LOOKING BACK
We catch up with Bolton Wanderers’ 1972-73 Division Three champions
IAN SEDDON admits he was frustrated having to watch Bolton claim back their place in the Second Division.
Seddon was part of the Wanderers squad that had been relegated two seasons earlier and was keen to help them win promotion.
But instead he was stuck on the sidelines in the days of only one substitute and found his chances limited because of the formation played by Jimmy Armfield.
Wanderers were consistent all season in terms of results and team selection which left few opportunities for players looking to break into the side.
Only Paul Jones was an ever present, but 11 others made 30 or more appearances so the likes of Seddon were unable to get many games.
The Trotters hit top spot in early November and, apart from a three-week period in January which saw successive defeats at Oldham and Plymouth, never let it go.
Armfield eventually lead them to the Third Division title by four points from Notts County and six ahead of thirdplaced Blackburn Rovers who weren’t promoted.
Seddon says: “Jimmy Armfield had a system of playing which suited the team and very rarely did any of the lads get injured so it was very hard to break into the team He was happy and the results were good. Those lads were playing week in and week out even in the cup matches.
“I forget how many times I was sub but it was that many times it was unbelievable.
Unbelievable
“The two main striker were Stuart Lee and Gary Jones they were both quick and mobile and Armfield played John Byrom in the hole behind and gave him a free hand.
“He was allowed to go where he wanted without any defensive responsibilities, so basically Alan Waldron, Roy Greaves and Ronnie Philips were in midfield.
“AIan sat in the middle with the two wide lads either side so it was like a diamond. So with one thing or another I never really got quite established at Bolton.
“In 1970-71, the year we got relegated, the side was forever being chopped and changed. We basically had five managers over the season.
“We were quite a young side around 19 or 20, so it all fell into place for Jimmy Armfield because we had all had two or three years experiencewhen he joined.
“Garry Jones was a good player, Roy Greaves was estab- lished, Paul Jones had come on leaps and bounds.
“We scored a lot of goals and out-played a lot of teams on pitches which in those days were very heavy, but the system suited the lads.
“When I stepped into the side I either played in Byrom’s role or wide for Waldron. They were the only two who seemed to get injured.
“We always seems to bounce back very quickly. I remember we got beaten at Bournemouth and then came back winning four and drawing one” 1. Peter Nicholson: Full-back who won two promotions at Bolton, coached the academy and worked for the club commercially before switching to Blackburn. 2. Paul Jones: Central defender, three times in the PFA team of the season. He has made cardboard boxes and has scouted for Crystal Palace, Hull City and Bolton. 3. Charlie Wright: Hong Kong goalkeeper international. He managed York and Bolton before running a cafe and then a sports bar before retiring to Deal, Kent. 4. Don McAllister: Full-back who won a promotion with Tottenham, managed Barnet and worked in insurance. Emigrated to Australia joining Major Life Company until retiring. 5. Barry Siddall: Goalkeeper who won promotion out of three Divisions. Since retiring he has worked for the Post Office in the Kirkham area of Lancashire. 6. Roy Greaves: Midfielder twice won promotion with Bolton. Ran the Monteraze pub close to Boundary Park, then had a wholesale beer company 7. John Ritson: Right-back and another member of the 1973 Division Three title-winning squad. Ran a newsagents in the Potteries, then his own building firm. 8. Jim Conway: He became chief scout for Wanderers and then became a freelance football coach in the local area. 9. John Byrom: Forward did driving and sweeping jobs then sold cars before finally setting up his own gas cylinder business until retiring. He lives in the Ribble Valley. 10. Ian Seddon: Midfielder who won promotions with Chester and Cambridge. Has coached at Bolton Wanderers academy and has worked in the building materials industry. 11. Stuart Lee: Forward who managed Stockport County reserves and Seattle Storm. He is now director of coaching at FC Seattle Storm after buying the club in 1991. 12. Warwick Rimmer: Defender. After spells managing Crewe and Sierra Leone he became Tranmere Rovers commercial manager and then ran the youth team. 13. Garry Jones: Centreforward twice helped Bolton win promotion. He went on to became a director of building and building supplies companies. He died in April 2016, aged 65. 14. Ronnie Phillips: Winger worked for an insurance company and then ran an offlicence in Walkden, Cumbria. He tragically committed suicide in April 2002 aged 55. 15. Alan Waldron: Midfielder and twice a promotion winner with Wanderers. He has run a number of building companies in Conwy, Wales. NOT PICTURED: Ralph Wright: Defender was loaned to Fourth Division champions Southport in 1972-73. Returned to his native North East where he was sales director for a large vehicle rental company. Henry Mowberry: Full-back. After working for the Australian government, he returned to Dunfermiline and worked for Saltire Hospitality. Paul Hallows: Full-back. He lives in Ratcliffe and was a director of Rayner Printing Plates for 18 years, then became area sales manager for Nicholl Graphics (Openshaw). Jim Redfern: Winger settled in Chester whom he helped win promotion from Division Four. Became a painter and decorator. Neil Whatmore: Striker who won a promotion with Mansfield. He was a milkman, facilities manager at a college, a property manager and then worked on leak detection for Severn Trent Water.