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University of Bolton Stadium

Club: Bolton Wanderers FC | Opening: 1997 | Capacity: 28,100 seats

History and description

University of Bolton Stadium, before known as Reebok Stadium and Macron Stadium, opened on 1 September 1997 with a league match between Bolton and Everton (0-0). Everton had also been the first league opponent at Bolton’s previous home, Burnden Park .

Macron Stadium is particularly known for its characteristic roof structure. It was one of the first modern stadiums in the UK.

The stadium was initially named after long-time club sponsor Reebok, but changed names in 2014 to Macron Stadium following a new sponsorship deal. It changed name again in 2018 to University of Bolton Stadium

How to get to the University of Bolton Stadium

University of Bolton Stadium is located outside the town of Bolton in Middlebrook at an out-of-town complex of retail, leisure, and office parks. The distance to Bolton’s city centre is about 5 miles.

The complex is situated practically adjacent to the M61 motorway, which makes it easy to reach by car. Leave the M61 at junction 6. The stadium will be visible from the motorway.

Horwich Parkway railway station lies just 200 metres from the Reebok Stadium. Direct trains to Horwich Parkway leave at least every half an hour from places such as Manchester, Blackpool, Preston and Bolton. The journey from Manchester takes about half an hour, whereas it takes less than 10 minutes from Bolton.

Address: Reebok Stadium, Burnden Way, Bolton BL6 6JW

Bolton Wanderers Tickets

Tickets for Bolton Wanderers games can be purchased online , by phone +44 (0) 8448 712932, in person at the Bolton Central shop at the stadium.

Bolton has divided home matches into three pricing categories. Tickets for Grade A matches, the most expensive, range in price from £28.00 for a lower-tier seat behind the goal to £35.00 for an upper-tier seat at one of the long sides. Tickets for Grade C matches, the cheapest, range in price from £22.00 to £28.00.

Email [email protected] for more information.

University of Bolton Stadium tours

Bolton offer behind-the-scenes guided stadium tours that include the changing rooms, dugouts, players’ tunnel and press area.

Tours run Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday at 2:30 pm, and Saturday at 11:00 am. The tour costs £8.50.

All tours must be booked in advance, which can be done by phone +44 (0) 844 8712932, or at the Bolton Central shop at the stadium.

Photos of University of Bolton Stadium

Photo credits: Gary Rodgers & Reading Tom

Useful Internet links

Bwfc.co.uk – Official website of Bolton Wanderers FC. Visitbolton.com – Bolton tourist information. Nationalrail.co.uk – Check train times and fares.

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Visit Bolton

Listing details, bolton wanderers football club.

Stadium tours, sports hall and merchandise superstore are all available at the magnificent University of Bolton Stadium. Interactive Stadium Tours include a visit to the players dressing room, the managers dug-out and the media interview room.

Macron Stadium Burnden Way Horwich BL6 6JW

Tel: +44 (0)844 871 2932

Website: http://www.bwfc.co.uk

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Bolton Wanderers

Toughsheet community stadium.

Capacity: 28,723 (all seated) Address: Burnden Way, Horwich, Bolton, BL6 6JW Telephone: 01204 673 673 Fax: 0844 871 2931 Ticket Office: 01204 328888 StadiumTours: 01204 673 650 Pitch Size: 105 x 68 metres Pitch Type: Grass Club Nickname: The Trotters Year Ground Opened: 1997 Undersoil Heating: Yes Shirt Sponsors: Victorian Plumbing Kit Manufacturer: Macron Home Kit: White and Navy Blue Away Kit: Black with white trim Third Kit: Light blue

What is the Toughsheet Community Stadium Like?

From the outside the stadium looks simply stunning and can be seen for miles around. The view of it driving down the slip road from the M61 motorway is one of the greatest sights to be seen in English football, especially when it is lit up at night. It has a great eye-catching design and is unlike anything else in the country.

The inside is functional and tidy, and lacks the wow factor of the stadium’s external appearance. It is totally enclosed and each stand has a conventional rectangular lower tier, with a semi-circular upper tier above. Situated between the two tiers is a row of executive boxes. Above the stands, there is a gap between the back of the stands and the roof to allow additional light to reach the pitch. The roofs are then topped with some diamond shaped floodlights that sit above a striking supporting tubular steel supporting structure.

One unusual feature of the ground is that the teams emerge from separate tunnels on either side of the halfway line. Outside the stadium is a statue of former player and legend Nat Lofthouse.

In August 2018 the stadium was renamed the University of Bolton Stadium in a sponsorship stadium. Previously it had been called the Macron Stadium and before that the Reebok Stadium when it was first opened in 1997.

In July 2023 the ground was renamed the Toughsheet Community Stadium. Toughsheet are a local company, and this was the most lucrative sponsorship deal in the stadium’s history.

There are two big screens at the stadium, one in between the South & East Stands and one in the opposite corner, in between the North & West Stands. The club have announced plans to install two more screens in the other two corners of the ground and they have started the process of installing safe standing .

What is it Like For Away Fans?

Away fans are housed in the two tiered South Stand at one end of the ground, where up to 5,000 supporters can be accommodated, although the normal allocation is nearer 3,000. The stand is now completely given over to away fans.

The leg room and facilities within this stand are good and the atmosphere is boosted in the home end by the presence of a drummer. Alex Smith adds; ‘away fans should note that the bottom rows of the lower tier are not covered by the roof and therefore you may get wet if it rains’.

Whilst Paul Kelly warns; ‘the stewards at the stadium can be a bit overzealous, often throwing out fans for little reason. My advice to away fans is do not even think about celebrating a goal by going further forward than the front row. They’ll have you even if you’re just on the bit of track behind the adverts.’

Food on offer includes pies, burgers and hot dogs while alcohol is also served on the concourse.

Pubs for Away Fans

The Beehive on Chorley New Road is the main pub for away supporters. It is about a 10-15 minute walk away from the visitors turnstiles. The pub is of a good size that also serves food and you can park your car park there.

Other local spots for a drink before the mvatch include:

• The Bowling Green – 175 Lee Ln, Horwich, Bolton BL6 7JD
• Blundell Arms – Chorley Old Rd, Horwich, Bolton BL6 6PY
• The Dragonfly – Nelson Square, Bolton BL1 1DP

Latest Developments

Development at the Toughsheet Community Stadium is virtually non-existent in terms of expansion plans. The club have, however, recently announced that they are liaising with supporters in relation to the introduction of safe standing.

Ground History

In their early days, Bolton bounced around a range of different stadiums with nowhere in particular known as ‘home’. Pike’s Lane became their first real steady ground; that was seven years after their formation. 14 years later the club moved stadiums. Burden Park became their home ground and remained there through to 1997. During that time, numerous adjustments were made to the ground with the capacity peaking at 70k before financial issues and the introduction of new standards saw the capacity wind down considerably.

The most notable story associated to Brunden Park is the 1946 crush disaster that took 33 fans’ lives. Post Brunden Park, Bolton moved into the Reebok Stadium. The club still play their home matches there, however, owing to sponsorship deals the name frequently changes.

Directions and Car Parking

From The South M6 to Junction 21a, take eastbound M62 leaving at Junction 12. Follow signs for M61 (Bolton/Preston) and leave the M61 motorway at Junction 6. The ground is visible from this junction and is clearly signposted.

From The North M6 to Junction 29 and take the M65 towards Blackburn. Leave the M65 at junction two and join the M61 towards Manchester. Leave the M61 at junction six. The ground is visible from this junction and is clearly signposted.

John Walsh adds; ‘Because of traffic congestion on the M60 (formerly M62),  caused by the Trafford Centre, I would recommend that those supporters travelling from the South should take the North directions above. It is about 10 miles further but can save 30 minutes and a lot of frustration!’

Car Parking

The official away car park at the stadium now costs £8. Payment is made by newly installed parking meters before exiting the car park after the game. These meters have been widely criticised by Bolton supporters as they create long queues at full-time. But the stadium is now completely cashless along with the car parks.

There is plenty of free parking on the Middlebrook retail park, if you arrive early enough. This used to be a no-go and security were manning the car parks to stop any match day parking. However, you now get up to 6 hours free parking and there is no security to worry about.

Post Code for SAT NAV: BL6 6JW

Horwich Parkway Railway Station serves the Macron Stadium, with regular trains from Bolton’s main railway station. Horwich Parkway is only a few minutes walk from the stadium.

Programme Price

Official Programme: £3

Ticket Prices

Bolton use a three-tiered category system for tickets depending on the level of opposition. Their ticket prices for each stand/category are as follows:

North Stand

• Adults – £30/£28/£26
• Over-65/Under-23 – £25/£23/£21
• Under-18 – £19/£17/£12
• Under-12 – £12 for all games

East/West lower tiers

• Adults – £32/£30/£28
• Over-65/Under-23 – £27/£25/£23
• Under-18 – £19/£17/£14

East/West upper tiers

• Adults – £34/£32/£30
• Over-65/Under-23 – £29/£27/£25
• Under-18 – £19/£12/£12

Family ticket (North Stand only)

• Adult + Under-18 – £42/£40/£38
• 2 Adult + 2 Under-18 – £84/£80/£76
• Adul – £30
• Over 65/Under 23: – £25
• U18 – £19
• U12 – £12

Local Rivals

The rivalry between Bolton and Wigan Athletic has grown rapidly over the last 10/15 years or so and there is always a heavy police presence for this fixture.

Fixture List

Bolton Wanderers Fixture List

Disabled facilities

For details of disabled facilities and club contact at the ground please visit the relevant page on the Level Playing Field website.

Record and Average Attendance

Record Attendance

At The Toughsheet Community Stadium 28,353 v Leicester City Premier League, 28th December 2003.

At Burnden Park: 69,912 v Manchester City FA Cup 5th Round, 18th February 1933.

Average Attendance

2022/23 – League One – 18. 814 2021/22 – League One – 15,439 2020/21 – League Two – 0 (Covid) 2021/22 – League One – 15,439 2022/23 – League One – 18,814 2023/24 – League One – 19,493

Map showing the location of the Stadium, railway station and listed pubs

Burnden Park and Previous Grounds

The Club were formed as Christ Church FC and played at various grounds, before moving to Pike’s Lane in 1881.

The Club which had changed its name to Bolton Wanderers, played at Pike’s Lane for 14 years before moving to the Burnden Park site in 1895.

Visit our Lost Grounds and Stands section to see photos, videos and read more information about Burnden Park.

Official Web Site: www.bwfc.co.uk

Toughsheet Community Feedback

If anything is incorrect or you have something to add, please e-mail at: [email protected] and I’ll update the guide.

Kevin Laidler (Newcastle United) 20th November 2010

Bolton wanderers v newcastle united premier league saturday 20th november 2010, 3pm kevin laidler (newcastle united fan).

This was my first visit to The Reebok Stadium and due to visiting family in Doncaster I travelled by car from Yorkshire via The A1 and the M62, M60 and M61. The stadium t was easy to find from the M61 and was an impressive sight with its space age looks.

I headed for The Bromilow Arms as recommended elsewhere on this site and parked in a side street next to it which was about a 15 minute walk away from the ground. This pub had a good, friendly atmosphere with probably more away supporters than home fans. Although it was packed it didn't take long to get served and they had a good selection of real ale and good banter between both sets of supporters. I would certainly recommend this pub for visiting supporters.   The away end was the nearest end of the ground to this pub. I was seated behind the goal and leg room was okay but it didn't really matter as Toon fans tend to stand. The atmosphere was a bit bit flat from the home fans who didn't get going until they were winning. They eventually tonked us 5-1, which to give them credit, they deserved. They had a large electronic scoreboard in the right hand corner of the away end which replayed parts of the match which was good.   At half time it was fairly easy going to toilets compared to a lot of grounds which tend to be more cramped. I didn't use food or drink outlets so cannot comment on them.   I found the stewards a bit heavy picking on people for standing.    Getting away from the ground was not a problem. By the time I got to my car and left it was fairly quiet and I got on to the M61 then onto the M62.   Not a bad day out apart from the result. These out of town stadiums are not as much fun as inner city stadiums but access was easy, parking okay and getting a drink was was fine.

Thomas Ling (Norwich City) 17th September 2011

Bolton wanderers v norwich city premier league saturday 17th september 2011, 3pm thomas ling (norwich city fan).

1. Why you were looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be):

This was my first visit to the Rebook and I was really looking forward to it. I had heard the the stadium was really good and modern and that the fans were friendly, which is always good on an away day.   

2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?

The journey up to Bolton was straightforward and relaxing. We travelled by coach, which was supplied by a private company called Easton's. On the way we stopped at Castleford at a Retail Park, which 'conveniently' had a Wetherspoon outlet located nearby, where we enjoyed a good selection of food and drink at reasonable prices. 

We then continued onto Bolton and in total we spent five hours travelling on the coach from Norwich. The stadium was easy to spot just off the M61 and we parked right outside. This is was on one of the official car parks which you had to pay to get into, whether you were car or bus. 

3. What you did before the game pub/chippy…. home fans friendly?

We did not go to a pub or chip shop we just bought a programme and went straight into the ground. The programme sellers game right up to our bus which was quite handy. Although we didn't go to a pub, I noticed that there was a Harvester and a Premier Inn just across from the stadium, which if you are staying overnight or want something to eat or drink, then this might be an idea.  

4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?

The catering area was okay but a little on the small side. But there was Sky Sports on, and when we got there they had the Blackburn v Arsenal game on which was very good. The away stand, the South Stand, was like the rest of the stadium being two tiered. The stadium was really good and looked great. In my opinion, it is one of the top stadiums in Britain.

5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..

The game itself was good for Norwich, with two quick goals in the first half, that set us on our way. Just after half time, Bolton were reduced to 10 men, when they had a player sent off for improper conduct. Bolton did managed to pull one back from the penalty spot but we held on for a 2-1 win. 

The atmosphere at the stadium was good from a Norwich perspective, but the home fans were a little quiet throughout the match.  They were good at the start of the game, particularly in the corner of the West Stand next to the away fans, but this ebbed away as the match went our way. There was also a drummer behind the goal in the North stand which banged on thought the match. Annoyingly, the stewards kept telling us to sit down, but we like most Norwich fans decided to ignore them and in the stewards soon gave up.

6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:

Getting away from the ground was easy, walk outside onto the waiting coach, then after a 5-10 minute wait we were on our way on to the M61 and then it was an easy drive home.    7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:

I had really enjoyed my trip to the Rebook. This was a fun and easy to get to. It was also fantastic to get all three points.

Alan Parker (Wigan Athletic) 11th February 2012

Bolton wanderers v wigan athletic premier league saturday 11th february 2012, 3pm alan parker (wigan athletic fan).

My son and I had previously been to this ground to support Wigan on three previous occasions, with one win and two draws. This match was a real 'six pointer' and a defeat for Wigan would have seen them really cut adrift. As it turned out, at the end of the weekend, just two points separated the bottom five teams, who seem to be forming a mini league of their own (QPR, Blackburn, Wolves, Bolton and Wigan). My son had brought along his German girlfriend, to experience her first football match.

We have passed the Reebok many times before, whilst driving along the M61. I have even been there on teaching courses, held in the luxurious board rooms. The stadium is not huge but is very attractive and well proportioned from the outside and the inside is no less impressive. The corners are filled in and there is an intense atmosphere.

Getting there is no problem, it is just a short distance off the motorway, and there is a railway station right by the ground as well. We took the first left turn and parked on an icy car park, costing £6. We got there fairly early, with the intention of walking to the Beehive pub about half a mile past the ground for a pint and to watch the second half of the Man United v. Liverpool match on TV. This is a good venue for away fans. On the way back to the ground, it was noticeable there was quite a large police presence and a few arrests were being made, but we had no idea what for. The German girl was intrigued by all the police horses and wondered why they used them. Had to think a bit for reasons! Getting into the ground was no problem, but as usual there are far more stewards around the away end than anywhere else and they carried out fairly random, half-hearted searches.

The concourse is quite cramped so we did not linger. We had seats in row G of the lower tier (actually the fourth row), looking directly down the touchline, quite different from our usual side-on seats at the DW. Wigan played magnificently, as if their very lives depended on the result, and the atmosphere in the away end was electric. Some flares were thrown and there was a lot of smoke at one time. Quite continental. Caldwell scored for Wigan just before half time, then Mark Davies equalised with a superb strike after a lucky deflection off Ngog's back. But McArthur scored a late, deserved winner for Wigan. Cue great rejoicing amongst the Wiganers. The Bolton fans were not impressed with their team's performance. There were boos at half time and lots of empty seats well before the end. As usual, Wigan were near the end of Match of the Day, and also as usual, there was little or no analysis of the match. They had spent most of the time on the Suarez non-handshake incident.

Bolton is a great away day. Tickets reasonable at £22. Lovely ground, decent leg room, home fans seem reasonably friendly, easy to get to, decent pub not far away. Let's hope this fixture will take place next season with both teams still in the Premier league. I realise it is easy to be generous when your side has just won !

Getting away was fairly easy, after queuing to get off the car park. The M61 is close by and we were soon heading North.

Steve Williams (Cardiff City) 3rd November 2012

Bolton wanderers v cardiff city championship league saturday 3rd november 2012, 3pm steve williams (cardiff city fan).

We were looking forward going to the ground as it was one of the few grounds we hadn't been to.  We had been to the old Burnden Park ground years ago but since Bolton and Cardiff haven't been in the same league for years it seemed like a good away trip.   2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?

The journey was straight forward, the ground well is signposted off the M61.  Parking seemed limited, apart from the retail park (Middlebrook) which was rather busy. We decided to go past the ground and park around the Beehive roundabout area, about 15 mins walk to the Reebok.

3. What you did before the game pub/chippy…. home fans friendly?  

Having parked up in the Beehive roundabout area, we found an away friendly pub (The Beehive) that was full of Cardiff fans, nice relaxed atmosphere, decent pint and decent food. Also if you had kids there was a wacky warehouse on site too. Home fans in this pub seemed friendly too which always helps.   

The ground is very cool looking to be honest, mainly due to the unusual floodlights.  The away end view was great, as are most modern stadiums and the leg room was okay, which can be a problem sometimes with me being over 6 feet tall. 

The game itself was poor with City losing 2-1 in the end mainly down to the ref having a nightmare game (that’s my view).  The stewards at the game seemed over the top to be honest and reading past reviews this seems to be the case for most away fans. Several City fans were ejected before half time. The atmosphere was quite good, bearing in mind Bolton’s home crowds have dropped some what since being relegated.

Getting away after the game was easy , straight out into the retail park and a 15 min walk to the car.  You do come out though into the home fans, which can make things interesting.

7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:

Easy ground to get to, parking fairly easy, away friendly pub near ground and decent view.  All in all a good away day, apart from the result.

John Rogers (Leeds United) 15th September 2013

Bolton wanderers v leeds united championship league saturday 15 september 2013, 3pm john rogers (leeds united fan).

Another 'first', although a ground I have seen many times during journeys around the North West.

The Reebok must be one of the easiest grounds in the country to get to and from, being situated just off junction 6 of the M61. Horwich Parkway railway station is just 200 metres from the stadium. There are several car parks in the vicinity, most of which charge in the region of £4-£5. However, if one doesn't mind a short walk of around 15 minutes, free parking can be found in the streets close to the Beehive pub.

The Beehive pub can be used by away fans. There is a sandwich shop nearby and a Subway in the retail park adjacent to the ground, but little else as the stadium is not near the centre of Bolton or neighbouring Horwich.

The ground is very distinctive, with an unusual floodlight pylon/cantilevered stand structure which gives it a character missing from many of the newer grounds. The capacity is surprisingly low for what appears to be quite a large ground from the outside.

The area around the ground has been attractively landscaped and the newly-unveiled statue of Nat Lofthouse provides a fitting focal point for a club with a long history.

Inside, the view is excellent, with clear lines of sight and steeply raked upper tiers that give the feeling of being close to the action.

Delighted with our 1-0 win, which continued Bolton's wretched start to the season – no doubt a contributory factor to the lack of atmosphere provided by the home support. The Leeds following, which numbered c. 4800, was again excellent throughout.

Contrary to what I had heard, stewarding was discreet and no attempt was made to force fans to remain seated. Leg room was excellent…probably more so amongst home supporters, who were conspicuous by their absence.

Refreshments were generally unexceptional and pricey. That said, I did wonder whether Boltonians wanted to appear more refined, offering glasses of wine and insisting my coke was decanted into a plastic cup.

Easy – 10 minutes from getting into the car to hitting the motorway.

The result was obviously the most important aspect of the visit to the Reebok, but I can't imagine there will be many better venues to watch Championship football

Ken & Eddy Smith (Watford) 22nd February 2014

Bolton wanderers v watford championship league saturday 22 february 2014, 3pm kevan & eddy simth (watford fans).

It was going to be a nice way to round off a family half term break to the Peak District. Bolton have not won for a while and Watford fans normally enjoy away trips.

We stayed in a hotel a ten minute walk from the ground. Apart from the car parks immediately around the stadium we saw a few others located at in school and offices. Understandably it appeared to be easier to park than on a previous Premier League visit in 2006.

There did not seem to be any food vans outside the ground so we had a cheeseburger and a chicken balti pie, which was on the small side, inside the ground. The food was of decent quality. Outside was very quiet.

The ground was nicely designed and looked modern and unique compared to other new stadiums. All sides are of the same design and height.

From a Watford's fans perspective it was a boring game with few chances for Watford. A good first half by Bolton allowed them to take a 2-0 lead. After half time there were no real opportunities and Watford never looked like coming back from behind. The atmosphere was poor for both teams and even the normally vocal Watford away fans did not get into their stride. The stewards seemed fairly relaxed but there was nothing to test them as the atmosphere was poor. There were plenty of room on the concourse, the toilets were good and the view of the action was good.

Away fans exit directly towards the main road and this was made quicker by watching the last two minutes of stoppage time on the screens in the concourse. On the walk back the main roads were moving well.

A good day out but spoiled by the football from a Watford perspective although the defeat could have been heavier. Other than that a visit to Bolton is a worthwhile trip.

Aimee Henry (Wolverhampton Wanderers) 31st January 2015

Bolton wanderers v wolverhampton wanderers championship league saturday 31 january 2015, 3pm aimee henry (wolves fan).

A chance to tick another ground off my list, and we were going there with an unbeaten 7 game run, stretching back to before Christmas. There’s always a bit of needle between England’s two most recognisable Wanderers (apologies to Wycombe), possibly going back to an ill-tempered play-off game in the mid-90s. I’m just slightly too young to remember it, apologies again If that makes you feel old! The ticket sales for the away end finished at just a smidgeon over 2,000, so it was set to be a good atmosphere in the away end. £28 a ticket is about the going rate for the Championship, I’ve paid more, I’ve paid less.

Decided to use the trains to get to this one. We split the journey a couple of times when booking the tickets, and got returns from Wolverhampton to Horwich Parkway for a little over £30, which is not too bad. The first train took us from Wolverhampton to Manchester Piccadilly, and after a short wait there, time for the toilet and a bar of chocolate, we went from Manchester Piccadilly to Bolton, then Bolton to Horwich Parkway. The travelling time was roughly two and a quarter hours. The ground is a short walk from Horwich Parkway station, just leave the main exit and it’s a straight walk to the Macron, which is visible from the station. From the quick glance at the timetables, the latter two trains in our journey run at a fairly regular rate, and it’s worth paying the couple of extra pounds to get a return valid for all journeys, should you be running late for any reason.

I had a little walk around the ground, then decided to venture into Bolton’s rather snazzy club shop. Like most these days, it sold a mixture of replica gear, and your usual tat. A 50p bag of sweets has Bolton’s logo stamped on it, so becomes a £2 bag of sweets, you can have a Bolton Wanderers themed duvet and pillowcase, a Bolton Wanderers lunchbox, a Bolton Wanderers pencil case. Another interesting one was the signed photo of manager Neil Lennon. Priced at £45, it was perhaps a little more than I’d be prepared to pay…

The home fans were reasonably friendly, one middle aged man noticed my Wolves scarf and we had a brief chat about our respective seasons. I’d suggest the location and facilities around the ground mean that Bolton fans have little reason to mill around before kickoff, hence there weren’t an awful lot of them around.

There is a big retail park on which the Macron is situated, and plenty of places to eat. McDonalds, KFC, Nando’s, plus both a Tesco and an Asda. On the walk from the train station to the Macron you also pass two bars, including a Harvester. Amongst our travelling party was my teetotal dad and my brother who was attempting to avoid alcohol throughout the month of January, so we didn’t venture into the pub. What surprised me was the lack of food outlets outside the ground. I guess we’re spoilt at Molineux, where on a matchday you can’t move for burger vans, emitting that pungent yet wonderful aroma of frying onions. I often think Chanel should do that as a perfume, as in my experiences that’s a far more attractive smell to men than anything I’ve ever worn…

The ground is situated on a retail park, and to be blunt, if you didn’t know, you wouldn’t assume that the Macron was a football stadium. With its curved roofs and glass fronts, it looks initially like a cross between a Conference Centre and an Olympic swimming pool. Once you get closer though, and see the turnstiles and Bolton crests adorning the walls, you’ll realise it’s the stadium. The stadium takes the form of a large bowl shape, and feels very modern.

My favourite thing about it was the wonderful tribute to Nat Lofthouse. As well as a very nice statue, the area around it is where Bolton home their supporter bricks. For anyone unfamiliar with these, many clubs offer fans the chance to purchase a brick, have a message or a name put onto it, and it will be used somewhere around the stadium, visible for everyone. At Wolves, we have ours making up a wall outside the ticket office, which is slightly underwhelming I’ll have to be honest, but here the Bolton ones were right next to a statue of a man who must have meant so much to those fans, which I thought was a lovely touch.

Nat Lofthouse Statue

5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc…

The game itself was a fairly dull one, between two teams having an off day. We actually came out of the blocks quite quickly, and there can only have been about two minutes on the clock when Kevin McDonald’s lofted pass was controlled and finished superbly by Nouha Dicko. It was at this point that some guy across from us decided to let of a smoke bomb. Very colourful, but a bit worrying when you’re asthmatic father starts coughing quite heavily.

After that, we never really got into the game, we sat too deep and lacked a creative spark in the absence of flying winger Bakary Sako, who was flying home from the African Cup of Nations so was unavailable. Bolton themselves weren’t great, but there was a crazy 5 minute spell where they scored twice, to take the lead. Danny Batth cynically chopped Adam Le Fondre down on the edge of the box, and youngster Zach Clough stepped up to curl a delicious free kick into the far corner. There will be question marks over Carl Ikeme’s positioning, but take nothing away from the strike. Then barely two minutes later Clough scored again, taking advantage of some generous defensive work from Rajiv Van La Parra and Batth, to pick out the far corner, albeit Ikeme got a hand to the shot. As far as attacking play went, that was it for the first half, both sides had spells of possession but could create very little.

Second half was very similar, if anything we shaded the possession, but lacked any real spark. We barely registered a shot on goal. That was, until, added time. James Henry, a vastly underrated winger with a cracking right foot and a wonderful beard, put the former to good use to hammer in an equaliser from 30 yards. It was as pure a strike as I’ve seen in a long time, and the away end erupted. I somehow managed to cut and bruise my foot in the celebrations, I’ll take that all day long though, in celebrating a barely earned point. Bizarrely, Henry and his team mates ran the length of the pitch to celebrate in front of us, meaning they were all back in their own half. The referee allowed Bolton to kick off, with half of our team still jumping about in front of the away stand! Fortunately nothing came of it, and the game finished 2-2. We could have had no complaints had we lost, yet the last minute equaliser made it feel like a win.

The atmosphere was a bit flat, to be honest. I would say the ground was only 60% full, and there were great swathes of empty seats across all sections of the home support, meaning there wasn’t any continuous noise from anywhere. Even when they scored, the noise was drowned out by the dreaded goal music, something which I’m sure every fan would happily throw into Room 101, should they ever be invited onto Frank Skinner’s programme.

View From The Lower Away Section

The stewards were there if you needed them, but didn’t seem to be particularly enthralled by their job. One particularly surly one kept walking up the steps to tell fans to stay clear of the steps. It reminded me of a fussy Fourth Official, snapping into action whenever a manager dares stray from his technical area.

The food was a nice selection of pies, burgers, hotdogs. I went with the Holland’s Peppered Steak Pie, which I’d enjoyed a few weeks ago at Blackburn. It was again very nice, and again very peppery! You’d think I’d have learned my lesson…

The toilets were clean, although the hand dryers in the girls’ toilets were useless, I’d have been quicker blowing on my hands to dry them. I asked my brother what the men’s toilets were like, for the purpose of this review, but his shrug didn’t really help. I suppose if you’ve been to enough grounds you probably get used to the toilets.

The programme was fairly decent, the section on Wolves was well researched. It was quite child friendly, plenty of quiz pages. The captain’s article by Jay Spearing was laced with irony, given that two days ago he left to join Blackburn on loan. An interesting feature was ‘One to Eleven’, where midfielder Neil Danns selected the best XI he’s played with. If you’re interested, and why wouldn’t you be, he went with: Friedel, Clyne, Berg, Short, Konchesky, Moses, Dunn, Tugay, Zaha, Cole, Yorke. At £3 it was also priced in line with most other Championship clubs.

The walk back to the train station was easy enough, but sadly a heady mix of a last minute equaliser, an already exisiting rivalry and alcohol meant that some fans, from both sets of teams, caused a bit of trouble at the station. One of the windows of the train was broken, causing about an hour’s delay. Thankfully, as mentioned above, we had the foresight to buy return tickets valid for any journey on that route, so we were able to catch the next available trains to the ones we had planned. It took slightly longer to get home than we’d planned, but fortunately seeing as Strictly Come Dancing isn’t on this time of year, we didn’t miss anything important on telly by adding an hour to our journey…

A fairly dull game, bookended by two very well taken Wolves goals, made for an interesting afternoon in the biting Lancastrian wind. A draw which felt like a win which could have been a loss, as my brother put it. Mind you, he did lambast James Henry for contributing nothing to the game, about 30 seconds before he scored, so what does he know?

The Macron Stadium is a nice, modern stadium, but what it has in cleanliness and aesthetics, it perhaps lacks in charm and acoustics. It’s a nice place to watch football, certainly, but for the more traditional supporters amongst you, it may leave you pining for the ‘good old days’ of terracing.

Andrew Keay (Derby County) 8th August 2015

Bolton wanderers v derby county championship league saturday 8th august 2015, 3pm andrew keay (derby county fan).

Why were you looking forward to visiting the Macron Stadium?

I went to the Macron Stadium for the first time last season and I enjoyed it so much I couldn't wait to return. It is definitely in my top three away trips plus it was the first game of a new season.

How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?

It was a relatively easy journey as I only live in Stoke so a straight forward trip up the motorways. You can see the ground on your approach from the M61 so it's easy to find. I parked on an industrial estate, which I found by first passing the Macron Stadium on the left, then turning right at the traffic lights then taking the first right. There was plenty of parking available at just £3, so good value too.

What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?

As we had arrived at about half 12, we went to the Barnstormer Pub. We had visited the pub before on a previous visit. It is a lovely place and as it was a lovely Summer day we sat outside. We mingled with both Derby and Bolton fans which was very enjoyable. After a couple of drinks me and my daughter made our way down to the retail park next to the stadium, which has a number of different outlets and plenty of food options such as Pizza Hut, KFC, McDonalds etc.. We opted for a bite to eat at Subways then it was time to move onto the stadium.

What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the stadium?

The Macron Stadium is a lovely example and looks the business with it design and appearance. However inside the concourse does tend to get a little crowded but once you get to the seats the place is just fantastic.

Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc.

The game was far from the best with both teams hitting the woodwork but plenty of mistakes from both sides. 0-0 just about summed the game up but found the stewards helpful and they seemed cheerful too. The only problem was at half time they wouldn't let fans out to have a smoke, so instead the toilets became a smog room with people smoking in them.

Comment on getting away from the ground:

After the game it was about a ten minute walk back to the car then a bit of queuing until back on motorway but not too bad. It took about 20 mins to drive about a mile and a half but once on the motorway flew home in fact I was back in Stoke about 6.30pm brilliant.

Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:

Wonderful day out at one of my favorite grounds. It was helped by the great weather. Just a shame the game didn't match it but can't wait to return again.

Rob Cooper (Queens Park Rangers) 20th February 2016

Bolton wanderers v queens park rangers football championship league saturday 20th february 2016, 3pm rob cooper (qpr fan).

Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Macron Stadium?  

This was to be my first visit to the Macron Stadium. I have driven many times past the stadium whilst travelling along the M61 and I thought it was time to finally watch a match there.

Probably the easiest away ground I've ever been to. Motorway all the way, Easy to park and got away really quickly after the game. I parked on an industrial estate 10 minutes walk from the ground. Only £3 to park there.

Called into Tesco next to the ground and grabbed a sandwich. Locals were very friendly.

What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Macron Stadium?  

The Macron is a nice stadium and the away fans enjoy a good view of the pitch. However it was a foul day, cold with heavy rain. The turnstiles didn't open until 2pm, and it was a case of huddling outside the hotel trying to keep warm and dry. The roof offered no cover to the front of the away stand – I was 14 rows back, but my seat was wet, and I had rain blowing into my face through most of the first half.

Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..

A pretty poor 1-1 draw (we equalised in the 90th minute). With Bolton having serious financial troubles and bottom of the table, it was very quiet. The facilities were good, and the pie (meat and potato) was tasty. The stewards were friendly, and it was a totally hassle free experience.

Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:

Less than five minutes from getting into the car to being back on the M61 motorway and on my way home. Easy!

A really good day out. It was very cold though, and I could/ should have put on some extra layers before leaving home. Next time, I will check the weather forecast for Bolton more carefully. The sun was shining when I left home. However I would definitely go to the Macron Stadium again.

Paul Willott (Preston North End) 12th March 2016

Bolton wanderers v preston north end championship league saturday 12th march 2016, 3pm paul willott (preston north end fan).

Derby Day defeats are hard to take. Losing bragging rights both home and away in the same season is simply awful….but to then also cop a 3-0 defeat in a promotion play-off final at Cardiff rubbed an extremely large quantity of salt into the wound. But thus it was in 2000/2001 with regards to our rivals from down the M61. If a week is a long time in politics, then the summer break is an eternity……….and to then see the Wanderers enjoy their start to life in the top flight with a 5-0 away win at Leicester City whilst we slumped to a 5-0 walloping at Gillingham only served to emphasise the fine margins at stake in those dreaded/much loved play-off finals. Little did we know that we would have to wait a massive 16 years for the chance to avenge such heart-ache.

Hence it was made as clear as possible to all concerned that even before the fixture list came out, I would be unavailable for weddings, funerals, christenings etc. et.c on whatever date such a fixture was produced.  One of the huge prizes for having secured promotion at Wembley the previous season was the chance to renew rivalries with Blackburn Rovers, Burnley, and Bolton. Perhaps unsurprisingly also, this was a prime candidate to be selected as the designated annual ‘Gentry Day’ for Preston North Enders, where supporters don bowler hats to honour comrades who have passed and to commemorate the legendary Alan Ball Snr, one time manager of the North End who used the term “gentry” in reference to the calibre of support given by the Deepdale faithful as he saw it.

Myself and Kieran Decked Out For Gentry Day

Given the high profile nature of the match, it was a relief once we had secured tickets for ourselves as the 4,500 allocation were going like hot cakes. I guess many supporters also sensed a real chance for payback. Games were fast running out now for a Wanderers side some 10 points adrift at the foot of the table and leaving aside the sad memories of the 2000/2001 season, older fans such as myself also recall the sad day at the end of the 92-93 season where at Burnden Park, our rivals gleefully relegated us; so would this fixture enable us to help push them closer to the brink of the drop?

Thus, the day before, we collected our youngest two children and commenced our journey up to the North-West from Kent for an overnight stop near Preston. Following a good nights sleep and a hearty breakfast, we paid a brief visit to the Deepdale club shop before making the short journey down the M61 to hopefully get there fairly early and avoid too much traffic congestion. To say that I was buzzing with anticipation since breakfast would have been a masterpiece of understatement. Our last trip to the then named “Reebok”, and only visit in fact had coincided with a mountaineering trip to Chamonix in the French Alps, so this was going to be my first ever visit to a ground I’d seen so many times previously from the motorway and the train yet never had cause to venture inside.

As this guide says, the ground is very visible from the nearby M61, but also from the Preston-Manchester railway line too. The transformation of the area over the past few decades has been quite remarkable from being just a huge swathe of flat green-belt. First the ground itself started to rise, and then some years later some of the adjoining hotels, and then the retail outlet, and finally “Horwich Parkway” railway station sprung up alongside the railway line. The name of the railway station denotes that Bolton now play a proverbial country mile away from their home town…….and indeed Horwich itself may look back wistfully on football heritage of its own. The Lancashire & Yorkshire railway works based in the town spawned the Horwich RMI FC that played there for many a long year until they uprooted and moved to the nearby town of Leigh. Unfortunately for them, the move across the invisible border into Rugby League territory badly damaged the fanbase and the club hasn’t fared so well at all. The other Lancashire & Yorkshire railway’s other works based team, formerly known as Newton Heath has fared slightly better down the years…….. Some folks have suggested perhaps tongue-in-cheek down recent years that Bolton Wanderers should change their name to reflect their new geographical location , but as the footballing world has never really objected to Grimsby playing in Cleethorpes all through the years, so I think it passes.

And thus we decelerated the car to leave the M61 at junction 6 and it did feel both odd and exciting. The Macron Stadium is sign-posted which I do find kind of amusing…..short of the thickest fog imaginable descending, it would be hard to miss the ground even before you reach junction 6 from either direction. We drove initially past the ground along De Havilland Way before turning right into Lostock Lane where we sourced parking easily for a mere £5. After a short and leisurely stroll to the ground, we joined the growing crowd of expectant Northenders waiting patiently for the away turnstiles to open. There was, perhaps unsurprisingly, a high profile police presence but supporters and the law were all in a relaxed and cheery mood. Security was also tight, with firm no-nonsense searches being conducted once the turnstiles were open. Inside the ground, the impression is perhaps not as great as the stunning exterior might suggest, but it is still a ground with an individual and characteristic feel to it as you can still see the distinctive floodlight clusters and sections of the steel upperworks that are trademarks of Bolton Wanderer’s home for the modern age. The stewards were very friendly and wanted to chat…..and some were curious as to why so many of us were bedecked in suits and bowler hats. We were more than happy to explain!

And so we settled down to enjoy the build-up to the match, and it really did seem like an atmosphere of two halves. The away end was positively fizzing with noise and excitement, and yet there was barely a whisper from the home supporters which did puzzle me as I’d have expected them to try and rouse something up for a derby game. It seemed as though there was an air of resignation around the ground; that relegation was a foregone conclusion. There was little evidence of any pride, defiance, or any such spirit that I did expect to sense prior to kick-off, I had suspected that the recent take-over of the club may provide an uplift but saw and heard little to suggest even a flicker of optimism – even the pre kick-off flag waving exercise around the centre-circle seemed half-hearted.

Preston Fans Finding Their Voice

Meanwhile we sensed an away day victory was there for the taking, and ramped up the volume accordingly, and the players sensed it too as they got out of the traps early and put the home side under early pressure, and were unlucky not to take the lead on several occasions. However, goals change games, or so they say, and when the appropriately named Trotter put the Trotters ahead with a well taken shot from some distance through a crowd of players, one finally sensed some atmosphere from the home fans.Although the goal wasn’t received with the biggest eruption of noise, you still noticed the gloom lift considerably, and the home side had a reasonable run of possession. The home support perhaps now sensed that there was indeed still pride to play for, and with the longer term future of the club in safer hands, the sun-light trying to break through the clouds, with three points potentially in the bag, Fulham losing, the gap to safety down to 7 points…………….was there hope?

There was a brief lull in the usual terrace banter come the 33rd minute of the match, as the away support stood up to chant “hats off – for the 33” as had been suggested we should beforehand via social media, to remember the Bolton fans who tragically died in the Burnden Park disaster approximately 70 years previously.  Soon you could see all the home fans in the stand at the opposite end standing up to applaud………a sombre yet passionate moment, or should I say minute of togetherness…………until the clock ticked over to 34 minutes and hostilities resumed in the normal fashion.

Nat Lofthouse Stand

In the second half, we were just starting to perhaps sense that it once again wouldn’t be our day……….we hadn’t scored a single goal against the Wanderers since 1992, we hadn’t won a “gentry day” fixture for nearly a decade…….when upon the hour mark something especially traditional to the passion of a north-west derby happened.  There was a goal mouth scramble, the ball pinging about like a yo-yo……until Jordan Hugill , a Preston striker clearly keen to grasp a chance to prove his worth as he hadn’t been picked all that regularly reached bravely with his outstretched head low down to try and get contact with the ball…..many others would have feared to do so with so many desperate boots flying about……but enough contact was made for the ball to just teasingly evade the keepers grasp and then teasingly slowly bounce over the line right in front of us.

Rarely have I ever sensed and experienced an eruption quite like it……….les face it, a goal is a goal, no matter how scrappy and unglamorous it may be, and in a derby that you’ve waited 16 years for………you just don’t care. 4,500 Preston fans roared their appreciation. Several flares and smoke grenades were detonated too and at least one found its way onto the pitch.  Let me be quite clear that I don’t condone such antics, and much as I share the passion of such moments, we really don’t benefit from those things being hurled about. To be fair, I think the goal was deserved, we had played the better football at that point….but of course, you want more don’t you??? You want the win! The players clearly sensed as much too, for they took the game to Bolton and attacked which did leave gaps at the back that Bolton tried to exploit on the counter-attack. But one heart-in-mouth moment apart when what looked like a good claim for a penalty was waved away to our relief, the Bolton strikers showed one of the reasons why their side was bottom of the table as they rarely seriously troubled Lindergaard in the Preston goal. And so once again……we were just beginning to sense that we’d have to be happy with a draw as the clock was beginning to tick down………when a teasing cross once again came speculatively in from the left, Vermijl had a shot that looked like it was covered by the keeper except that Doyle managed to get half a heel to it and deflect it in………….and that was it.

Sometimes in football, you just know. Despite all the stats and figures about injury-time drama, that 86th minute goal was the winner. You just knew it. As we roared with unrestrained delight and shared the ecstasy with the players, several of whom had donned some of the Bowler hats which fortunately were the only things to rain down on the pitch this time, you could simultaneously feel the very life-blood of Bolton’s season draining away like a punctured balloon, as many of their fans left in their droves unable to take the repeated bellow of “Bolton –going down!!” from their neighbours that they’ve been accustomed to lording it over in recent decades. Ironically enough too, the brief spells of sunlight dissipated too, and greyness resumed!

The only further drama was that Preston actually found the time and space to bag a third only for the linesman to adjudge that there had been an offside offence and so the score-line stayed at 1-2.  But there was no nervousness. No finger-nails chewed.  The fight was gone out of our opponents. The final whistle was greeted with much rapture, and none of the travelling support seemed in any hurry to depart; instead more keen to revel in the heady atmosphere of a win over Bolton Wanderers. There was no trouble in the vicinity of the actual ground after the match, although I did hear subsequent reports that there had been trouble both before and after the match but further away from the stadium. We fortunately though witnessed none of that, getting quickly into our car and onto the motorway with minimum of fuss and heading over to Sale to take in a curry with an Uncle of mine and a family catch-up. It did look horribly over-congested for those hoping to take a train though, and it was reported back that it was indeed as bad as it looked.

As the lights started to go out on Bolton's Championship status….

We reflected in the days afterwards on what a great afternoon we’d been privileged to enjoy……as the echoes down the corridor reverberated around with the news that the Bolton manager Neil Lennon had stood down in the aftermath of the derby day defeat to Preston, and they’d allowed Feeney, one of their better players to go on loan for the rest of the season. Bolton were clearly now planning for life in the third tier, whereas we were very much pushing for a comfortable top half of table finish. One other reflection stood out. When Bolton scored, the players celebrated amongst themselves. When Preston scored, the players immediately raced to celebrate with the fans. How lovely it was to be in the middle of such a purple patch with a great rapport between the manager, the players, and the supporters. We’ll savour every second of this era for as long as it lasts.

Good things are well worth waiting for!

Plus points for the Macron Stadium 1.Great location for those travelling by road. 2. Fantastic looking stadium that has character 3. Laid back, yet professional stewarding even for a high-profile match

Minus points for the Macron 1. The railway station cannot adequately cope with a large away following.

Charlie (Bradford City) 29th April 2016

Bolton wanderers vs bradford city football league one saturday 29th april 2016, 3pm charlie (bradford city fan).

Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Macron Stadium?

This was the first game I looked for when the fixtures were announced, I couldn't wait for it. With the Macron Stadium having hosted Premier League football only a handful of years ago and being one of the largest grounds in the league, I was looking forward to my first trip to their. It was also our first encounter with Phil Parkinson, our ex-manager who left us in favour of Bolton during the summer, it was going to be interesting to see what kind of reception he would get. With both teams flying high in the league and going for promotion, it looked to be a must-see game.

Me and my brother began the short journey over to Lancashire on a supporters coach. We left Valley Parade around 12:45 and arrived in plenty of time for kick off. The Police allowed us to park right outside the away turnstiles making access the stadium very easy.

We arrived at the Macron Stadium with an hour and 15 minutes until kick off. We had a look around the stadium and decided to take a walk up to the retail park for something to eat. There was no bother from the home fans.

What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Macron Stadium?

Although I prefer traditional football grounds, the Macron Stadium is very impressive with its large size and modern facilities. You could tell it was a Premier League ground not so long ago. You can spot the ground from a distance when approaching. The away end was large and we certainly filled it out with over 4,000 of us attending the game.

The game itself didn't live up to expectations whatsoever. It was a relatively dull 0-0 game, with neither side really doing enough to win the game. City and Wanderers spent the full 90 minutes cancelling each other out. City looked scared to shoot! A draw was the fair result.

Considering how many coaches we took to Bolton getting away from the stadium was much quicker than expected. The journey home was easy arriving back in Bradford at about quarter past six.

A great day out with a game that didn't live up to expectations unfortunately. I left the ground happy with a draw with Bolton being one of the top sides in the league. Also we extended our unbeaten run in the league which we were pleased about. A fantastic atmosphere from the City fans as always, the Bolton fans were relatively quiet. Overall a good day out, I would definitely visit the Macron Stadium again.

Harry (Bradford City) 24th September 2016

Bolton wanderers v bradford city football league one saturday 24th september 2016, 3pm harry (bradford city fan).

I had never been to Bolton before. Plus with our former Manager Phil Parkinson moving over to take charge at Bolton, at the begriming of this season, there was extra interest in this match.

We traveled by train. On arriving at Bolton we got the train/rail replacement service to Horwich Parkway (as engineering works were taking place on the line). Horwich Parkway Station is literally a five minute walk away from the away turnstiles.

We arrived at 1:30pm so we decided to walk over to the Retail Park to find somewhere to eat. The walk over to the Retail Park too longer then expected. We got into the stadium at around 2:15pm.

Looks a bit like the John Smiths stadium in Huddersfield but decent view from the top tier after walking up about eight flights of stairs.

0-0 was probably a fair result. Bolton only really had 1 real chance which was blocked but Bradford didn't do anything of any real note for the majority of the game. Stewards were quiet all match and didn't ask anyone to sit down. Bradford made a superb atmosphere which you would expect from 4,300 of them. Bolton fans were quiet most of the game.

Massive police presence outside the away end but with only a short walk to the train station didn't see any trouble.

Decent day out and would definitely go again, keeps our unbeaten record intact and I can't wait for the home return game against Bolton now.

Rob Pickett (Oxford United) 1st October 2016

Bolton wanderers v oxford united football league one saturday 1st october 2016, 3pm rob pickett (oxford united fan).

Once again, as a northern exile living in Sheffield, this was a new ground and an easy away stadium to visit. Have heard good things about the Macron, I was well up for the trip.

The Macron Stadium has to be one of the best located grounds in the country. Easy to find, right by the motorway and with a nearby train station to boot. I parked at The Barnstormers Pub, which is a 10/15 minute walk to the ground.

I had a couple of pints of great real ale at the Barnstormers with a filled roll. This is a great pub accepting away and home fans in a cordial atmosphere. One of the barmaids called me sweetheart (the first time in many years for me!!), so I was well happy with that part of the day.

Very impressed. The Macron is well designed ground from outside and inside. Great views from away end and good atmosphere. Probably one of the best stadiums I've been to in sometime.

Facilities were standard fayre, but toilets were expansive. The game was a tight affair in the first half. Bolton had some serious height in their team and counter-attacked with pace. The second half was the best 45 minutes from Oxford this season and we ran out deserved 2-0 winners on the day.

Straightforward, not too long to get back to the motorway and on the way. A real bonus.

For Oxford fans and excellent day out. I would recommend a visit for other away fans to the Macron Stadium and to The Barnstormers pub. I'll go the next time we are away to Bolton.

Kevin Dixon (Grimsby Town fan) 5th November 2016

Bolton wanderers v grimsby town fa cup first round saturday 5th november 2016, 3pm kevin dixon (grimsby town fan).

The Macron Stadium was another new ground for me to tick off the list, and another big day out for the Black and White Army.

As I was staying in Manchester for the weekend, it was a simple half hour journey up the M61. Having read some of the previous reviews, I decided to park down Lostock Lane, and ended up in Hall Lane, just past the Barnstormers pub.

I nipped into the neighbouring Tesco next to the ground, and grabbed a sandwich and a drink, before making my way into the stadium. Home fans on the way were all friendly.

After six seasons in the Conference League, it was a pleasure to visit a new modern ground. I have driven past on the M61 several times, and thought how good the Macron Stadium looked, and I wasn't disappointed. We were housed in the lower tier of the away end, there was sufficient leg room, and even though I was on the second row, it was still a reasonable view. The two sides of the ground are similar, both having a line of executive boxes between the lower and upper tiers, and the home end is a mirror image of the away end. The biggest disappointment was the lack of home fans. We had over 1,900, but the total crowd was a mere 6,600. The fact that the tickets were only £10/£12 made it even more surprising.

The first half was largely controlled by Bolton, although we didn't play badly. Our former loanee, Liam Trotter scored with a powerful header from a corner, and we went in at half time 1-0 down. The second half was a totally different matter, during which we played some of our best football of the season. However due to a fine performance from the Bolton keeper, we were unable to grab an equaliser. The Town fans were in good voice as ever, but there was very little noise from the home fans, even when they scored. The stewards were fine, doing their job with the minimum of fuss. I didn't try the food, but the toilets were very spacious and clean.

After a ten minute walk back to the car, I joined the queue to get back onto the M61, which took a little longer than I anticipated. In view of the low attendance, I would imagine that it would be chaos getting away when there is a big crowd.

Despite the defeat, it was a good day out, and once again the Town fans were a great credit to the club. A number of Bolton supporters have praised us on the great atmosphere created by our fans. I would like to visit again, hopefully when there is a decent sized crowd.

Alan (Crystal Palace) 7th January 2017

Bolton wanderers v crystal palace fa cup 3rd round saturday 7th january 2017, 3pm alan (crystal palace fan).

I had veer been to the Macron Stadium before. I had been informed that it was an good ground to visit – I wasn't disappointed.

There is car parking right next to the ground , access is so easy for one moment I thought I had made a mistake and was parking where the players do as it is literally 100 yards from the turnstiles – Not a bad price of £7 either.

Had a KFC in the retail shopping complex right next to the ground. No issues with the Bolton fans either in the KFC or around the Macron Stadium.

The Macron Stadium is a superb ground. It is well built and not one of the normal goldfish bowls like Southampton – Sunderland etc… This ground has a lot of character to it.

Game was rubbish, a 0-0 bore draw. The atmosphere was good in the away end. The rest of the ground was half empty.

By far the best exit of any ground I have been too and I have been to a few. Was back on the motorway within 15 minutes. Whoever designed this ground and its location should be given an award.

Excellent day out. The Macron Stadium is really nice ground.

Yaz Shah (Bristol Rovers) 28th February 2017

Bolton wanderers vs bristol rovers football league one tuesday 28th february 2017, 8pm yaz shah (bristol rovers fan).

To be honest, I was not. Weather did not look too great so I waited until 1pm on the day, before I then made my mind to go journeying up from London along the M1 and M6. I also thought that we might concede a few goals, as Bolton are doing well at the moment.

It was a long journey from London via M1, M6 (plus M6 toll) to J29 then M61 south to J6. I am glad I went further than M6 J26 and came back down the M61 as one of the reviewers suggested on this website. Although some Rovers fans I spoke to said there were no problems from J26 as well. M6 both ways – Birmingham to Manchester A556 was horrible and stuck in 50mph zone. M6 after M62 junction and M61 were smooth with very few bumps so I flew along to make up time. Parking easy and free. As it was an evening game I parked in a nearby Retail Park. Getting out after the game took about 40 minutes as I stayed with the rest of the Gasheads to clap and sing the team off the pitch after this performance.

No real time to do anything as I got there and parked about 19:25. I asked some fans where away end was and they were quite polite.

The Macron Stadium is a beautiful ground as other reviewers on this website have said. One of the best I have been to. The MK Dons ground is similar but seating there for away fans was awful and pitch being so far away created no atmosphere. Here at Bolton, they have a lovely ground with great views for the away fans although the 850 Gas fans were seated mostly towards left of the goal. But I enjoyed every minute of it.

Absolutely stunning Rovers performance away to a team in 4th going for automatic promotion. We were 10th having just played Bradford, Sheffield United, Scunthorpe, Rochdale, etc. in the last month. They scored in 7th minute and then we completely dominated them for most of the match. At least four goal line clearances or just past the post, one blatant handball penalty appeal in front of the ref I which he did not give despite the whole team appealing at the same time. 

It was a brilliant 90 minute performance by Rovers and all the players including the subs. Our fans were great for the whole game. Their fans were very quiet and as the game went on, even more subdued as we were really having a go at them and a goal looked inevitable. We equalised last 15 minutes and they managed to hold out. Still cannot understand how we did not win this game. They committed a lot of fouls and had player sent off in last few minutes. Referee not very good for us although he seemed to get "fairer" as game went on. The stewards were okay like at most League One grounds; friendly. Long queues for food and drink. Ran out of tea at the break! Prices quite expensive and coffee I got was cold. For big away support, need to open more serving areas and maybe split into different areas like bars, hot drinks, etc. Will be quicker and easier for all.

Long wait to get out of the car park but largely due to me hanging around to cheer the team. About 45 minutes then hit the M61 South. Accident on M6 at J12 did not help.

One of the best Rovers matches I have been to away in recent times. The Macron Stadium is a great ground and great views for away fans. Seating is not too cramped and although we like to stand, after a while, fans did all seat down but would frequently stand with no bother from stewards. Toilets good. Eating facilities could be better i.e. quicker, cheaper and tastier.

Luke Smith (Bristol Rovers) 28th February 2017

Bolton wanderers vs bristol rovers football league one tuesday 28th february 2017, 8pm luke smith (bristol rovers fan).

The Macron Stadium has a reputation of being one of the prestige football grounds in the country, and most definitely up there with the best two or three in League One. On the back of two promotions, it's fixtures like this that make us Gasheads so thankful to have Darrell Clarke at the helm, and a lot of us (843) were going to travel regardless of time and date.

The journey up was fairly easy despite near apocalyptic weather conditions on the M5 and M6. The view of the ground all along the M65 was a particular highlight; a true beacon of footballing over achievement. The way back was a different story, with both the M5 and M6 shut, it took over six hours to get home… at night! 

Prior to the game we had a wander round the attached retail park and grabbed a quick pint at the nearby Beehive pub. The whole infrastructure of a multi-laned carriageway and several very large car parks nearby lends itself perfectly to the ultimate away day experience.

The Macron Stadium is truly one of the best I've ever been to. Its unusual design, outside lighting and floodlights make it a real spectacle on the drive in. Once inside the ground, the stewards were quite laid back and didn't care too much about persistent standing. We had the whole of the stand behind the goal's lower tier, and the view was fantastic.

Bolton were dire, I couldn't believe they are challenging for automatic promotion and we're mid table. You'd never have guessed it. Atmosphere reflected that too. A meager 13,000 home attendance made the ground seem a bit of a white elephant. It's never a good sign when the home fans are reliant on a drum to try and build some noise, although the travelling Gasheads made plenty of noise throughout. Bolton took the lead early on with Rovers equalising in the second, with the match ending in a 1-1 draw. Stewards were fine, laid back and helpful. St John's ambulance were really slow in helping a prone woman, however. Didn't eat at the ground, as they'd only opened one bar as they probably didn't expect so many to turn up, so the queues were really long. Same issue with the entrance turnstiles; they had only opened one! Took an age getting into the ground.

Easy enough, a quick walk up the adjacent dual carriageway to the free car park at the Beehive pub and we were away.

The Macron Stadium is an excellent ground and another one off the 92 (37 for me now). Despite the league position, poor game and poor home fans, it was a great away day (despite the delays driving home) and the stadium has a great infrastructure.

Ian Bradley (Neutral) 1st April 2017

Bolton wanderers v chesterfield football league one saturday 1st april 2017, 3pm ian bradley (neutral fan).

I had not visited the Macron Stadium before and the £5 admission price for this match was too good to miss. After a trouble free train journey which took me around two hours from my Rotherham home, I arrived at Horwich Parkway Station which is located just outside the ground at around 1.15pm. I then had a pleasant lunch at one of the eateries at the adjoining shopping mall before walking back to the Macron Stadium and buying a programme, which was an excellent read.

The turnstiles opened around 2pm and on entering I was impressed with the overall look of the inside of the stadium. It is nice and modern with nice seats and plenty of legroom affording unrestricted views of the action. The game started with the visiting Spireites in the ascendancy, going close on several occasions through midfielders Jon Nolan and Dan Gardner and striker Kristian Dennis. Whils the home side looked nervous and tentative in front of a bumper crowd of over 23,000 fans. This was the Trotters biggest crowd of the season.

Bolton came much more into the game in the second period, with good efforts from Jay Spearing and striker Adam Le Fondre. Chesterfield still looked quite dangerous on the break though which made for a much better game. Chesterfield's Nolan was unluckily dismissed in injury time for a second bookable offence, which I thought was a fair challenge. Bolton then poured forward in the five extra minutes with close range efforts from Bolton's Wheater, Le Fondre and Beevers being heroically blocked by the Chesterfield defence. Although ending 0-0 it was a decent(ish) game in which Bolton weren't at their best and League Two bound Chesterfield thoroughly deserved at least a point from.

Overall I enjoyed my visit to the Macron Stadium. It is a good stadium and the large 23,000+ crowd created a great atmosphere.

Josh Townend (Leeds United) 6th August 2017

Bolton wanderers v leeds united football championship league sunday 6th august 2017, 4.30pm josh townend (leeds united fan), shaun tully (leeds united) 6th august 2017, bolton wanderers v leeds united football championship league sunday 6th august 2017, 4.30pm shaun tully ( leeds united fan), kieran b (ipswich town) 20th january 2018, bolton wanderers v ipswich town football championship league saturday 20th january 2018, 3pm kieran b (ipswich town fan)  .

Another week, another new ground to tick off the list in my road to the 92. This time last year I was on 31, and now I find myself on 42. As far as match anticipation was concerned I wasn’t looking forward to the standard of football these two teams were probably going to produce the duration of the match.

Leaving Ipswich at 8:45am, we got the train from Ipswich to London Liverpool Street. From there we walked to Moorgate and then got the tube to London Euston. It was then a straight train to Manchester Piccadilly, and then to Oxford Road, where a rail replacement bus carried us to our final leg of the journey to Horwich Parkway and the Macron Stadium, arriving at 2pm.

We headed straight to the ground after a brief loop around the rather impressive Macron “Reebok” Stadium. A very tasty peppered steak pie in the ground as well as a pint of Coors Light set me up well for the game ahead. The only home fans I encountered were on the rail replacement bus service, but we had a good chat about the past and the present and the contrast in our two clubs seasons and got on very well. A great bunch of people.

The Macron Stadium is very impressive and far from the norm of the usual bowls/modern stadiums we see so often. It reminds me a lot of the ‘John Smiths Stadium’ in Huddersfield with its Arch Like stanchion beams, but despite its simplicity inside, I can’t say its boring. A very unique, and smart ground. When I received my ticket, I was rather confused to see that my seat was in the ‘Upper Tier’ as for years I had seen away fans were in the lower, right behind the goal usually. A Bolton fan told me that this has since been the case from the start of the season, with no understanding as to why. I’m not complaining however, as the view was brilliant.

Watching paint dry is how I could describe the first half, nothing to talk about there. However, the second half only sprung into life because Gary Madine fired Bolton into a deserved lead on 53 minutes. Thankfully the game picked up after that, and with both sides having some good chances, with Bolton probably deserving another goal. However, we managed to grab an equaliser after our best 30 second spell of the game with Garner finishing off a well worked move in the 82nd minute. From there onwards it was all Ipswich, and we almost won it in injury time when Waghorn slammed is 25 yard effort off the post. That would have been harsh on Bolton, who in the end were probably thankful of a point, despite deserving all three over the 90 minutes. Not the greatest game I’ll ever watch but a point is a point. The atmosphere was a solid 5/10 throughout the match. The stewards were fine, and my peppered steak pie I had pre-match was worthy of a 9/10. Facilities were spacious and very good considering we had 650 fans squeezed into one corner.

This could have been a long one as we had to pick up a rail-replacement bus back to Manchester Piccadilly via numerous stops, meaning we were at risk of missing a few trains, however to our luck there was one heading direct to Manchester Piccadilly Station. Ahead of schedule, we were back at London Liverpool Street by 9pm, and then back in Ipswich at 10pm. Overall an enjoyable and very quick journey back.

Despite the football, I had a good day. A new ground ticked off the list, and a point away from home is better than none. The Macron is a nice stadium and one that I would happily visit again in the future. I hope they manage to survive the drop this season.

Full Time Result: Bolton Wanderers 1 Ipswich Town 1

Specky (Neutral) 3rd April 2018

Bolton wanderers v birmingham city championship league tuesday 3rd april 2018, 8pm specky ( neutral fan), william biss (reading) 29th january 2019, bolton wanderers v reading championship league tuesday 29th january 2019, 8pm william biss (reading), ian robinson (preston north end) 9th february 2019, bolton wanderers v preston north end championship league saturday 9th february 2019, 3pm ian robinson (preston north end), timothy scales (norwich city) 16th february 2019, bolton wanderers v norwich city championship league saturday 16th february 2019, 3pm timothy scales (norwich city), steve ellis (neutral) 12th march 2019, bolton v sheffield wednesday  championship  tuesday, 12th march 2019, 7.45pm steve ellis (neutral).

Why were you looking forward to going to the University of Bolton Stadium?

This was not my intended game as I travelled to watch Exeter at Macclesfield which sadly got called off. So it was a toss-up between this and the Blackburn game, but also a chance to tick off another ground.

How easy was your journey and finding the ground?

The journey to the ground was easy with trains every 30 minutes from Manchester Piccadilly to Horwich Parkway then a 5 minute walk.

What did you do before the game, pub, chippy….home fans friendly?

I had to go around to the far side of the ground to the club shop in order to purchase a ticket. Matchday programmes were available at points around the ground. All the fans I encountered seemed friendly.

What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end and then other sides of the University of Bolton Stadium?

From the outside, the ground looks impressive especially as you walk up from the station. I was behind the goal in the North Stand lower tier with the home supporters. The view was good with no restrictions and some good leg room. The other stands all mirror their opposite sides.

The Stadium Looking Good Lit Up

Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, refreshments etc.

The game was good but not entertaining, Wednesday running out as 2-0 winners. The atmosphere was good but most of the noise came from the away section. The stewards were low key and friendly. The refreshments seemed pricey for individual items but the beer and pint offer at £6.50 was acceptable and the pie I had was among the best I’ve had on an away day.

Comments on getting away from the ground after the game.

Getting away afterwards was easy as I had the short walk back to the station. 

Attendance: 13,624 (1,918 away fans)

Graham Andrew (Plymouth Argyle) 9th November 2019

Bolton wanderers v plymouth argyle fa cup first round saturday 9th november 2019, 3pm graham andrew (plymouth argyle), john hague (bolton wanderers) 9th november 2019, bolton wanderers v plymouth argyle fa cup first round saturday 9th november 2019, 3pm john hague (bolton wanderers), peter williams (mk dons) 16th november 2019, bolton wanderers v mk dons league 1 saturday 16th november 2019, 3pm peter williams (mk dons), david matthews (afc wimbledon) 7th december 2019, bolton wanderers v afc wimbledon league one saturday 7th december 2019, 3pm david matthews (afc wimbledon), tony davies (portsmouth) 18th january 2020, bolton wanderers v portsmouth league 1 saturday 18th january 2020, 3pm tony davies (portsmouth), david sindall (tranmere rovers) 1st february 2020, bolton wanderers v tranmere rovers league 1 saturday 1st february 2020, 3pm david sindall (tranmere rovers).

Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the University of Bolton Stadium?

I have never been to this stadium before and I was looking forward to us picking up a vital '6 points'.

I parked in the Salvation Army Car Park on Lostock Lane, which cost £3. It was then about a seven minute walk to the ground. The journey was easy, just taking about an hour from the 'Paradise Peninsula'.

I popped into the Barnstormers Pub, where I enjoyed a very well kept pint. Then I ate a pie inside the ground. Getting served was a bit slow but they do a pie and a pint deal for £6.25.

What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the University of Bolton Stadium?

It is a big ground. I don’t like being behind the goal but the view of the pitch was impressive.

Lost 2-0. Bolton massive, about 200 12 year olds, were located to the right of away end. They enjoyed the game more than we did, obviously.

Will be back there next season in League 2.

Ben Castle (Tranmere Rovers) 1st February 2020

Bolton wanderers v tranmere rovers league 1 saturday 1st february 2020, 3pm ben castle (tranmere rovers), brian may (afc wimbledon) 18th september 2020, bolton wanderers v afc wimbledon football league one saturday 4th march 2017, 3pm brian may (afc wimbledon fan).

Having seen the Macron Stadium from a distance a few times in passing, I was really looking forward to taking in a game there for the first time and ticking off another of the 92. Wimbledon's form going into the game wasn't the best and with Bolton riding high in the league, I was travelling more in hope than expectation.

We nearly always travel to away games by train but the line that serves the Horwich Parkway station was closed for engineering works. Rather than trust the rail replacement buses we instead took the train to Wigan and pre-booked a taxi for a price of £30 return (Crusader taxis in Wigan – highly recommended). The drive took approximately 20 minutes and the stadium was visible from miles away helping to build a bit of pre-match anticipation!

As usual, I had my kids with me so took a walk around the stadium and visited the club shop. The Macron Stadium is next door to a retail park so there are loads of places to go for something to eat if you so choose. The home fans seemed pretty friendly and the Police presence was minimal.

Burnden Park Disaster Memorial Plaque

From the outside, the Macron Stadium is impressive to say the least with an unusual web of steel supports holding up the roof and the four diamond-shaped floodlight pylons. Outside the West Stand, there is an imposing statue of the great Nat Lofthouse and a memorial to the 33 fans killed in the Burnden Park disaster of 1946. After paying our respects, we made our way to the away end where the stewards were pretty laid back and the gate staff were friendly. As there was quite a small away following occupying only a couple of blocks behind the goal which were open for us but there was still plenty of room. The inside of the stadium somehow feels like a modern bowl and a traditional four-stand ground at the same time. The lower tier sweeps right around the stadium with a semi-circular upper tier on each side. The stadium is already 20 years old, but still looks fresh and is easily one of the most impressive medium-sized stadia that I have ever visited.

View From the Away Stand

The small number of Dons fans were easily catered for and the facilities were good. The prices whilst not cheap, were in line with what you expect to pay at football these days (£6 for a pie and a pint) and the meat and potato pies were decent. The ground was about half-full meaning the match atmosphere was a bit on the quiet side. Predictably, Bolton started strongly, deservedly took the lead on 15 minutes and then continued to keep Wimbledon penned into their own half – I was fearing a thrashing to be honest. However, Dons slowly clawed their way back into the game and equalised on 38 minutes. This knocked Bolton out of their stride and had Wimbledon's tails up – the half-time whistle was probably more welcome for the home team. There were chances for both sides in the second half, but Dons defended stubbornly and Bolton never really settled back into their early rhythm so the game fizzled out to a draw – a result that the Dons were certainly happier with.

I had booked our return taxi for 5:30pm to give the traffic a chance to disperse and he was spot on time. The traffic around the ground was still a bit busy but was moving and we were back in Wigan inside about 25 minutes.

Overall, another great day out following the Dons. The Macron is an impressive stadium with a friendly welcome from the club and a hard-earned point to send Dons fans home content.

Jake (Sheffield United) 18th September 2020

Bolton wanderers v sheffield united championship league saturday 25th august 2018, 3pm jake (sheffield united).

S Bane 7th November 2021

Game attended, competition, kick off time, team supported.

Graeme Whitton 15th November 2021

Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the ground itself, comment on getting away from the ground after the game, summary of overall thoughts of the day out.

Adrian Hurst 10th April 2022

David Crossfield 16th October 2022

Ground Layout

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Football-Stadiums.co.uk

Toughsheet Community Stadium: Bolton Wanderers

Alexander P Kapp [ CC BY-SA 2.0 ], via Wikimedia Commons

To most people of a certain age Bolton Wanderer’s home ground will always and forever be The Reebok Stadium. That hasn’t been the case for a while now though, with the Italian sportswear company Macron taking over the naming of the stadium due to their sponsorship deal with the club in 2014 until 2018, when the University of Bolton took over the naming rights on a long term deal which also allowed the club to use the University’s state of the art facilities.

That deal came to an end in 2023 though, when recycling firm Tough Sheet took over on a 5 year deal, and while some fans weren’t happy, they were told it was toughsheet.

Despite only having been built in 1996 and opened in 1997, The Toughsheet Community Stadium has a fair bit of history associated with it. The club’s inaugural season at their then new home saw them relegated to the second-tier of English football, spending the following three seasons out of the top-flight. They then returned to the Premier League in 2001 and remained there until their relegation back to the Championship in 2012, and things have not gone well since.

Toughsheet Community Stadium Photos

Toughsheet Community Stadium Seating Plan and Where to Sit

As is the case with most stadiums built from the ‘90s onwards The Toughsheet has a bowl style to its arrangement. The ground is still divided into four distinct sections, however, each named after the geographical location of the stand itself with occasional changes because of sponsorship deals. Each part of the ground has two tiers, with the lower tier one continuous bowl and the upper tier a separate section all of its own. Here’s a bit of info on each:

• The North Stand – The upper section of this very Northern sounding stand houses the club’s family section. The North Stand is found behind the goal.
• The South Stand (Franking Sense) – The ‘South’ part of this stand’s name indicates that it’s at the opposite goal-end to The North Stand. This stand normally houses the away supporters and has a capacity of 6000.
• The Nat Lofthouse East Stand – Based on the East side of the ground, this stand runs along the side of the pitch and has numerous executive boxes separating the upper section from the lower. It is named after Bolton’s famous forward who played his entire career at the club, as well as netting 30 goals for England in just 33 games.
• The West Stand – Typically considered to be the main stand owing to the fact that it houses the club’s facilities like the changing rooms and the dug-outs, this stand also contains the Director’s Box and executive boxes.

Bolton Wanderers Ticket Prices

Tickets for Bolton Wanderers matches cost different amounts of money depending on where in the ground you’d like to sit, who they are playing, and how old you are. Here are the cheapest and most expensive tickets for each category for adults and concessions:

• Cat A: £30 – £34 / £25 – £29
• Cat B: £28 – £32 / £23 – £27
• Cat C: £26 – £30 / £21 – £25

How To Get Bolton Wanderers Tickets

Nowadays buying tickets online is always the most preferable method, with the club’s online ticket portal operating 24 hours a day. You can buy tickets in person from Bolton Central, the club’s official shop that is located at The Uni of Bolton Stadium itself. If you prefer the old school methods of picking up tickets then you might want to consider giving the club a call directly. You can also buy tickets by sending them a fax or even, if you’re really old school, a letter.

Where to Buy

• Ticket Compare

Getting To Toughsheet Community Stadium

Bolton is just to the West of Manchester, so it’s reasonably easy to reach by road or public transport. The stadium itself, however, is about a fifteen minute drive away from the city.

Train – The nearest train station to The Macron Stadium is Horwich Parkway Station. It’s around 200 metres from the ground, so it’s easy enough to figure out where you’re going when you get off the train. It’s on a line that is reachable from the likes of Blackpool, Preston, Manchester and Bolton itself.

Bus – Bolton operate thirteen different buses from surrounding areas to the ground on match days. If bus is your preferred method of travel, therefore, you won’t struggle for options.

Car – From the North take the M6 and leave at Junction 30 onto the M61 then leave it at Junction 6 and follow the signs. From the South leave the M6 at Junction 21a and take the M62 until Junction 12 when you’ll get onto the M61. Leave that at Junction 6 and get onto the A6027, following the signs to the ground.

By Air – Manchester Airport is the closest airport to Bolton, which is fine because it serves most major cities in the world. There’s a direct train from Manchester Airport to Horwich Parkway Station.

Taxi – If you jump a cab from the centre of Bolton to The Macron Stadium it will take about 15 minutes and cost around £20. Unsurprisingly you’ll pay more if it takes longer. That’s sort of how taxis tend to work.

Parking Near Toughsheet Community Stadium

There are five official car parks at The University of Bolton Stadium, so there are a few places you’ll be able to park if you’re willing to pay. You might be able to find some on-street parking but do keep your eye out for parking restrictions in the area, although it’s not particularly residential round there.

• See Available Parking Near Toughsheet Community Stadium

Useful Resources

• Parking - Just Park

Toughsheet Community Stadium Hotels

You can, of course, stay in Manchester if you don’t want to stay in Bolton, but you’ll have a longer journey on your hands if you do. Here are some of our preferred hotel options in Bolton itself:

The Bridge Hotel - £75+

Mercure Bolton Georgian House Hotel - £70+

Shaw Hill Golf Resort & Spa Hotel - £100+

Pubs and bars near toughsheet community stadium.

Bolton is a typical North-West city with loads of personality and more than a couple of places to have a good drink before the game. If you want to have a pre-match pint nearer to the stadium then you’ll be able to but it’s a little more hit and miss as a lot of the places tend to be generic. Here are some of our choices:

The Spinning Mule

The horwich park inn.

As you’d expect from a reasonably newly built ground, The Toughsheet has reasonably good views from every seat in the house. Behind-the-scenes the concourses are probably best described as ‘functional’. There are good places to get something to eat and drink before and during the match, though, so you’ll almost certainly be able to get everything you might want.

• Programme: £3
• Cup of tea: £2.2

Hospitality

Given that the club considers its ground to be one of the finest stadiums in Europe, it’s no surprise to see that there are a number of hospitality options, and from personal experience we can tell you that the service and food here is very good. There are a number of hospitality lounges that you can take advantage of if you’re so inclined. Here are a couple of them:

• The 1877 Suite – Here you’ll enjoy a four-course meal before the game, cushioned seating on the halfway line, half-time and full-time refreshments and access to a pay bar.
• Club McGinlay’s – The latest addition to the club’s hospitality options, Club McGinlay’s is located in The West Stand and offers an informal style, a 3 course meal, cushioned seating, on the halfway line and waitress services.
• The Lion of Vienna Suite – Here you’ll get a pre-match buffet to enjoy on unreserved tables, half-time refreshments, entertainment provided by a club host and special guests, access to a pay bar and cushioned seating in The Nat Lofthouse Stand.

Private Hire

Bolton Wanderers have their own hotel attached to the stadium, so there are plenty of private hire options there alone. The Bolton Whites Hotel can cater for gala dinners, exhibitions, corporate events or even boxing matches. Plus, with rooms like The Premier Suite as well as numerous executive boxes, there are spaces available at the stadium itself for whatever you might need be it business or personal – they have even hosted professional theatre performances when the local theatre was being refurbished.

Stadium Tours & Museum

The club’s official declaration about the tour is that it allows you to go behind-the-scenes at one of the finest stadiums in Europe. We’re not quite sure that’s a valid claim, but the stadium is impressive nevertheless. Your tour will take you into both dressing rooms, the changing rooms of the match officials, down the tunnel to pitch side and you’ll also get to sit in the manager’s seat in the dugout.

You need to make sure you pre-book your tour, although it’s not clear whether they are running at the moment, but when they are you’ll pay £8.50 if you’re an adult or £5 if you’re a concession.

At the time of writing Bolton Wanderers do not have a club museum for you to look around, although there is memorabilia scattered around the stadium. The club’s megastore, located at the ground, is pretty good, however, so you might want to swap looking at trophies for looking at replica shirts and stuff. Just a thought.

About Bolton Wanderers

Bolton Wanderers started life in 1874 with the name Christ Church Football Club, adopting its current name in 1877. They were one of the founding members of the Football League when it was formed in 1888. A somewhat unwanted claim to fame of the club’s is that they have spent more seasons in the top-flight without winning a title than any other team. That might be because outside of the mainstays of the Premier League, Bolton have spent more seasons in the top-flight than any other side.

The closest Bolton came in their history to winning the First Division were third placed finishes in 1891-1892, 1920-1921 and 1924-1925. They have won the Second Division numerous times, most recently in the 1996-1997 season when they returned to The Reebok Stadium, as it was known then, with the trophy in the ground’s inaugural season. They have won the FA Cup four times and the Charity Shield once. They have also been runners up in the League Cup twice, mostly recently in 2004.

Toughsheet Community Stadium History

For seventeen years the ground was known as The Reebok Stadium, so it took a little while to get used to calling it The Macron Stadium for anyone over the age of twenty. Just when they had got used to it they went and changed it again. It was built to replace the club’s previous ground, Burnden Park, when it was decided that it would cost too much money to develop the ground to make it suitable for Premier League use.

As well as hosting Bolton Wanderers’ home games the stadium has also been used for England Under-21 international matches. It has also been used as the location for music concerts for artists such as Elton John, Coldplay and Oasis. Interestingly, footage from the Coldplay concert was used in the video for the band’s single ‘Fix You’.

Back in 2014 the club established a sixth form centre called ‘Bolton Wanderers Free School’. It offers sports related courses to students aged 16-19 and uses the facilities located in the ground for the teaching and learning methods.

Future Developments

The club has been going through some financial difficulties in recent times, including the issuing of winding up orders by Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs because of unpaid tax bills. That means that further developments are unlikely. However the club has been able to stave off the need to wind up by agreeing to sell one of its car parks to a development agency, and also selling a portion of the club to the British Business Bank.

Visit North West

University of Bolton Stadium – Bolton Wanderers FC

• Read 10 Reviews

Bolton Wanderers are one of the best known football clubs in North West England. In 1997 they moved from their old ground at Burnden Park in Bolton town centre to the stunning all-seated Reebok Stadium at the Middlebrook Retail and Leisure Park .

In 2014 the stadium was renamed the Macron Stadium after the club signed a new sponsorship deal with Macron, an Italian sportswear company.

In 2018 it was renamed the University of Bolton Stadium.

Fans and visitors to the town are welcome to look behind the scenes at the stadium. The tour includes visits to the players’ dressing rooms, officials’ changing rooms, managers’ dug-outs, press box, and the media interview room.

At the time of writing (2020) tours are offered on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday (non-match days). They must be booked in advance. For further details visit the official Bolton Wanderers website.

The Bolton Whites Hotel offers 4-star accommodation and is built into the stadium’s South Stand. Some bedrooms offer views of the football pitch. Premier Inn also have a hotel at Middlebrook.

The University of Bolton Stadium has a capacity of just under 29,000. It has four stands; North, East (Nat Lofthouse Stand), South and West. Each stand has two tiers and every seat offers a clear view of the pitch.

Away supporters are seated in the South Stand. Sections allocated depend on the opposition and the level of support. Teams with a big following may be allocated both tiers.

The West Stand is home to the main entrance, ticket office, players’ entrance, dressing rooms, players’ tunnels, and managers’ dug-outs.

There is a big screen between the East and South Stands that showing the score, time elapsed, and other information.

A detailed seating plan can be downloaded from the official website.

The stadium has hosted concerts by major artists including Rod Stewart, Oasis, Pink, Coldplay, and Elton John. It has also been the venue for other sporting events such as UK Open darts tournament.

Antique, wedding, craft, toy fairs and other exhibitions are also held here.

Bolton Central is the club’s official shop. It’s situated behind the East Stand and offers a wide selection of merchandise including replica kits, scarves, hats, and souvenirs.

In 2013 a bronze statue of legendary Bolton player and manager Nat Lofthouse was erected outside the West Stand. The statue cost £100,000 and was paid for by public donations.

The Spirit of Sport is a 30 metre, trophy-shaped sculpture that stands at the end of Burnden Way, the main approach road to the stadium. It features more than 600 tiles, each etched with the face of a local sporting hero. Former Bolton players and managers honoured include Sam Allardyce, Phil Brown, Ivan Campo, Kevin Davies, John McGinlay, Jay Jay Okocha, and Gary Speed. Diehard fans such as Dave ‘Ding-Dong-Do’ Higson and Hovis Presley are also honoured.

Location and Directions

The University of Bolton Stadium is located at the Middlebrook Retail and Leisure Park in Horwich, on the outskirts of Bolton. Visitors travelling by car should exit the M61 at Junction 6. It’s well signposted from here. The postcode to use for satellite navigation systems is BL6 6JW.

Away supporters have a dedicated car park in front of the South Stand/Bolton Whites Hotel. This is clearly signposted.

Horwich Parkway Train Station is just a few hundred yards from the Macron Stadium.

Services from this station include trains to Manchester Oxford Road, and Blackpool North.

Nearby Attractions

Tourist attractions and things to do near University of Bolton Stadium – Bolton Wanderers FC include:

• USN Bolton Arena (0.2 miles) - Modern sports and leisure complex
• Hollywood Bowl (0.2 miles) - Modern tenpin bowling centre at Middlebrook.

Nearby Cinemas

Cinemas near University of Bolton Stadium – Bolton Wanderers FC include:

• Vue Cinema Bolton (0.1 miles) - 12-screen cinema at Middlebrook.

Nearby Shopping

Places to shop near University of Bolton Stadium – Bolton Wanderers FC include:

• Middlebrook Retail and Leisure Park (0.2 miles) - Leisure and retail complex on the outskirts of the town

Nearby Restaurants

Restaurants and places to eat and drink near University of Bolton Stadium – Bolton Wanderers FC include:

• Luciano's at Middlebrook (0.1 miles) - Italian restaurant at Middlebrook, a large retail park in Horwich, Bolton. Ideal for those going to the Vue Cinema or Macron Stadium.
• Chiquito (0.2 miles)

Nearby Train Stations

Train stations near University of Bolton Stadium – Bolton Wanderers FC include:

• Horwich Parkway Train Station (0.2 miles) - Train station near Middlebrook and Bolton Wanderers.

Map showing location of University of Bolton Stadium – Bolton Wanderers FC.

Address and postcode Burnden Way Bolton Greater Manchester United Kingdom BL6 6JW

Visit University of Bolton Stadium – Bolton Wanderers FC Website

Reviews and Additional Information

I went to a charity boxing match on Tuesday 13. There was about a thousand people there. All the staff were polite and a credit to the the company. Not one bit of trouble. Thank you for a great night.

It’s the end of an era at BWFC. From July 1 2014 the Reebok Stadium will be renamed the Macron Stadium after new sponsors Macron, an Italian sports company.

It brings to an end the club’s long association with Reebok, who have had the naming rights to the stadium since it opened in 1997.

My dad has been a fan for 50 years and has never been to the new Reebok Stadium. I would love to take him one day.

Edge. It was called Burnden Park. It was at a different location than the Reebok (just outside Bolton town centre, on Manchester Road). The last game at Burnden Park was in 1997 against Charlton. Bolton won and were promoted to the Premiership and I was there to see it!

Can anyone tell me what Bolton’s ground was called before it was the Reebok?

The Greenwood down the road from the Beehive serves food all day and also has Sports channels which the Beehive doesn’t. There are short cuts to the ground too from here.

I really enjoy going to the reebok stadium to watch a match. I just love it.

If you’re coming here for a match try the Beehive pub, at the roundabout about half a mile from the ground. No problems with away fans. All of the pubs on the Middlebrook would only allow home supporters.

The Reebok is definately one of the finest stadiums in Europe.

There’s a couple of hotels at the Reebok Stadium; the De Vere Whites and the Holiday Inn Express.

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Middlebrook Retail and Leisure Park

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University of Bolton Stadium - Bolton Wanderers Stadium Guide

Home » England » University of Bolton Stadium

By Football Tripper Last Updated: September 9, 2021

Table of Contents

Stadium facts.

• Bolton Wanderers
• Seating Plan
• Stadium Tours
• Ticket Information

The Macron Stadium is a multi-functional football ground located in Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester.

Formerly known as the Reebok Stadium between 1997 to 2014, the 28,723 capacity ground has now signed a four year deal with Italian sportswear company Macron.

Bolton Wanderers Stadium Guide

University of bolton stadium history.

The inaugural fixture at the new Stadium was held on the 1st September 1997 against Everton, with the game resulting in a 0-0 draw after an opening ceremony conducted by John Prescott, who at the time was the deputy Prime Minister.

Resulting in a 0-0 draw it wasn’t until just over three weeks later on the 23rd September in a match against Tottenham Hotspsur that Bolton’s first goal in a competitive fixture was scored.

Constructed as a multi-purpose arena to primarily be used for football, The Reebok had a planned capacity of 29,000 however some of the seats were lost to stewarding and crowd control.

Although crowds were high in the opening season, the record attendance of 28,353 was set on 28th December 2003 in a Premier league match against Leicester City . Five years later many predicted a sell-out against Atletico Madrid in the UEFA Cup however it only attracted 26,163 fans.

Inspired by Huddersfield’s John Smith’s Stadium which opened in 1994, the designers Populous adapted its famous gabled architecture into a fully-enclosed bowl-style stadium. Costing an estimated £25 million to build, the ground is situated out of town within Middlebrook Retail Park in Horwich.

Previously Bolton Wanderers had played at Burnden Park, however after the publication of the Taylor Report in 1990 which enforced mandatory seating, the ground was no longer sustainable.

First built in 1895, the effects of the new proposal greatly resonated greatly with the club as Burnden Park suffered its own stadium disaster in 1946 when 33 fans died during an FA game against Stoke City .

Today, the ground is known officially as The Macron Stadium after Bolton signed a four year partnership with the Italian sportswear brand in July 2014.

This ended the previous 17 year association with Reebok who had purchased the naming rights to the ground upon opening. Some fans still inadvertently refer to it as The Reebok Stadium however.

View of University of Bolton Stadium

Bolton Wanderers Info

University of bolton stadium seating plan.

Below is a seating plan of Bolton Wanderers's University of Bolton Stadium:

Stand Photos

The Macron is comprised of the following four sections: North, East, South and West which is the main stand.

Click the thumbnails above to enlarge an image of each stand and to read a more detailed description of each part of the Stadium.

Matchday Experience

University of bolton stadium away end.

Traveling supporters who visit the Macron Stadium are housed within the southern stand which is a two-tiered construction, capable of seating around 6,000 fans in total if the occasion demands it.

Otherwise by default, around 3,000 tickets are up for grabs with the lower-tier often shared with some home supporters.

With the upper-tier remaining reserved entirely for the visiting supporters, tribalism is somewhat preserved, and the curvacious interior of the ground helps to amplify the noise generated by both sets of fans, in what I could only rather inaccurately describe as being ever so slightly like the Sydney Opera House.

As one of the newer, purpose-built football grounds in the country, the Reebok or Macron as it is now known really is a great example to other clubs.

Whilst it does admittedly make a trade-off with the fabled benefits of an inner city location, the levels of comfort and space are much greater than other grounds of a comparable size.

Best Pubs near ground

The “generic” pubs around the stadium can sometimes be hit and miss for away fans, with some supporters noting that they are often manned by bouncers who check tickets and vigilantly weed out anyone who isn’t a home fan.

Obviously it depends on the pub and match, so there’s no harm in testing these reports by popping into the Harvester between Horwich Parkway and the ground, and seeing if you get served.

With the numerous restaurants now located in the shopping centre, you’d suspect that one of these contains a bar which will welcome a small group of well-behaved fans.

Otherwise, the nearest traditional pub is The Barnstromers located south-east of Macron stadium on Cranfield Road, or waiting until you’re inside the concourse.

Food - Places to eat

Located out of town, the best bet besides Macron stadium for food is at the nearby shopping centre known as Middlebrook Retail Centre .

There is a plethora of options ranging from restaurants such as Nandos, Bella Italia, Pizza Hut and Harvester to more affordable fast food options choices such as KFC, Subway, McDonalds and Costa Coffee.

Bolton Wanderers Club Shop

The club shop is located at the stadium next to the car park within the wider Middlebrook Retail Centre.

Known as Bolton Central, the shop has the following opening times regardless of matchdays:

• Monday to Thursday: 9.00 am – 17.30 am
• Friday: 10.00 am – 19.00pm
• Saturday: 9.00am – 17.30pm
• Sunday: 10.00am – 16.00pm

Alternatively there is the club’s official online store for all your Trotters paraphernalia: https://www.bwfcdirect.co.uk/

Can you take a stadium Tour?

Bolton Wanderers proudly offers fans the chance to go behind “One of the finest stadiums in Europe” by undertaking a tour of the Macron.

Lasting over 60 minutes, and costing £7.50 for adults and just £4 for everybody else, discounts are available for groups between 10-25 people with tours typically running on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday at 11.00 am.

There is also a Sunday 1.00 pm slot available but you are advised to check with the club shop when booking or the person you book with via telephone (0844 871932).

Availability and access will be restricted on matchdays or if another event such as a concert is planned at the ground.

How to buy Bolton Wanderers Tickets

You can purchase tickets to see Bolton play either online, in person at the Bolton Central store, via phone 0844 871 2932 or even via fax and traditional post.

Tickets are priced into different categories depending on the opposition with the club operating a three-tiered price structure ranging from cheaper matches (Category C) to the more high-profile matches (Category A).

Ticket Prices

• Adults: Category A (£28.00), B (£25.00), C (£23.00)
• Over 65: Category A (£22.00), B (£18.00),  C (£16.00)
• Under 23: Category A (£22.00), B (£18.00), C (£16.00)
• Under 18: Category A (£12.00), B (£10.00), C (£9.00)

How to get to University of Bolton Stadium

Where is university of bolton stadium.

The Macron Stadium is located in Middlebrook Retail Park in Horwich within the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton in Greater Manchester.

It is situated out of town approximately 5 miles west of Bolton city centre.

Macron Stadium’s address for satnav is as follows:

• Burnden Way, Bolton, BL6 6JW

There are numerous car parks located at the Macron Stadium which operate on a first come first serve basis with prices set at £7.00 for cars, £12.00 for Mini-Buses and £20.00 for coaches:

• Car Park A – this is intended to be used by visiting supporters
• Car Parks B & C – reserved for home fans with seasonal passes available
• Car Parks D & E -reserved for larger vehicles such as mini-buses and coaches.

Each car park opens from 8.00 am on matchdays with disabled parking spaces for blue badge holders located in car parks A (Away fans) and C (Home supporters).

Train - Public Transport

Bolton train station is located 5 miles East of Bolton Wanderer’s ground but thankfully there is the smaller Horwich Parkway Station which is used to access both the ground and nearby shopping centre.

Connected to Bolton town centre, Horwich Parkway has rail services operated by Northern Rail with trains directly to both Manchester Piccadilly and Victoria.

Public Transport of University of Bolton Stadium

Hotels Near University of Bolton Stadium

The closest hotel to the stadium is actually within the Macron Itself, with the Bolton White Hotel actually integrated inside the South Stand!

The second closest to the ground is the Premier Inn which is located next to the the smaller Bolton Arena towards the South West of The Macron.

One which is probably more suitable for those with a car (although it is still walkable) is another Premier Inn, this time 0.7 miles East of the stadium on the A6027 roundabout.

Back within Bolton itself there are of course other hotels such as The Travelodge which is within walking distance of the main train station.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who plays at university of bolton stadium.

English side Bolton Wanderers play their home matches at University of Bolton Stadium.

What is the capacity of University of Bolton Stadium?

As of 2024 University of Bolton Stadium has an official seating capacity of 28,723 for Football matches.

When was University of Bolton Stadium opened?

University of Bolton Stadium officially opened in 1997 and is home to Bolton Wanderers

What is the postcode for University of Bolton Stadium?

The postcode for University of Bolton Stadium is BL6 6JW.

Are there any Covid restrictions at the stadium?

Covid Restrictions may be in place when you visit University of Bolton Stadium in 2024. Please visit the official website of Bolton Wanderers for full information on changes due to the Coronavirus.

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Pink is heading to Bolton to start 2023 stadium tour

The American superstar has announced two nights in Bolton will kick off her European stadium tour

• 09:23, 7 OCT 2022

Pop superstar Pink has announced a new European tour for 2023 which will kick off with two huge gigs in Bolton. The So What chart-topper posted on her social media channels on Friday the news that fans had been eagerly awaiting.

She posted the details about her Summer Carnival Tour 2023 to the delight of fans. In her tweet she said: "UK and Europe, I’m coming for ya!

"Can’t wait to see your beautiful faces next summer!" The new tour will include gigs in Bolton , Birmingham, Sunderland and London before heading out across Europe over the Summer.

Read more : Inside Will Mellor's family cafe in Romiley where the whole village is cheering on the BBC Strictly star

Pink's Summer Carnival will all start at the University of Bolton Stadium with two huge gigs - on June 7 and 8. She will then head to Sunderland's Stadium of Light on June 10 and 11.

She will then head to Birmingham for a night at Villa Park on June 13 and return to the UK for a gig at London's Hyde Park on June 24 . It is the first time Pink has toured to the UK since her huge Beautiful Trauma World Tour in 2019.

The newly announced tour will also include gigs in Paris, Landgraaf, Werchter, Berlin, Vienna, Warsaw, Munich, Hanover and Koln.

Tickets will go on sale on Friday, October 14 at 10am from Ticketmaster. You can get tickets by clicking here .

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Bolton Wanderers Football Club - Macron Stadium Tour

Contact Details

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All stadium tours must be pre-booked with a minimum of 24 hours’ notice either in person at Bolton Central or by calling 0844 8712932.

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Bolton Wanderers FC - University of Bolton Stadium

Stadium info.

The University of Bolton is a modern, all-seater stadium with a capacity of 28,723 which was completed in 1997, replacing the club's old ground, Burnden Park. Despite the improved facilities and larger capacity (and resultant larger ticket revenues), this move was unpopular with many of the club's fans. Most new grounds tend to be unpopular at first however and in recent years it's been much more appreciated. There are no bad views within the stadium and all seats have unrestricted views.

Up to 5,000 visiting supporters can be accommodated and are allocated the South Stand behind one of the goals. Generally, the allocation is nearer 3,000 however and when this amount is taken the lower tier can be shared with home fans The upper tier however, is reserved for away fans. The leg room and facilities within this stand are very good and the view is fantastic.

Stadium Layout

University of Bolton Stadium seating plan:

Where To Drink

The Beehive is located on Chorley New Road, with the advantage of fans being able to park their cars there for £5 and claim the monies against drinks at the bar.

The University of Bolton Stadium is located on the Middlebrook Retail Park which has plenty of fast food outlets including a Nandos, Burger King, Pizza Hut, a BWFC themed McDonalds and several other themed restaurants.

Parking is freely available at the stadium at a cost of £6 per car. It is advisable to leave your car here in the secured car parks as there's little parking in surrounding areas. However, if you are determined to park on the roads to save a few quid, try parking at the Beehive pub which is on the roundabout (half a mile past the stadium coming from the motorway) where you pay £5 per car but get it all back at the bar.

Need cheap and convenient parking near the stadium? Rent a local resident's driveway and book University of Bolton Stadium parking with YourParkingSpace.Co.Uk

Get directions to the University of Bolton Stadium from your house by entering your post code or location below:

The nearest / closest train station to Bolton Wanderers's University of Bolton Stadium is the Horwich Parkway train station which is just 100 yards away. It is situated on the Manchester Airport to Preston and Blackpool North/Blackpool North and Preston to Manchester Airport line.

The Games To See

Rivals - Man Utd, Man City, Bury, Blackburn, Wigan, Preston

FANS REVIEWS

Steve ellis, 12th march 2019 - bolton v sheffield wednesday.

Travel: The journey to the ground was easy with trains every 30 minutes from Manchester Piccadilly to Horwich Parkway then a 5 minute walk.

Refreshments: I had to go around to the far side of the ground to the club shop in order to purchase a ticket. Matchday programmes were available at points around the ground. All the fans I encountered seemed friendly.

Impressions: From the outside, the ground looks impressive especially as you walk up from the station. I was behind the goal in the North Stand lower tier with the home supporters. The view was good with no restrictions and some good leg room. The other stands all mirror their opposite sides.

Atmosphere: The game was good but not entertaining, Wednesday running out as 2-0 winners. The atmosphere was good but most of the noise came from the away section. The stewards were low key and friendly. The refreshments seemed pricey for individual items but the beer and pint offer at £6.50 was acceptable and the pie I had was among the best I’ve had on an away day.

Exit: Getting away afterwards was easy as I had the short walk back to the station.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCES HERE:

• Stadium Information
• Stadium Seating Plan
• Fans Reviews

Ground Name: University of Bolton Stadium Capacity: 28,723 (all seated) Address: Burnden Way, Horwich, Bolton, BL6 6JW Main Tel No.: 0844 871 2932 Team Nickname: The Trotters Year Ground Opened: 1997 Site: www.bwfc.co.uk Online Shop: BWFC Photos

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... in his own words and in words of those, who knew him

Concert in Moscow 1993

Samvel Gasparov , a movie director, tells the story about MJ' show in Moscow in 1993:

'I heard about Michael Jackson for the first time back in the 70's. I even knew some of his songs, but I never was a fan. When I worked as a truck driver, I used to listen to Georgian music. Later, when I went to college, I grew to like Joe Dassin, Charles Aznavour, Tom Jones, and Engelbert Humperdinck. But I always knew about Jackson, and I knew that he was a good singer. In the early 90's my dream was to make a movie called "Run brother, run". American filmmakers expressed some interest in the script, and in 1992 I went to Romania where we rented a foundation. As it happened, Michael Jackson was giving a show in Bucharest at that time, and I was introduced to his producer Marcel Avram by one of our mutual friends. Marcel asked me to help them tape Michael's concert, and I did what I could. It was a pleasure. The performance left me stunned. Jackson impressed me very much – he was a genius, that's no question. I was personally introduced to him, and I remember shaking his cool pale hand. On the second day at dinner I told Avram about my wish to make a movie in the USA and my need for money. I already had an offer for five movies and lodging in the US by then. "I like you", Avram said. "If you want, we can bring Michael to Moscow. Then you can organize a show and make some money." I thought it would be cool, but I honestly didn't believe it was possible. But soon after that Avram sent his people to Moscow in order to check out Dessa, the company I headed at the time. It was one of the first Russian private companies created for the purpose of movie making, and I had some good folks on my team.

Suddenly the project came to life. Money was pushed to the background in my mind. I was full of enthusiasm, I wanted to bring that joyful event to people – after all, it was the first time a big Star was going to visit Russia. Since the visit of Avram's delegation and till September 1993 we were busy with preparations. It was my first experience in show business, and I couldn't imagine that it would be that hard and unpredictable. I thought that all showbiz "sharks" would support me and help me with that project, but it turned out the other way round – they threw obstacles in my way and tried to prevent the show from happening. We felt that our efforts were not appreciated. We even got phone calls with threats. And we got attacked by the media: they wrote that I was the king of the liquor industry and the head of the Chechen mafia. They said I was organizing the show in order to sell vodka on the stadium. It was a nightmare! They also wrote garbage about Jackson – that he was a pedophile, and that I was going to bring not him, but his impersonator who would lip synch to his songs. But all this crap only turned us on. We decided that we would make the show happen no matter what.

On September 15, 1993 Michael postpones his flight out of Moscow, Russia, and instead goes to visit a hospital for mentally challenged children there, who rejoice at seeing him and fight for his attention. One of his aides says that the singer has asked for one of the children to be flown to America for care and treatment which Jackson will pay for. The singer holds a few children in his arms and on his lap, comforts and plays with them and wishes to entertain them: “I’d like to sing with them. We all know a song together”, he says, visibly emotional. He also visits children in a nearby orphanage, who will sing a song to him in Russian, turning him – the ultimate performer, into an attentive spectator.

• Thoughts and ideas
• On the plane
• In Australia´s Hospital
• David Smithee
• Christmas Party For Orphans
• The Day I Met My Hero
• Restoration In Neverland
• Once Upon A Time
• Dinner With Michael
• Daniele Parisi
• Always Humble
• Michael In Oman
• Bela Farkas
• Angelic Eyes
• Driver Gokor
• Uri Geller about MJ
• In Search Of Neverland
• In Ormond Street Hospital
• Michael And Photography
• Michael as a Farmer
• David Pack about MJ
• Dance and Weddings
• Donna Ashlock
• Flight Over Brazilia
• One Day at Liseberg
• MJ & the Walters Family
• Craig & Michael Flemings
• Michael and the Dentist
• Magical Michael
• Tim´s Dinner with Michael
• Tabitha Messick meets MJ
• Michael and Mrs. Ma Family
• Sam Parity remembers MJ
• Stories from "The Wiz"
• Peacemaker at 30,000 feet
• Michael Jackson In India
• Nisha Kataria
• Two Michael Jacksons
• MJ in Netherlands
• David Sonnet
• Michael saved his sister´s husband from suicide
• Cascio Family
• MJ and Kim Jong Il
• Little Michael as a Babysitter
• A Major Moment
• Michael and China Airlines
• Bob Giraldi on directing "Beat It"
• You felt like God was within him
• Prasadam dinners
• MJ lifts a child with brain tumor
• Concert in Moscow
• Celine´s Art
• Remembering Michael
• My Brush With Badness
• An Evening With Michael
• South Africa´s Children Hospital
• Michael the Driver
• Journey of Wolf Family
• Amanda Porter
• Polish Girl Marielle
• The Effect of a Song
• MJ Dances at Bar Mitzvah
• Bucharest´s Orphanage
• Mediation of rappers
• Two Days With Michael
• Aboriginal College
• Homeless people
• Gessica´s meeting with MJ
• Mutual support
• Healing Tape
• Three Young Orphans
• Act of Thoughtfulness
• More About Michael

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• November 22, 2011 Setlist

Michael Bolton Setlist at Crocus City Hall, Moscow, Russia

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• Go the Distance ( Alan Menken  cover) ( Intro ) Play Video
• To Love Somebody ( Bee Gees  cover) Play Video
• (Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay ( Otis Redding  cover) Play Video
• Said I Loved You...but I Lied Play Video
• You Don't Know Me ( Eddy Arnold  cover) Play Video
• Sweet Home Chicago ( Robert Johnson  cover) Play Video
• Summertime ( George Gershwin  cover) Play Video
• The Prayer ( Céline Dion  cover) (with Aida ) Play Video
• Make You Feel My Love ( Bob Dylan  cover) Play Video
• How Am I Supposed to Live Without You Play Video
• Nessun dorma ( Giacomo Puccini  cover) Play Video
• You and I ( Michael Lington  cover) Play Video
• When a Man Loves a Woman ( Percy Sledge  cover) Play Video
• How Can We Be Lovers Play Video
• Time, Love and Tenderness Play Video
• Hallelujah ( Leonard Cohen  cover) ( featuring "Quatro" band ) Play Video
• Hold On, I'm Comin' ( Sam & Dave  cover) ( Alexey Chumakov ) Play Video
• Georgia (on My Mind) ( Hoagy Carmichael and His Orchestra  cover) Play Video
• Pride (In the Name of Love) ( U2  cover) Play Video

Edits and Comments

30 activities (last edit by event_monkey , 8 Feb 2024, 11:07 Etc/UTC )

Songs on Albums

• (Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay by Otis Redding
• Georgia (on My Mind) by Hoagy Carmichael and His Orchestra
• Go the Distance by Alan Menken
• Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen
• Hold On, I'm Comin' by Sam & Dave
• Make You Feel My Love by Bob Dylan
• Nessun dorma by Giacomo Puccini
• Pride (In the Name of Love) by U2
• Summertime by George Gershwin
• Sweet Home Chicago by Robert Johnson
• The Prayer by Céline Dion
• To Love Somebody by Bee Gees
• When a Man Loves a Woman by Percy Sledge
• You Don't Know Me by Eddy Arnold
• You and I by Michael Lington
• How Am I Supposed to Live Without You
• How Can We Be Lovers
• Said I Loved You...but I Lied
• Time, Love and Tenderness

Complete Album stats

Michael Bolton

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Michael Bolton Gig Timeline

• Sep 22 2011 Piedra Plat Stadium Oranjestad, Aruba Add time Add time
• Nov 08 2011 X Factor Australia Sydney, Australia Add time Add time
• Nov 22 2011 Crocus City Hall This Setlist Moscow, Russia Add time Add time
• Feb 24 2012 Wiltsie Center Hazleton, PA, USA Add time Add time
• May 30 2012 The Palladium Carmel, IN, USA Add time Add time

2 people were there

• Alexander-Alice

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<div style="text-align: center;" class="setlistImage"><a href="https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/michael-bolton/2011/crocus-city-hall-moscow-russia-bd1d952.html" title="Michael Bolton Setlist Crocus City Hall, Moscow, Russia 2011" target="_blank"><img src="https://www.setlist.fm/widgets/setlist-image-v1?id=bd1d952" alt="Michael Bolton Setlist Crocus City Hall, Moscow, Russia 2011" style="border: 0;" /></a> <div><a href="https://www.setlist.fm/edit?setlist=bd1d952&amp;step=song">Edit this setlist</a> | <a href="https://www.setlist.fm/setlists/michael-bolton-2bd6f09e.html">More Michael Bolton setlists</a></div></div>

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[url=https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/michael-bolton/2011/crocus-city-hall-moscow-russia-bd1d952.html][img]https://www.setlist.fm/widgets/setlist-image-v1?id=bd1d952[/img][/url] [url=https://www.setlist.fm/edit?setlist=bd1d952&amp;step=song]Edit this setlist[/url] | [url=https://www.setlist.fm/setlists/michael-bolton-2bd6f09e.html]More Michael Bolton setlists[/url]

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