I just think it’s our year. The turmoil we’ve been through all these years, away from the second tier, and I remember going to Watford away, and the game being abandoned, we were in the top six at the time. Matt Elliott was sold for £1.5m to Leicester, and the wheels fell off spectacularly, all our assets were then sold on Gilchrist among others. We could never bounce back, administrators were called in, we were days from liquidation, and ceasing to exist. We tumbled out of the football league. We suffered the sight of Orient fans running on the pitch celebrating in front of us. We spent a long time in non Lge and finally got out of that bottle neck of a division. We celebrated at Wembley to be back, largely thanks to all the goals Constable scored for us. We the took a few seasons to really get going in Lge 2. We had to go to proper poor grounds like the Don Valley for Rotherham matches. Eventually Ian Lenegan went, and Lord Wilder walked out on us. We go Daryl Eales, Mark Ashton, and Michael Appleton. Fans were sceptical, and unsure especially Ashton, because he wasn’t well thought of from his past at Watford. He came in and communicated with fans. He started the phone in. He helped bring in better players, and Mapps had to get them playing. It took time, but when them wheels got in motion, boy was it a joy to watch. He got us promoted playing the best football we had seen in years. They brought us two Wembley visits, the Barnsley game was a cracker, and the Coventry game was a let down, as I walked away from the game I felt we didn’t turn up on the day. Ashton left and went to Bristol City, Michael Appleton didn’t get the budget he felt he needed to climb in the top six. After a brilliant first season in Lge 1. Then Eales sold us to Tiger. Many thought when Tiger turned up, we’d been sold down the river, especially after his first interview, and being so late. He brought in Karl Robinson, and to be fair to Robbo, he eventually got us playing some really good football, but sometimes inconsistent. We had some big away days results. 0-5 Lincoln, 0-5 Crewe, Gillingham 2-7. We also went on a long unbeaten run. He got us a Wembley visit against Wycombe, but under Covid times, meaning no fans could be there. Not the same, and I think in normal circumstances and fans being there may of helped the players. The way we lost the game, miscommunication between defender and goalkeeper, or was something said on the sidelines by a Wycombe player. Why Didn’t Henry shoot, if he did we score, but Anthony Stewart had a blinder. We then get back in to the playoffs and meet Blackpool, and we’re again set to suffer heartbreak. The Blackpool defender should of been red carded in the first 5 mins when Mark Sykes was clean through on goal and brought down. Maybe things would of been different, but Ellis Sims on loan from Everton broke our hearts in the first leg, along with Kenny Dougall who was excellent for them too. We lose 0-3, but go to Blackpool and give them a bloody good game. We draw 3-3, but it was done and dusted in the first leg. We miss out on the playoffs finishing in an agonising 7th on 76 points. Normally that’s enough for a top six finish. We then had the meltdown of KR’s reign and very nearly got relegated for it. We don’t need to go into his antics, we all know what happened, and how toxic it got in the dressing room and on the pitch and sidelines. Liam Manning came in, as a little bit of a surprise, and he got us to safety with wins at Home to Cheltenham, and away at Forest Green. Phew. Business started early for a change in the summer Rodrigues came in, who had been sensational for Notts County and he was a free transfer, and he was a very sort after player. So that was nice to fight off others. Then all his other signings came in, but we started a striker short. We start the season at Cambridge and for the first 15 mins we looked good. Then Beadle and Thorniley mistakes give them a 2-0 win, ok it’s the first time they’ve played together. We got to Ashton Gate in the cup, and get thrashed. I remember looking at my OUFC mate I go to games with every season thinking “we are in for a long hard season”, how wrong was I. We get our first win 1-0 against Carlisle. Then things started moving quickly. Two away wins in 4 days against challengers Derby and Barnsley. I remember after leaving Pride Park, hearing fans saying how good we were, and they fancied us to go up as dark horses. That stuck in my mind. Manning was earning us around 2.4 points per game, and I remember someone coming on this forum saying that no team at that point of the season has failed to make the top six. We achieved that. Liam Manning was approached and all the staff were gone. We felt like we had been let down. We were in lumber, and results dropped off. We eventually bring in Des Buckingham, not my preference, but however he was given the job. Results weren’t forthcoming. I got frustrated, and perhaps because he wasn’t my choice I didn’t have the patience for him. But he managed to get us enough points that got us back on track. We were still outside the top six and not quite showing a game plan at times. Then coming into the last few games, we got a little mini run going 2-0 at Port Vale. A 1-1 draw Shrewsbury (disappointing) then beat Burton 4-0 home win 4-0 Fleetwood followed by the performance of the season. A resounding 5-0 win over Peterborough. I said after that we’d be playing them in the Semi Finals of the playoffs. We get back in to the top six and it’s in our hands. We get completely shithoused by Lincoln and lose 1-0, and the penalty was never a penalty. Followed by a disappointing draw to Stevenage. We then knew we had to win, and other results going our way to make sixth. The boys went out at St James Park and took the game to an inform Exeter, and in no time we are 2-0 up. Mous did a shithouse job on Lincoln, I think that he did that for us. Plus Lincoln miss a penalty (karma) we keep our three points, and I thought to myself, we’ve got Bolton, still remembering the drubbing we took at there place, only to find out Barnsley drew with the Cobblers. Which meant we have to face the Posh. I felt relieved and believed it was in the stars we would meet them, and psychologically had the advantage over them. They rested key players in there run in, and I thought that was an advantage to us, because you need to keep match fit. We grounded out a 1-0 lead, and I felt Posh came to the Kassam to slow the game down and play for the draw. Moore put an end to that, and Peterborough showed a bit more adventurous football towards the end, but it was too late. We get given a poor allocation, nevertheless Des said we won’t sit back, and again got the better of Ferguson. We completely shithoused the game at times, and it was in someways a joy to see us do it, as it has happened to us so often. The players defended from the front, and put there bodies on the line knowing they were so close to that BIG day at Wembley. Brown Moore and Bennett were brilliant for the whole 97 mins. Longs fantastic clearance off the line, and Jamie Cumming making a marvellous save. The final whistle goes, and we are there. That one off Playoff Final, and chance to enter the second tier after all the years of turmoil this club and us the fans have had to go through. It’s been painful, and excruciating. Bolton go in to the final as BIG favourites, but form, previous results, and where you finish mean absolutely nothing. It’s about who turns up on the day. I’ve seen enough in the last few weeks to convince me we are going to do it. For the first time I can see a real togetherness between manager and players. There is a hunger and desire there that I’ve not seen for along time.
We break the Trotters hearts, and go up. They may have had some very hard times, but we’ve been worse off, and I think it’s our turn. We’ve come full circle, and go back to where we imo belong. It will be nice to go and play Watford again, where it all started to go wrong from Elliott being sold, and sliding in to oblivion.
Bolton 2-3 Oxford it will be a cracker and a gut wrenching hang on at the end, but there will be tears of joy, for us fans that have been there, and gone full circle, and for the fans that get to experience it for the first time.
Interview - Des Buckingham
Interview - Opposition Manager
Referee - Sam Barrott
Head to Head
