardifi was probably lacking a bit of confidence, feeling a bit unloved. and obviously coming in and showing that sort of love straight away and obviously I repaid that with the goals. W since I left Bolton, I I've made it up. Very clear. Uh all I wanted to do was come back to Bolton. So I knew that me and Bolton had a special relationship and you know, obviously the season where they had a lot of trouble the following season after I left the first time. I said to Lenny after the Birmingham game, my last game, I said, went in his office, said sign me now. I want to stay, I'll score twenty five for you next season. And he was like, Yeah, we'll get it done and Obviously it didn't happen for whatever reason. the financial trouble came out. Obviously I signed for Wolves had an absolute stinker and You know, I was still trying to get back to Bolton, you know, after that. Um the Wigan the Wigan sort of situation arose and I was still trying to come back to Bolton. didn't quite work out, obviously an embargo. Then halfway through that season again, wanted to come back to Bolton, had other opportunities to go to, didn't want to go to them. Um And you know, finally last day of the window, Cluffy goes, I come back in. Um I'm a little bit undercooked because I've not played much at Wigan. And so struggling for a little bit of form and fitness, find it on at Fleetwood and Um, you know, we we sort of kick on from there and that sort of helped me regain my sort of love for football in general and and yeah. Yeah. And I think the fans as well sort of were willing me to do that as well because they've seen what I produced earlier and Um I think With the fan base. the way they reacted to me and the way they sort of talked to me, I was always connected with them as well. Like I've I've had I've had, you know, some great fan bases with me, you know, I've had the goals are scored at Rotherham. The that obviously they they love me to bits. Um Sydney when I were played in Australia, they were really fond of me of obviously Redding as well. You know. very fun for the goals I scored and and Bolton are no different. Obviously it was probably a short period of time and not that many goals. When I look back, I think I scored about twenty one goals for Bolton, but I think if I was given a little bit more time at Bolton. like I wanted to, um it probably a lot more than that, but you know, football doesn't work like that. And I managed to, like I said alluded to before, I've managed to share some of the best moments in my career with Bolton. So I can't thank them enough for that. And the way the fans made me feel and the club made me feel because I wanted to come back and share that with them, you know. Like I said, once I left Bolton in that first period, all I wanted to do was come back to Bolton. Sounds a bit sad really because I turned down other opportunities to do that, um to go other places, but I wanted to come back to Bolton because I knew I could be successful there. Yeah, it's not wrong with that. I I would say, Albert, that your your route was slightly different, wasn't it? I mean It it was hard at times because that season was hard. I mean, every everybody involved will tell you there were there a lot of there were a lot of low moments, but You talk about, you know, finishing your time with a club. the right way and and having that moment at the end and sticking with it. You had the goal against Sheffield Wednesday, wouldn't I? I remember that one well. And then obviously the the one against forest and Well, how do you look back at it now? Cause it it kind of it was a it was a strange season, really. Yeah, I think. When I when I came back I w I wasn't Delude that I was turning thirty, yeah, yeah. I'd had a little bit of an injury at Bristol City and I came in and obviously we had some great strikers there, obviously Gazman Dean, Alfie, everybody who was involved at at at the club. I just felt because we were losing so many games and around the bottom three, I think I'll feel tell you when when you're not in the team and the team of winning, you just have to kinda take your medicine. But when you feel you can actually give something and you And you're feeling a little bit restored even though you're a bit older, you just think like Give me a chance. So I was a little bit frustrated throughout the season in terms of because we were losing games. And I still wasn't being given a chance, even twenty, thirty minutes coming on. It was just a little bit frustrating and then I kept like knocking on the door kind of thing and speaking to Phil and he was like, Yeah, keep going and then For me to get told I was starting in that last game of the season, it was the biggest like I'll feel he I think he named the team on about the Tuesday, the game was Sunday. And we're all in training, I and even I was thinking like Alfie was top goal score, I was thinking This ain't gonna go down well with the fans, and I remember the fans droning when my name was read out before the game. So It was a bit of resilience, but in in my head it was my last game, so I was thinking, Well Sod it. Like it's the last game. I'm just gonna give it everything and try and make a little bit of a difference. And I had a feeling I'd play a big part that day, but the way it works being two one down with four minutes to go and coming back. And obviously it was a great way to leave the club. I didn't think I'd leave the call having got that goal. I thought I might make another year out of Ken, but Wasn't meant to be, but no. You don't get anything out of Ken, you should know that. But look looking back, it's probably best that I left when I did, because I left on a high and obviously it went like that even more so the following season with the lads not getting paid and everything like that. So I think I left on a high with the fans and whenever I go back to Bolton now I always get a good reception and go and eat I get recognised by Bolton fans all over the world, no matter where I go, they're all they crawl out of everywhere, don't they so on holiday, walking round the Trafford Centre, Manchester, nights out, whatever. So no, and it's and for me, yeah, it was a strange up and down season, I think, for everybody, but finished in the right way and probably in the best way you can finish a season. So yeah. I look back at it as like I always says really fun times and I really enjoyed it and still enjoy going back there. Yeah, absolutely. I'd bet you neither of you got paid your gold bonus, let's put it that way. We won't get into that though. I got sh I got shoved out in the the dark of the night, didn't I? I remember I was suddenly united and then I'm like, you what? Well, what happened? My story is pretty funny because and I've said this on a few things I've been on board. The yellow card I got for taking my shirt of. I got I think I got that got took out my wages, the eight pound administration fee. I never got I never got my goal bonus till about four months later, but I got it in the end, yeah. Uh happy days, happy days. You both you both played in playoffs. I I think you both played in player finals as well. Um Is this is this is there a special trick to it? I mean, how do you how do you cope with the pressure? How do you handle pressure as a as a as a player, Alf? Uh well I didn't know how to do that trick 'cause I lost both times three two. You know, I lost one to Stockport when I went to Rochdale, um lost three two to Stockport, lost three two to Dagenham as well. So I never really found out the trick. Um and that was younger in my career, so I think I think for me, um I probably looking back maybe struggled a little bit with the occasion. You know, how big the occasion was. Me going into them games being the the main striker on show having you know twenty plus goals a season. um and not being able to produce in them moments. So that was probably something I look back on and think, I wish I could do probably a little bit different now and, you know, my mindset would be completely different as I got older to deal with that sort of pressure in that occasion. So Um Yeah, like I say it weren't successful for me, but um it is a a fantastic day out, don't get me wrong. It's only it's only fantastic if you win it. I mean I I having having gone there with Bolton, I mean I'd you know I've I've done a few games at Wembley where it's just not worked and and you come out it's it's a it's a soulless experience. Um, I'll be you've had better luck. Tell me you've had better luck. Tell me you you know the trick. No, so we well I'd done the full 120 minutes for Palace in the Wat Palace Watford uh playoff final. And we did win, but that was Zahar scoring that game, David. Well Zahar got brought down for the penalty, Cab Phillips scored the penalty ball. If you remember Watford had had the all the all the emotion in the semi final with a Deanie gold against Leicester. So they had all that emotion. in the semis, whereas we'd been quite focused, be bright in a way. And then I don't know if this makes a difference, but We'd gone down to Wembley the day before to have a look around Watford hadn't We we turned up on the day All suited up, looking smart, what for turn up in a track is. You don't know those little psychological edges and whether they matter, but I felt that we were really focused and on it that day against Solas Watford and They just didn't really turn up. I remember expecting more more than from them myself, and whether that emotion of the semifinal the occasion, like Alfie says. I mean, I was similar, I should have been a hatchet that day and I I look back at it, even though we wanna went up a bit frustrated that I never scored there. Um, but playoffs in terms of my playoffs, yeah, that was a great one to win to get to the Prem, obviously. I think with M K Dons got there to the semis twice, beat on penalties one time, knocked out another time. But it is it's a little bit of a lottery as I feel tell you and I think This one coming up. Bolton Stopport's gonna be a great game. I watched it at Bolton a few weeks ago, I think it was Easter Monday. And I felt like Stotport with a better team first half by a mile, but then Bolton with a better team second half by mile with the substitutes they brought on with some players coming back from injury. So I feel like it's gonna be a really good game and You you you can prepare all you want, but like I I think Alf is spot on. Whichever. Seven out the eleven, six out of the eleven handle the occasion better than the other team will be the ones who win on the day 'cause it is about handling that occasion. You've sorted out all your tickets for your family. The the stadium seems absolutely massive. It seems ten times hotter than it actually is. And All those types of things in it else they saw. Yeah, definitely. It was like a cauldron eye point, let me tell you. It felt it felt like that anyway. Yeah, I think it's supposed to be twenty six degrees on uh on Sunday, so it's gonna be one of those classic kind of Wemberley Cup final occasions. Look, I I think it there's there's match winners in both squads aren't there, really. You look at Louis Barry, you look at Carl Woodon, you look at uh Oli Norwood particularly for for County, and then something like Mario Cojri or Mason Burstow, Sam Dolby for for for Balton. It it's it's hard to it's hard to call in Alpha. Yeah, I I think obviously the way Watten's played at centre half has been unbelievable and the way Stopport have been able to sort of Soldier on and And obviously you've got a twenty goal striker playing centre half and playing really well, and stay still been able to produce results, you know, obviously Louis Barry being fit towards the back end of the season, producing and having moments of genius in him, you know, a player like that is is invaluable in a in a you know in a in a on a pitch like Wembley, so big, obviously that's gonna be a big, big challenge for um you know Bolton's right side dealing with him. Yeah. So that that'll be a obviously a big duel and and obviously um doob for for Balton as well. He's excellent. One V one causes a hell of a lot of problems. His pace and and you know dynamism with the ball. Think there's that's gonna be the key matchup for for for both teams is how they both deal with them threats. Um, and obviously, you know, you've got Norwood against Sheen in midfield as well. So Obviously an only Norwood on a on a big Wembley pitch with his range of passing, you expect him to ideally dominate the ball. Um and and obviously that's what Stopport are gonna won, but Obviously uh Baltiman afford to just roll over and let that happen and just sort of sit back and and let him dictate the play. Yeah, absolutely. I think that midfield battle's a as a key one, Albe it's Norwood and Sheehan who both like to get on the ball, like like to dictate the tempo of play. Maybe it's it comes down to who plays around them and and and gets you know to disrupt that to to get the second balls to to sort of mop up and let the the playmakers play, I suppose. Yeah, definitely be interesting to see what both managers do because like Alfie says they've got similar Threats in terms of Cosby Doubri and Louis Barry whether they're gonna double up on them players and keep them quiet, but then you've got the playmakers for each team, like you're saying, Sheen and Norwood. So it's a really interesting matchup, I think Toll and Johnson do well for Bolton at the back in terms of like good out and out defenders. But then you've got Kyle Warton playing there at the back. Will he play him up top? Will he play him the back? So you've got all these different conundrums for the managers to kinda I know Dave Challenge watching uh Bolton games at Bradford, I seen him on the T V and But if I'm plenty of time to prep and It's whichever manager can come up with the best game plan, but like we said earlier, whichever players can then handle that game plan, put it out on the pitch and handle the occasion the best. But I'm sure it'll be a great game. Just just going back on that on with what Arby was saying. Also I I think it's a big challenge for Baldwin Center has to deal with Sadebi or Alathai, you know, big pitch, pace down the middle, forward runs. Uh When I've watched Burst though for for obviously Bolton. He's got that tools, but doesn't look to penetrate as much as he should do, I think. He's a really good foil. he's strong on the ball obviously Dog is a little bit of a different profile as well really good air really but if Berso does play I think he needs to threaten more in behind and make you know what and defend if he's gonna play centre you're gonna have to make Warton defend make him run back towards his goal Um because Snabian or Larthay, whichever one of them starts up top, if they do start, they're gonna make baldons back to run back. And they're gonna they're gonna have to run back quick because they are rapid. So you know they both have to penetrate they they both have to, you know, threaten in behind, especially on the pitch. That's where Bolton Luke missed Johnny Kenny. Johnny Kenny had more pace, uh, like to play off the shoulder of the the the the Defenders. Dolby, like you say. He's been out injured. Probably expecting him to star, but he is a different type of player. It's who you can get in behind and who you can kind of uh exploit those those spaces. With Bolton's main threats are the wingers, Koji Dubry, whether it be Sosoko, whether it'd be Gale on that left hand side. Lightning lightning quick. So I suppose that's another one of those one of those jewels. There's there's just lots of them in there. It's it is very, very tough to call. Yeah, I think like Alfie said as well, on that on the size of that pitch with the heat as well, it's about who can penetrate, who can run in behind, but there's so many threats for both teams. I think the the two best teams in the playoffs, I think it's the final everybody wanted. And I think whoever goes up deserves it. I think it'll it'll be great to see Bolton go up after the obviously trying for so long now, has it been six, seven years? And all and then also Stockport's journey to go down to where they've been and to get back to where they were would be an unbelievable story as well. So obviously it's a massive day out for everybody involved, the players the supporters and everybody, but it's I'm I'm really looking forward to watching it, to be honest. sure you will be but boys thank you very much for for tuning in and joining in rather it's been great to talk to you again we could go forever but I know uh I know Albert you better go back in the gym haven't you mate isn't gym's done you made me squeeze it in this morning Mark nice and quickly saw that been on a time scale. Motivation. That's what you need if you're going to be a record breaker. Happy days. Right. Thank you very much, Chabs. I'll uh I shall speak to you soon. Take care. If watching wanderers is stressing you out, then why not book a nice break with our podcast sponsors, Destinology? An award winning Balkan based company and proud sponsor of Baltimore Wanderers FC, specializing in crafting exceptional holidays to bread expert knowledge, luxury accommodation and exclusive perks. 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