Bolton Wanderers remembered those part of the wider Wanderers family that have passed away in recent years on Thursday evening.
At the Club’s Annual Service of Remembrance, attendees including Mayor of Bolton, Cllr Andy Morgan and Wanderers' legend John McGinlay, paid tribute to loved ones lost at the Toughsheet Community Stadium in a moving service.
The service began pitchside where John McGinlay, alongside the Mayor and Mayoress, laid a wreath on the pitch to start the ceremony before a service of remembrance and thanksgiving was conducted by Club Chaplain, Phil Mason.
The Service continued in the 1877 Suite, and following the theme of 'One Family', a reading titled 'One Body, Many Parts' opened the service inside.
A tribute to Iain Purslow, the Wanderers' supporter who sadly died at our home fixture against Cheltenham Town this season, followed with love and support shown to Iain's family on the night.
Names of loved ones that have been added to the Book of Remembrance and Memorial Bricks, as well as those we lost over the past twelve months were then read out. Following this, those remembered from previous years – along with the 33 people who lost their lives in the Burnden Park disaster - appeared on a big screen.
An opportunity for attendees to light candles in memory of loved lost ones followed in a poignant act of remembrance, with music provided throughout the service by Tommy Govern and Sandra Scattergood.
Club Chaplain, Phil Mason said, “For so many people within our Bolton Wanderers family, this is a vitally important event.
"This year feels particularly poignant as a club with the passing of Iain Purslow in January, and this service offers solace and comfort to so many people during an incredibly difficult period.
"We are one family at this football club, and this is a perfect way for us to bring those within our community, united by loss, and honour their loved ones."
Wanderers thank all those who attended and our thoughts are with the family and friends of all those we remembered on Thursday evening. RIP.
