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It is exactly one calendar month since last met. That Boxing Day clash ended 1-1 although most good judges would have suggested the game should have gone our way.
That day it was Coyle v Megson but things really have changed and Bolton, at home tonight, will be managed by their 12 Goal Legend whilst Burnley will be playing game number three under Brian Laws.
It's an important game for both sides, but looking at it from our point of view it is a game where we would love to start picking up some points away from home. We've got just one so far (a 3-3 draw at Manchester City) and we've failed to net in eight of the eleven Premier League games on the road.
To stay up, and let's face it we still have more than a decent chance, we need to start picking up points in away games and somehow in the eight remaining we have to find a few to give us that chance.
Bolton are not too far behind us. They have two points less from with one game in hand, but they have played more home games than us and two less away.
Like us they are under new management but unlike us they have had some success with a win in the FA Cup with goals from Steinsson and Elmander giving them a 2-0 success over Sheffield United.
Since we played on Boxing Day they have added two new faces to their squad and two players who, hardly surprisingly, had been linked (via the Daily Mirror) with Burnley. Vladimir Weiss has joined on loan from Manchester City whilst just today they have completed the signing of Stuart Holden from Houston Dynamo.
One thing we can guarantee tonight. They will have a dug out that looks more familiar to Burnley fans than it will to the home fans.
We've no team news from the home camp, but their line up for the FA Cup tie against Sheffield United was as follows:
Jussi Jaaskelainen, Jlloyd Samuel, Gary Cahill, Zat Knight, Gretar Steinsson, Fabrice Muamba, Sam Ricketts, Chung-Yong Lee, Tamir Cohen, Ivan Klasnic, Kevin Davies. Subs: Ali Al Habsi, Paul Robinson, Joey O'Brien, Ricardo Vaz Te, Chris Basham, Johan Elmander.
There is some good news for Brian Laws, certainly as far as his forwards are concerned. Steven Fletcher is back from injury. David Nugent, unable to play in the cup at Reading, returns. Martin Paterson has got 45 minutes under his belt and international clearance has come through for new signing Frédéric Nimani and he too is available.
Laws will be hoping Stephen Jordan is passed fit after missing on Saturday which will surely enable him to move Chris McCann into the midfield for his first league appearance since he suffered serious knee damage in the home win against Sunderland.
The team could be: Brian Jensen, Tyrone Mears, Michael Duff, David Edgar, Stephen Jordan, Graham Alexander, David Nugent, Wade Elliott, Chris McCann, Chris Eagles, Steven Fletcher. Subs from: Diego Penny, Clarke Carlisle, Christian Kalvenes, Joey Gudjonsson, Kevin McDonald, Fernando Guerrero, Robbie Blake, Steven Thompson, Martin Paterson, Frédéric Nimani.
Our last visit to the Reebok, in fact our only visit to the Reebok, came on the opening day of the 2000/01 season. It was our first game in what is now called the Championship following promotion.
The first half was disappointing with Bolton going in front with a Per Frandsen penalty, but we came storming back in the second half after the introduction of Glen Little and won a point courtesy of Phil 'Tippy' Gray's only Burnley goal.
The teams that day were;
Bolton: Jussi Jaaskelainen, John O'Kane (Leam Richardson 83), Gudni Bergsson, Mark Fish, Per Frandsen, Bo Hansen (Ian Marshall 62), Gareth Farrelly, Anthony Barness, Simon Charlton, Franck Passi, Isaiah Rankin. Subs not used: Steve Banks, Paul Wheatcroft, David Norris.
Burnley: Paul Crichton, Paul Weller, Steve Davis, Ian Cox, Mitchell Thomas, Lee Briscoe, John Mullin (Glen Little 47), Kevin Ball, Paul Cook, Andy Cooke (Graham Branch 57), Phil Gray. Subs not used: Gordon Armstrong, Ronnie Jepson, Micky Mellon.
Bolton's last home game against Burnley in the top flight was at Burnden Park and was played almost 46 years ago at Easter 1964.
We were soon 2-0 down in the game but Willie Irvine pulled one back ten minutes before half time. Unfortunately there was to be no comeback and Bolton went on to win the game 2-1.
Burnley's team was: Adam Blacklaw, John Angus, Alex Elder, Brian O'Neil, John Talbut, Brian Miller, Willie Morgan, Willie Irvine, Andy Lochhead, Arthur Bellamy, John Connelly.
Previous 20 Seasons | |||||
Season | Div | Ven | Result | Att | Scorers |
1994/95 | 1 | h | 2-2 | 16,687 | Davis Deary |
. | . | a | 1-1 | 16,853 | Philliskirk |
2000/01 | 1 | a | 1-1 | 20,662 | Gray |
| . | . | h | 0-2 | 19,552 | . |
2009/10 | PL | h | 1-1 | 21,761 | Nugent |