Record win, and a record defeat
In the latest article looking back at Bolton`s ups and downs at the Reebok over the last twenty years, we thought we would kill two birds with one stone.
Because, within a few weeks of each other back in 2011, we set two very contrasting records. In September, we suffered our biggest loss at the Reebok when Man Utd beat us 5-0, but in early November, the same scoreline, but this time in our favour, saw us notch up our biggest league win at the ground against Stoke.
There more often than not was a right time to play us that season, but it was certainly the wrong time to play United, just two weeks after they had put eight goals past Arsenal. Their strike partnership of Wayne Rooney and Javier Hernandez scored all five goals, with the Shrek lookalike banging in a hat-trick and the Mexican international getting himself a brace.
The first goal had been scored within minutes, we were 3-0 down at half-time, and the closest we got was when Nigel Reo-Coker hit the bar while we were 4-0 down. We would still go on to concede another.
Fast forward a few weeks, and we were in dire need of a win. We hadn`t had one at our place, with even the likes of Norwich and Sunderland even winning at ours. Stoke were next as we entered the first weekend in November. This was the first time we had played the Potters since that FA Cup semi-final, and while nothing would make up for that result, a win was important for the here and now. Stoke had played in Europe in midweek, struggling in the games after those excursions.
We started brilliantly that Sunday afternoon, Ivan Klasnic`s quick free kick winding up everybody of a Stoke persuasion, and Kevin Davies slotted home an early opener. Klasnic would go on to score two for himself, as would Chris Eagles. That was our biggest league win at the Reebok, although we would only win three other home games that season.