n From p 17

Graham has spent decades creating a complete record of Bolton Wanderers’ achievements — good and bad — since 1958.

He cannot afford to miss a match or his records will be incomplete, he says.

The former head teacher, who spent three years as Hulton East Primary School, then was deputy at Peel St Paul’s in Little Hulton.

He then moved to become headteacher at a school in Salford.

And it is is he precision learned from his mathematical skills that he has used to produce books to be proud of.

Graham, who used to live in Walkden but now is in Astley, has 160 books in total containing 35,000 different photographs and articles with each book containing 288 pages.

A young Graham, then aged 15, started the books the year Bolton Wanderers’ beat Manchester United in the Cup Final — shortly after the tragic plane crash that claimed the life of so many United players, staff and newsmen.

He lived with his parents Sam and Iris and sister Margaret and developed a love for Bolton Wanderers that he retains today.

During his time at Peel St Paul’s Primary School he would have fun with the children getting them to help him build his collection by bringing in newspaper cuttings, football magazines and football cards.

In return for swearing their allegiance to Bolton Wanderers, Graham would give them extra time to play at breaks.

“It was all good fun and good natured but I did get many youngsters converted to supporting Bolton Wanderers,” he laughs.

League positions, merit marks for individual players and other statistics are carefully collated and placed in books.

He scoured “reels and reels” of microfilm containing Bolton Evening News’ reports for facts and figures going back prior to when he had started collecting information himself.

The books take up room in Graham’s loft at home “and in cupboards which were meant for clothes,” he explains.

His daughter, Samantha, who is studying at York University does not share her father’s passion for the books explains Graham who is married to Susan.

And although he was once offered cash for a book by former manager Ian Greaves, Graham could not part with it.

He writes on the front of each book using stencils and permanent marker and buys the books half a dozen at a time.

He has recorded important events such as the death of legend Nat Lofthouse and the moment Fabrice Muamba collapsed and “died” at White Hart Lane.