Bolton Wanderers

Kit History

Christ Church

1874

circa 1871 a

circa 1874 a

Bolton Wanderers

1877

circa 1880 a

1883 m

1884 a

1885-1886 c

1888-1890 a

1890-1891 a

1891-1900 a h

1900-1907 f n p

1908-1911 h p

1911-1921 c g h q

Buttons sometimes replaced with laces

1921-1930 c g

1932-1933 p

Crest appeared in August

1934-1935 g

1935-1938 g k

1938-1939 k p

1939-1944 c p

circa 1944-1946 g

1946-1949 d g k

1949-1950 p

1950-1953 c d g

1953-1956 g

1956-1964 c g p

1964-1966 g

1966-1969 d g

1969-1971 g

1971-1972 g

1972-1975 g i j

Bukta

Aug-Dec 1975 c g

Admiral

January 1976 l

Admiral

1976-1977 late g j

Umbro

1977-1980 b g

Umbro

1980-1981 e

Umbro

1981-1982 b

Umbro

1982-1983 e g

Umbro

1983-1985 e

Umbro

1985-1986 e

Umbro

1986-1988 e

Matchwinner

1988-1990 e

Matchwinner

1990-1993 b

Reebok

1993-1995 b

Reebok

1995-1997 b

Reebok

1997-1999 b

Reebok

1999-2001 b

Reebok

2001-2003 b

Reebok

2002 anniversary e

Reebok

2003-2005 c

Reebok

2005-2007 c

Reebok

2007-2008 c

Reebok

2008-2009 c

Reebok

2009-2010 c

Reebok

2010-2011 c

Background

bolton wanderers 1885 team group The Wanderers were formed in 1874 by Thomas Ogden, a schoolmaster and were originally called Christ Church FC. After a dispute with the vicar, who objected to meetings being held in the school without his presence, the club moved its base to a local public house in 1877 and adopted the name of Bolton Wanderers. Four years later the club moved to a new ground and entered the FA Cup for the first time. Season tickets were made available at a guinea (£1.05) apiece. Although eclipsed by local rivals Blackburn Rovers, Bolton built a strong reputation within the county and in 1886 they won the Lancashire Cup, as well as the Bolton and Derbyshire Charity Cups. On the strength of their achievements, Bolton were invited to join the Football League in 1888. That same year, the club adopted what became their traditional plain white shirts and dark blue knickers. Previously the club had turned out in a motley collection including a unique white jersey with red spots as well as red, navy and white stripes (illustrated).

bolton wanderers crest 1921 Bolton performed well in the League and in 1894 reached their first FA Cup final. Relegation became a regular event in the Edwardian period but on each occasion the club bounced back more or less immediately. The 1920's were a golden era for the club which brought three FA Cup wins in 1923 (the famous "Wembley white horse final") 1926 and 1929. The team adopted a simplified version of Bolton's coat of arms in 1921 and this continued to appear until the 1940s (although some team photographs show the crest was not always present). The reason for the inclusion of an elephant in the design are obscure but date from around 1799 and elephants appear on buildings all over Bolton.

bolton wanderers crest 1953 During the Thirties Bolton spent two seasons in Division Two but otherwise they continued as a reliable if unambitious Division One side, with an unbroken spell in the First Division from 1935 to 1964.

Immediately after the Second World War, black knickers were worn, possibly because ppost-war austerity meant these were easier to obtain than the traditional navy ones. It appears that the traditional colours were restored in 1950 when the club also adopted their own crest, a design that took its inspiration from the older version but which now incorporated the club's initials as well as a Lancashire rose. This was dropped in 1966, when crests were considered old- bolton wanderers crest 1958 fa cup final fashioned.

What success they had continued to be in the FA Cup rather than the League and after defeat in the 1953 "Stanley Matthews Final", Bolton won the cup again in 1958. In this final a special crest was designed, based on the old design but placed against a large Lancashire rose.

The club's career since then has been a remarkable story of repeated decline and recovery. After losing their First Division bolton wanderers crest 1975 place in 1964, Wanderers dropped into the Third Division in 1971. Two years later they were promoted as champions and in 1978 they won the Second Division to return to the top flight.

The crest adopted in 1975 (left) proved popular and was used for 26 years before it was replaced. Several variations appeared: the colours of the lettering and the scroll were sometimes reversed, for example, while for some seasons it was placed on a shield.

bolton wanderers crest 2001 Unable to sustain their success, the club were relegated again in 1980 and over the next seven years they dropped all the way down to Division Four. At this, the club's lowest point, a partnership was forged with the international sports goods manufacturer, Reebok which has proved to be one of the most enduring in the game. With Reebok's support, the club acquired a brand new stadium adjacent to the M61 and began a steady climb back up the leagues that would lead them all the way back to the Premier Division in 1995.

Although the club were relegated again the following season, they have remained in the top flight since 2001. That year an updated version of the crest introduced, retaining the instantly recognisable BWFC motif and replacing the scroll with a pair of ribbons in red and dark blue. This, like its predecessor was sometimes placed within a shield or lozenge.

Historical Football Kits

Kit History

Background

Sources