As ever, we remember today those who tragically lost their lives in the Burnden Park Disaster.
Seventy-eight years ago on 9th March 1946, Wanderers played Stoke City in an FA Cup quarter-final second-leg tie in front of an estimated crowd of 85,000.
Devastatingly, 33 Wanderers’ supporters didn’t return home as Burnden Park became the scene of the worst tragedy in British football history at that time.
Others also suffered life-changing injuries in the crush inside the stadium in a tragedy Bolton Wanderers Football Club and the town of Bolton will never forget.
Our thoughts continue to be with those affected and beside the statue of club legend Nat Lofthouse at the home of Bolton Wanderers we have a permanent bronze relief that outlines the details of that day and lists the names of the 33.
The club’s Book of Remembrance remains open at the front of the Toughsheet Community Stadium where the names of those who died are also listed.
And at our Annual Service of Remembrance and Thanksgiving at the end of the season we shall again pause to remember those who lost their lives in this tragedy and light candles in their memory.
We shall never forget them:
Wilfred Addison
Wilfred Allison
Fred Battersby
James Battersby
Robert Bentham
Harry Ratcliffe Birtwistle
Henry Bimson
John Thomas Blackshaw
William Braidwood
Frederick Campbell
Fred Price Dearden
William Evans
Winston Finch
John Flinders
Albert Edward Hanrahan
Emily Hodgkinson
William Hughes
Frank Jubb
John Livesey
John Thomas Lucas
Harold McAndrew
William McKenzie
Morgan Mooney
Harry Unsworth Needham
David Pearson
Joseph Platt
Sidney Potter
Granville Roberts
Richard Roby
Thomas Roby
Thomas Smith
Walter Wilmott
James Wilson