Frandsen's still a happy Wanderer (From The Bolton News)

Frandsen's still a happy Wanderer

2:10pm Friday 20th November 2009

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PER Frandsen makes no secret about which of his former clubs he will be cheering on in Sunday’s Lancashire derby.

The stylish ex-midfielder sandwiched an ill-fated 10-month spell at Ewood Park with nearly eight years of distinguished service for Wanderers.

And the 39-year-old admits his Bolton colours will be nailed firmly to the mast this weekend when he watches the game on TV from his home in Denmark, some 650 miles away from the Reebok.

“I always considered myself a Bolton player,” he said. “I spent only 10 months at Blackburn, while I spent seven-and-a-half years at Bolton.

“I probably know more of the staff at Blackburn, now Sam Allardyce is there, and I still speak to Neil McDonald regularly.

“The only players left at Bolton that I played with are Jussi Jaaskelainen, Ricardo Gardner and Kevin Davies.

“But Bolton means a lot to me and I always look to see how they get on.

“It was a wonderful time in my career and I’ll be wishing them well.”

The Dane, capped 22 times by his country after Colin Todd snapped him up for £1.25million from FC Copenhagen, made more than 300 appearances for Wanderers in two spells at the club between 1996 and 2004.

And he still recalls vividly the day he was told he would be sold by Bolton, a deal that eventually triggered Todd’s resignation.

“I came into training in the morning not knowing a thing about it,” he said.

“There were financial problems at the club and it was explained that I would be sold. The next day I was talking to Brian Kidd and Blackburn.

“It was weird for me because the other Danish players like Michael Johansen and Claus Jensen were still at Bolton, but a few weeks after I got to the club, the manager was sacked and I was out of the team. It was a strange experience, turning left to train at Blackburn instead of right to Bolton. I’m just glad I never got them mixed up, though.”

Soon after Frandsen’s arrival at Ewood Park, Kidd was sacked and he found himself out of the reckoning under Rovers caretaker boss Tony Parkes.

That prompted Sam Allardyce to convince the Wanderers board to shell out £1.75million to bring him back to the club — even though Frandsen admits he had mixed feelings at the time.

“When I came back I didn’t think the team was very good,” he said.

“I wondered about some things, but we got up through the play-offs and stayed in the Premier League and that’s great credit to the club. It was a great achievement.

“I put it down to Big Sam. He was a born winner and that mentality went through to the players.

“It was the same with his staff, like Neil McDonald and Phil Brown, it was a match made in heaven.

“I remember laughing when they said Bolton would be in Europe in five years’ time. But five years later, they were.”

After a spell working as an agent, Frandsen has now bitten the bullet and moved into coaching.

“I’m the assistant manager at HB Køge now, which has worked out great,” he said.

“We’re struggling at the moment in the league with a very young side but I have enjoyed every minute of it so far.

“I just kind of fell into it four months ago — now you never know, I might one day coach in England.”

As for Sunday’s derby, Frandsen found it difficult to pick a winner.

“It will be a tight game,” he said. “Bolton are still very good at home and Blackburn don’t tend to do very well away. I think it will be a draw, 1-1 maybe.”

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