Bolton Endeavour To Avoid Inevitable Decline

Saturday 30th January, 1999
Weekend Preview

Bolton take on Norwich at the Reebok Stadium (right) in the first of two games between the clubs that could prove decisive for Bradford's promotion bid.

The two teams must play again at Carrow Road in a game postponed ealier in the season. Both games are key to the confidence of the teams as they attempt to win Premiership promotion.

Confidence is a major factor in football. If a team believes it is not good enough then, usually, they find a way to make sure this is the case and so City boss Paul Jewell must have been overjoyed to read of the level of praise for his team after the recent second best showing at Newcastle. One worried for Robbie Blake especially, who’s miss turned the game on Saturday, and on Sunday was receiving favourable comparisons to the sublime Peter Beardsley in the press.

The amount of praise showed on the club after the FA Cup exit will do the player’s confidence a world of good, but better still would be favourable results in the Saturday games, especially Norwich’s visit to Bolton.

Norwich boss Bruce Rioch will be keen to take at least four point off his former club to put the East Anglian’s back into playoff contention. Bolton on the other hand are hiding a crisis. Fans favourite Arnar Gunlaugsson wants away from the club, the Danish midfield may follow him should the club fail to replace the Icelander up front after selling striker Nathan Blake earlier in the season. In the resplendent Reebok the fan’s murmur discontent, waiting for a consensus that allows them to voice their unease with life outside the Premiership. The fact that they must vie for promotion with the likes of Bradford irks them, in Lofthouse’s day? Never. A loss in either of the Norwich games gives City a significant psychological advantage. Once a team is four points clear and the possibility of overhauling that team within the foreseeable future is gone, an inevitability sets in. As soon as the Reebok crowd sense the club may be headed for the play offs then the reception afforded to the team will become colder, the confidence will drain away.

Sunderland’s trip to Watford, who have fallen from the higher echelons to the First Division, offers them a chance to extend a ten point lead on the Bantams should they be able to get over their two successive losses to Premiership clubs, surely casting a shadow over their aspirations should they get promoted. Ipswich must beat weak travellers Port Vale. Grimsby go to West Brom, a Baggies win would mark a divorce between promotion chasers and also rans: Sheffield United, Wolves, Huddersfield and, should then fair to win at the Reebok, Norwich.

However the results pan out on Saturday Bradford know that a victory at Birmingham on Sunday insulates them in second position for another week.

Who are the main threat to City's promotion bid? Your opinions to MichaelWood@Iname.com