WANDERERS can look forward to a Championship schedule crammed with six Lancashire derbies this season.
For the first time in history Bolton, Preston North End, Blackburn Rovers and Wigan Athletic will be competing in the same division all at once.
But rivalries can be found in the strangest of places, and there are plenty of other away grounds at which grudges are held.
Here we take a look down the list.
ASTON VILLA
Ground: Villa Park
Capacity: 42,790 Distance: 95.7 miles (one way, from Bolton town centre)
Last time we were there: Chris Samba blocked a late Gary Madine header to ensure Jonathan Kodjia’s goal finished up as the winner in September last year.
Rivalry rating: Villa will want some redemption after last season’s defeat at the Macron spiced things up a bit. 3/5
BIRMINGHAM CITY
Ground: St Andrew’s
Capacity: 30,015
Distance: 97.7 miles
Last time we were there: A cagey 0-0 draw at the very start of last season when the Blues were still managed by Harry Redknapp.
Rivalry rating: There have been some classic matches between the two clubs but it’s usually friendly banter. 2/5
BLACKBURN ROVERS
Ground: Ewood Park
Capacity: 31,367
Distance: 13.2 miles
Last time we were there: A goalless draw in August 2015 where Dorian Dervite was sent off in stoppage time and Emile Heskey had a header cleared off the line by Shane Duffy. How times change.
Rivalry rating: A proper derby. Separated by the A666 and some hills, Easter Monday’s game at Ewood should be an absolute belter. Th’El Classico. 5/5
BRENTFORD
Ground: Griffin Park
Capacity: 12,300
Distance: 215.3 miles
Last time we were there: Florian Jozefzooon and Neal Maupay scored the goals for Brentford in a 2-0 January win, which also included a rare sighting of Harry Charsley in a Bolton shirt.
Rivalry rating: This is probably the last chance Wanderers fans will have to visit the bijou Griffin Park as Brentford are moving to a plush new stadium in late 2019. 1/5
BRISTOL CITY
Ground: Ashton Gate
Capacity: 27,000
Distance: 183.6 miles
Last time we were there: Wanderers set an unwanted new record goal drought and Filipe Morais was sent off in a 2-0 defeat back in October. But we did see Karl Henry for the first time, which was nice.
Rivalry rating: Bit of traditional needle between the fans but Ashton Gate is far from being the unwelcome pit it used to be. It’s rather nice, now. 2/5
DERBY COUNTY
Ground: Pride Park
Capacity: 33,600
Distance: 96.3 miles
Last time we were there: Wanderers don’t do wins at Derby… And they never threatened to in April as Alex Pearce, Tom Lawrence and Matej Vydra scored in a 3-0 romp.
Rivalry rating: No conflict as such – but Bolton supporters are desperate to see a league win at Rams HQ, which hasn’t happened since 1981. 2/5
HULL CITY
Ground: KCOM Stadium
Capacity: 25,400
Distance: 101.2 miles
Last time we were there: We’re still trying to forget a 4-0 pummelling at the KCOM Stadium – even if David Meyler should have been sent off for a terrible challenge on Jem Karacan early doors.
Rivalry rating: Fans with longer memories can remember some tasty trips to Hull. All a bit more gentrified since it won the UK's City of Culture award. 1/5
IPSWICH TOWN
Ground: Portman Road
Capacity: 30,300
Distance: 201 miles
Last time we were there: Lost 2-0 eight games into last season and didn’t play that badly. But then Portman Road has never been the kindest venue, has it Mr Knight?
Rivalry rating: Ipswich fans probably don’t give it a second thought nowadays but that play-off semi-final will always make the game a bit more appetising to win for Bolton folk. 3/5
LEEDS UNITED
Ground: Elland Road
Capacity: 37,890
Distance: 45.4 miles
Last time we were there: Ben Alnwick played a blinder back in March but couldn’t prevent a 2-1 defeat. Adam Le Fondre scored a nifty header, too.
Rivalry rating: Well it’s Leeds, isn’t it? 3/5
MIDDLESBROUGH
Ground: Riverside Stadium
Capacity: 34,742
Distance: 117.7 miles
Last time we were there: Boxing Day last year and Wanderers fans were not feeling particularly festive after a 2-0 defeat. Martin Braithwaite and Britt Assombalonga scored the goals.
Rivalry rating: Heightened slightly by Zenden’s ‘double tap’ penalty in the League Cup final – but hardly a rip-roaring affair. 2/5
MILLWALL
Ground: The Den
Capacity: 20,146
Distance: 214.4 miles
Last time we were there: Renewing rivalries after promotion, it was all sweetness and light as Filipe Morais scored to earn a 1-1 draw last August.
Rivalry rating: It’s always a spicy affair down at The Den. Wanderers would probably consider the Lions a direct rival in the league, too. 3/5
NORWICH CITY
Ground: Carrow Road
Capacity: 27,244
Distance: 216.3 miles
Last time we were there: A goalless draw in March showed Bolton’s resilient qualities, even if James Maddison shook the woodwork with a brilliant effort. Canaries boss Daniel Farke got himself sent off in injury time too.
Rivalry rating: Not a shred, really. Norwich is too nice. 0/5
NOTTINGHAM FOREST
Ground: City Ground
Capacity: 30,445
Distance: 114.6 miles
Last time we were there: Frantic finish to Forest’s 3-2 December victory with two goals in stoppage time but Wanderers didn’t look like getting three points.
Rivalry rating: The City Ground is a nice step back in time but the two clubs have never really drummed up anything of a rivalry down the years. 1/5
PRESTON NORTH END
Ground: Deepdale
Capacity: 23,408
Distance: 22.2 miles
Last time we were there: It’s 17 years since Bolton last scored at Deepdale, and 26 years since the hosts scored against Bolton at Deepdale. Maybe we should have expected the 0-0 draw in November?
Rivalry rating: Preston have more beef with Blackburn and Blackpool but there’s still some Red Rose fire there, despite the dull recent encounters between the two sides. 4/5
QPR
Ground: Loftus Road
Capacity: 18,439
Distance: 213.8 miles
Last time we were there: Mark Little’s red card wrecked his season and sent Wanderers spiralling to a 2-0 defeat at Loftus Road. Phil Parkinson wasn’t happy with the officiating, and told people so.
Rivalry rating: Not much. But can’t help but feel Bolton owe QPR one after last season’s shocking refereeing display. 1/5
READING
Ground: Madejski Stadium
Capacity:24,161
Distance: 209 miles
Last time we were there: A 1-1 draw in which Adam Le Fondre scored against his former club and we saw Phil Parkinson dial back the direct. Reading were in freefall, and sacked Jaap Stam quickly afterwards.
Rivalry rating: We’ll always have the play-off final. 2/5
ROTHERHAM UNITED
Ground: New York Stadium
Capacity: 12,021
Distance: 74.3 miles
Last time we were there: Neil Lennon had seen his personal life splashed all over the tabloids, so probably didn’t need an insipid 4-0 defeat on Boxing Day 2015. One to forget forever, methinks.
Rivalry rating: Meh. One of Wanderers’ direct competitors as things stand. The bookies even rank them more likely to be relegated. Maybe one to watch? 2/5
SHEFF UTD
Ground: Bramall Lane
Capacity: 32,702
Distance: 54.3 miles
Last time we were there: You won’t forget this one in a hurry. Gary Madine’s winner, his cocksure glance to the Kop, an away win! Golden days back in December.
Rivalry rating: Spiced up recently since both clubs were in League One, although the lack of Madine might dampen things now. Maybe Wanderers can loan him back from Cardiff for one game only? 3/5
SHEFF WED
Ground: Hillsborough
Capacity: 39,752
Distance: 53.2 miles
Last time we were there: Aaron Wilbraham grabs a late goal to spark incredible scenes behind the goal. Now where have we heard that one before?
Rivalry rating: Not as spiky as United, but it’s always nice to put one over on the Owls, especially at Hillsborough. 2/5
STOKE CITY
Ground: Bet365 Stadium
Capacity: 30,089
Distance: 54.6 miles
Last time we were there: Don’t. Just don’t. Eleven years in the Premier League came to an end with a 2-2 draw and a refereeing performance which put Chris Foy right up there with the aforementioned Mr Knight. Horrendous scenes.
Rivalry rating: Oh how we would like to right that wrong... 4/5.
SWANSEA CITY
Ground: Liberty Stadium
Capacity: 21,088
Distance: 194.7 miles
Last time we were there: Ricardo Gardner was sent off in what proved to be his final game for Bolton in October 2011. Wanderers lost 3-1.
Rivalry rating: Virtual strangers for the last half a dozen years. But in lieu of Cardiff City, a welcome replacement for the Welsh Championship contingent. 1/5
WEST BROM
Ground: The Hawthorns
Capacity: 26,850
Distance: 91.7 miles
Last time we were there: Roy Hodgson’s Baggies won 2-1 thanks to goals from Shane Long and Jerome Thomas, either side of an Ivan Klasnic penalty. Seems an eternity ago… It was only seven years.
Rivalry rating: Lots of history between the two clubs but nothing recent. 2/5
WIGAN ATH
Ground: DW Stadium
Capacity: 25,133
Distance: 12.6 miles
Last time we were there: Martyn Waghorn grabbed an injury time equaliser with an overhead kick to cancel out Tom Walker’s first professional goal in March 2015.
Rivalry rating: Wigan’s comparative lack of history means this derby felt grafted on in the Premier League years – but nowadays it’s as fierce as anything you’ll get at Bolton. Not one for the traditionalists, granted, but the millennials will be out in force at the DW Stadium. 5/5
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