WANDERERS may not have been up for any awards on the pitch this season, but the club has scored a prize for its matchday hospitality.

The club and the adjoining Bolton Whites Hotel won silver in the Matchday Hospitality Award — Medium Stadium, at The Stadium Events and Hospitality Awards held at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry.

Wanderers lost out to Hull City Tigers for the gold award, while the bronze award went to Everton FC. The category is open to clubs which offer 1001 to 2000 hospitality seats.

The award is judged by top chefs who travel the country and experience the hospitality offered at football and rugby stadiums.

It is the second year in a row that the club has claimed silver in the category of the awards, which recognise the work of catering, conference and events teams.

Dean Holdsworth, Wanderers' chief executive, said: "To win an award among some of the biggest and most famous stadiums in the country is great testament to the hard work of all of the club’s staff. It is recognition for all areas and departments of the club."

Bosses say the awards show how important meetings and other events have become to stadiums such as the Macron, to add to its traditional income on matchdays.

Suzanne Speak, general manager of Bolton Whites Hotel who accepted the award, said: "Bolton Whites Hotel is fully integrated into the Macron Stadium and this award is testament to the great team work we have off the pitch too in being able to host hospitality experiences of the calibre that we do.

"The match days are a key driver for us and to be given the nod that we are doing things right by a panel of esteemed judges who actually visited us as undercover guests is a great honour.

"With awards of this nature, it's not about ticking boxes on an entry form or impressing judges with a presentation; it's based on real time, real life experience so there literally is nowhere to hide from the judges critiquing everything on the day.

"We are extremely proud of the team we have and this award really goes to them as they are the ones on the ground delivering what we promise at every match."