EXCLUSIVE: Tony Kelly's White Hot Years memories
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WHITE Hot 3 - the photograph readers of this newspaper will remember as the celebration of Wanderers' FA Cup giant-killing of Arsenal in 1994 - immortalised the three goalscorers of that Highbury triumph.
Jason McAteer, John McGinlay and Andy Walker secured their places in Bolton folklore on that February night as Bruce Rioch's knockout specialists triumphed in extra time of a pulsating fourth round replay that was widely regarded as the best of that ground-breaking series.
But the triumphant trio would have been a quartet, if referee Gerald Ashby had not denied Tony Kelly his moment of glory.
It is fair to assume that, in his retirement, the official from Worcester has never given it a second thought, considering his decision was technically correct.
But Kelly will never forget.
It was so incidental and so unnecessary. Wanderers had already won the tie when they were awarded a last-minute free-kick just outside the Gunners' penalty area.
As jubilant Bolton fans massed at the Clock End chanted "We want four!" Kelly duly obliged, living up to his Zico nickname and comprehensively beating England keeper David Seaman, before peeling away to celebrate with McGinlay.
But Mr Ashby, one of England's top referees, had seen Martin Keown stray inside the 10-yard limit and cut the celebrations short by disallowing the "goal" for encroachment, red-carding the Arsenal defender for his second bookable offence and ordering the kick to be retaken.
Kelly beat Seaman a second time but the ball clipped the outside of the post, leaving the midfield maestro feeling mugged - a painful memory revived by the draw that gives Wanderers another FA Cup date on the Gunners own patch.
"I'll not tell you what I called the ref, but I told him he'd robbed me of a bit of glory and robbed those special Bolton fans, who had been so loyal to me and would have loved to see me score," Kelly said, recalling the decision that, for him, took some of the gloss off the Highbury highlight in which he had played a major part.
"I asked him What looks better: 3-1 and Arsenal down to 10 men or 4-1 and still 11 v 11?' But he didn't answer.
"It would have been something to tell my kids when they grew up, but it wasn't to be."
As disappointed as he was not to get into the White Hot frame. Kelly still cherishes the memory of that night of triumph in North London when Wanderers, then a second-tier team, confirmed their status as the most feared giant-killers in the land. They had already seen off Everton - White Hot 2 - in the third round and went on to knock out a third Premiership club, Aston Villa, before going to Oldham in the quarter-finals.
Now an avid observer of Sam Allardyce's Wanderers, he sees no reason why Kevin Nolan and Co can't repeat the feat at The Emirates on Sunday.
Having seen Wanderers' 3-1 Premiership victory over Arsenal at the Reebok in November, Kelly reckons they have a crucial psychological edge.
"I fancy Bolton to go down there and beat them," he said. "I saw the game here and the Bolton lads were different class that day and they'll know they've got Arsenal rattled.
"You can see that they are a unit, not just individual players and they looked like the team that got to last year's Champions League final, not Arsenal. That's how much better they were.
"I think Bolton have got the Indian sign on Arsenal and I don't think the Arsenal players will be looking forward to playing them on Sunday.
"Arsenal haven't been beaten in the new stadium but, if they can reproduce that White Hot spirit, Bolton can win there."
Like many of those involved in those memorable White Hot nights, which kicked off at Anfield the previous year when David Lee had the game of his life as Wanderers beat Liverpool 2-0 in a never-to-be-forgotten Third Round replay, Kelly believes Rioch's team laid a foundation on which Allardyce has fashioned one of the most successful periods in the club's history.
And he sees striking similarities in the two squads.
"I think that was start of all the good things that are happening now," he said. "Bruce put the footings in and Sam's taken it on, even further.
"No way did I ever think anyone could do any better at Bolton than Bruce Rioch, but Sam's taken the club to limits I never thought possible.
"It's going to be hard for the next manager to come in whenever Sam leaves.
"He's got something special going. They've got a great team spirit, just like we had. We didn't have as many internationals like they have now, but we were still a great side.
"People talk about this being a long-ball team, but it's not. They have some great players, some good footballers, but I also look at players like Henrik Pedersen playing at left back and Kevin Davies playing wide on the right. That tells you something about the spirit when players will play anywhere just to get a shirt.
"And there are no big-heads. I got a first taste of that when I went down to the training ground some time ago and saw Youri Djorkaeff, a World Cup winner, having a crack with some of the young players. Fantastic!
"We had a great spirit in our day. We thought we should have beaten Arsenal in the first game but we were up for the replay, singing and roaring in the tunnel.
"I remember Lee Dixon and Steve Bould turning to me and saying Your lads sound up for it!' And we were.
"I actually bet them both £50 that, if we got a free kick on the edge of their box, I'd beat Seaman.
"Nobody paid out on the bet but the Arsenal lads gave us a couple of crates of Budweiser to drink on the coach home.
"They knew we'd deserved it."
11:03am Saturday 27th January 2007
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CommentPosted by: Matt on 1:14pm Fri 26 Jan 07
Sgt Kelly you are a legend, sir! Would someone be able to clarify, is it true that Tony played a full season unaware that he had a broken toe. Stuff legends are made of!!!
Sgt Kelly you are a legend, sir! Would someone be able to clarify, is it true that Tony played a full season unaware that he had a broken toe. Stuff legends are made of!!!
Posted by: matt (t'other one) on 1:24pm Fri 26 Jan 07
A true Burnden legend. I will always remember the goal he scored at Wigan, a mazy effort when he seemed to run the entire length of the pitch, and in the post match interview he said something that he ran so far he thought about getting a taxi back!!!! Mr Kelly, I salute you!
A true Burnden legend. I will always remember the goal he scored at Wigan, a mazy effort when he seemed to run the entire length of the pitch, and in the post match interview he said something that he ran so far he thought about getting a taxi back!!!! Mr Kelly, I salute you!
Posted by: Brian Ca on 1:50pm Fri 26 Jan 07
Zico top class fella a real Legend, always remember Tony and Jason discussing jason doing all Tony's running, and Zico said its only fair as I do all his passing. Quality. Thanks for all the good times Tony great passer of the ball be good...
Zico top class fella a real Legend, always remember Tony and Jason discussing jason doing all Tony's running, and Zico said its only fair as I do all his passing. Quality. Thanks for all the good times Tony great passer of the ball be good...
Posted by: mick illy on 1:58pm Fri 26 Jan 07
Zico -fantastic passer of a ball. In general that white hot side was fantastic,great individual players, but a fantastic passion and team spirit generally, Can we have zico and Super John back for sunday!
Zico -fantastic passer of a ball. In general that white hot side was fantastic,great individual players, but a fantastic passion and team spirit generally, Can we have zico and Super John back for sunday!
Posted by: Andy Needham on 2:04pm Fri 26 Jan 07
Me and my mates still talk about that cracker you scored at Hartlepool in a midweek div 3 match, a superb volley as it came over your right shoulder. Bruce Rioch got the team, the fans and the whole town beliving we could be a force again. All the best Zico.
Me and my mates still talk about that cracker you scored at Hartlepool in a midweek div 3 match, a superb volley as it came over your right shoulder. Bruce Rioch got the team, the fans and the whole town beliving we could be a force again. All the best Zico.
Posted by: Mark swift on 4:14pm Fri 26 Jan 07
i'll second alll the above sentiments, Zico didn't pass the ball he caressed it, a true Bolton legend in every sense and a privilege to have watched him play, if only we had a modern equivalent
i'll second alll the above sentiments, Zico didn't pass the ball he caressed it, a true Bolton legend in every sense and a privilege to have watched him play, if only we had a modern equivalent
Posted by: John Rigby on 4:31pm Fri 26 Jan 07
I seem to recall Rioch had him drinking champagne between games because it had less calories than bitter! Class act. Thanks for the memories, Tony.
I seem to recall Rioch had him drinking champagne between games because it had less calories than bitter! Class act. Thanks for the memories, Tony.
Posted by: steve battersby on 5:24pm Fri 26 Jan 07
I still remember that evening at Highbury as though it were only yesterday. A magnificent team performance that merited the scoreline. Gerald Ashby's hasty decision to disallow Tony Kelly's goal was sad but perhaps as Mr Ashby died a few years ago shortly after his retirement as a referee, we should perhaps put things into their proper perspective. As a former referee myself, Gerald was one of the very best, in my opinion. I do believe it was cancer that took him away at a tragically early age. Yes, the Highbury win was one of the highlights of my 42 years watching The Wanderers but the man in the middle who contributed greatly to that fast and furious spectacle is sadly no longer able to reminisce about the part he played.
I still remember that evening at Highbury as though it were only yesterday. A magnificent team performance that merited the scoreline. Gerald Ashby's hasty decision to disallow Tony Kelly's goal was sad but perhaps as Mr Ashby died a few years ago shortly after his retirement as a referee, we should perhaps put things into their proper perspective. As a former referee myself, Gerald was one of the very best, in my opinion. I do believe it was cancer that took him away at a tragically early age. Yes, the Highbury win was one of the highlights of my 42 years watching The Wanderers but the man in the middle who contributed greatly to that fast and furious spectacle is sadly no longer able to reminisce about the part he played.
Posted by: boltonjon on 1:19pm Sat 27 Jan 07
you're quite right about the memories, thanks tony for your style. I was just reminicing about the mcginly/walker days..don't get me wrong i fully appreciate the fantastic work the current team have done, but I do look fondly over the yesteryear F.A. cup runs. The days when you were more worried about the players scoring with the mrs then goals, even if she might have been a 18 stone heffer with the language of a shipyard worker, on that note I better go, don't want to be caught direspecting her..I could do without the violence and questioning my sexuality,(even though we have 17 children)..thanks again tony, all the best lad.
you're quite right about the memories, thanks tony for your style. I was just reminicing about the mcginly/walker days..don't get me wrong i fully appreciate the fantastic work the current team have done, but I do look fondly over the yesteryear F.A. cup runs. The days when you were more worried about the players scoring with the mrs then goals, even if she might have been a 18 stone heffer with the language of a shipyard worker, on that note I better go, don't want to be caught direspecting her..I could do without the violence and questioning my sexuality,(even though we have 17 children)..thanks again tony, all the best lad.
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