My first memories of City playing Bolton Wanderers are from 1993, when we entertained them on Sky TV in the FA Cup.
It was an oddity in itself – Bolton were First Division (Championship) but due to the formation of the Premier League, two clubs from that level were asked to enter the FA Cup in the First Round. Bolton and West Brom had come up from what is now League One, and therefore were the lowest-ranked sides in the competition.
It did mean that there were second-tier sides, the current Championship, in the First Round. Bolton beat Gretna, but Halifax shocked West Brom, meaning the Trotters were the big club. We beat Witton Albion in the First Round, and when the draw sent Bruce Rioch’s side to City, Sky got interested.
Sky wasn’t showing every game back then, there was little football on TV. It was the second year of the Premier League and having the cameras at a game was a novelty. Us being selected was huge news, and I recall them coming to training and filming in the week leading up to the game. They really shone a light on us, perhaps as we’d already taken Everton close in the League Cup, they sensed a giant killing.
As a Third Division club, City stood to benefit handsomely from the live televised second round tie. Managing director Geoff Davey outlined the scale of the opportunity in clear terms.
“Bearing in mind the live coverage from Sky and money from the BBC for appearing on Match of the Day, as well as all the advertising opportunities, the attendance monies and revenue from such matches, we should be looking to benefit to the tune of £80,000.”
Between Sky’s £48,000 and £12,000 from Match of the Day, both Lincoln and Bolton were guaranteed £60,000. For City, it was transformative.
“That is an immense amount of money for Lincoln City Football Club. It really means that whatever we do for the rest of the season and whenever we do it, within reason, we will show a considerable profit in this financial year.
“It is also comforting to know that we will be in a position to strengthen the squad if and when Keith Alexander decides.”
The windfall followed £67,000 received from Keith Scott’s transfer from Wycombe Wanderers to Swindon Town. Progress past Bolton would have meant another lucrative tie. Davey allowed himself cautious optimism.
“We beat Port Vale after two excellent matches in the Coca-Cola Cup and then played particularly well against Everton, so who knows?
“If we get a little bit of luck and the players play to their potential, then we can beat Bolton.”
Preparation for the tie had not been entirely smooth. Striker Steve Mardenborough, 29, asked to be placed on the transfer list after failing to secure a regular starting place following his £10,000 summer move from Darlington. Keith Alexander explained the situation.
“At 29, Steve feels he should be playing regular first-team football and he obviously feels at the moment that he’s not going to happen here.
“As we do with all players who want to be put onto the transfer list, we will do just that. But that is not to say that I want him to see him go or that he will not be a part of my future plans.”
In fairness, Mardenborough did play eight more times, scoring twice, but wasn’t ever a regular.
On the eve of the game, Alexander was keen that the occasion, live on Sky, would not overawe his players. They’d been there for training, and he felt it would be disappointing if they got caught out by the glare of the nation’s gaze.
“It’s the first time most of our players will have appeared live on television and for most it will probably be the last time as well. But I will be disappointed if the players are affected by the TV cameras.
“It’s our biggest test of the season so far and I would hope, like me, the players are looking forward to it. It’s going to be a difficult game for us as Bolton are in good form at the moment but if we can get the crowd behind us, and that is vitally important, then who knows?”
Bolton, managed by Bruce Rioch, arrived on an eight-match unbeaten run. They had required two late goals from Owen Coyle in the first round to overcome Gretna, and were climbing steadily in the First Division, with John McGinlay already on 15 goals for the season.
The cameras really got a David and Goliath feel to the game. City were renovating Sincil Bank, with the changing rooms and new club shop being built. That meant players getting changed in cabins, which I think were in the current PlayZone car park, and even then, Sky loved the ‘big club glamour against poor club poverty’ angle, and watching the players trudging to the pitch from outside the gorund was gold for them.
In front of 6,250 supporters, Lincoln’s hopes of reaching the third round for the first time in 17 years ultimately fell short.
Alan Thompson opened the scoring on 23 minutes. City were pressing high, but David Hill gave the ball away to Owen Coyle. He surged upfield and fed Thompson, whose shot just evaded the diving Pollitt in front of the Stacey West end of the ground. It came against the run of play, with City the better side up to that point.
David Johnson equalised on 33 minutes, his eighth goal of the season. Neil Matthews stumbled but managed to get it through to Lormor. His persistent run eventually saw the ball squirm out wide to Johnson, whose finish wasn’t clean, but he evaded Aidan Davison in the Bolton net. 1-1, and no less than the Imps deserved.
The second half shifted decisively. Rioch scrapped his sweeper system and pushed an extra man into midfield, tilting the contest. Grant Brown cleared a Thompson effort off the line on 51 minutes after Pollitt had fumbled a cross. At the other end, Paul Smith’s 35-yard strike, coming after Matthews had weaved into the box and had a shot blocked, forced Davison into a fine save. But Bolton’s quality showed, registering six shots and headers on target to Lincoln’s three.
Phil Brown made it 2-1 on 69 minutes with a crashing effort from the right edge of the area. Two minutes later, Coyle rounded Mike Pollitt and slotted into an empty net. City were out of the competition.
Afterwards, Alexander reflected on the defeat.
“We’re all disappointed that we did not play as well as we know we can play. But then as we say, when we have one, you can only play as well as the opposition lets you and they’re a first division side. Of course, we’re disappointed not to have won the game and gone on and drawn Manchester United at home in the next round. But the lads themselves would be more disappointed with the way we played in the second half.
“Perhaps most disappointing was the amount of times we gave the ball away. We’ve got to learn to keep hold of the ball until something is on for us. At 1-1 against another third division team, you would always feel we could win. But against a better side like Everton and Bolton, if you make mistakes, you don’t tend to get second chances.”
It was not Manchester United out of the hat, but remarkably, Everton, who City had already beaten. Bolton were in their stride by then – they knocked out the Toffeemen, then drew Arsenal and knocked them out too, before dispatching Aston Villa. Oldham, in the quarter final, proved to be a step too far, but the following season, Rioch took them to the League Cup final and Premier League promotion.
The money did allow us to bring in new faces – Tony Daws, Alan Johnson and David Ridings all arrived on permanent deals before the conclusion of the season.
Lincoln City: Mike Pollitt, Paul Smith, Ian Baraclough, Dave Hill, Grant Brown, John Schofield, Dean West, Tony Lormor, Neil Matthews, David Johnson, Mark Smith. Subs: Tony Loughlan for Lormor, Steve Williams for Johnson.
Bolton Wanderers: Aidan Davison, Phil Brown, Jimmy Phillips, Tony Kelly, Mark Seagraves, Mark Winstanley, Jason McAteer, Alan Stubbs, Owen Coyle, John McGinlay, Alan Thompson.
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