NO-ONE could have known it at the time, but Wanderers’ amazing FA Cup triumph over Liverpool in January, 1993, was the start of a rennaissance that would see the good times rolling again – initially at Burnden Park and then at the Reebok Stadium.

The Whites were suddenly hot again and the dark days of visiting Hartlepool and Darlington on wet Tuesday nights in the Fourth Division, were consigned to history.

But, regardless of what came after, those who were privileged to witness the event in the flesh – in particular the 8,500 Bolton supporters in a shocked but appreciative Anfield crowd of 34,700 – will cherish the memory until their dying days.

They had suffered – oh how they had suffered! – so many disappointments since the heady days of the 1950s when Wanderers had been a force in the land. And they had looked on enviously as Liverpool ruled the roost, becoming Britain’s most consistently successful side, at home and abroad.

True, Graeme Souness’ Reds were not of the same vintage as Shankly’s or Paisley’s and for the first time in 30 years their season was effectively over in January.

But they were the FA Cup holders and on their own patch were still a formidable force.

But not on this occasion.

It was chilly but from first whistle to last Bruce Rioch’s Wanderers produced a performance of quality and passion that was truly white hot.

David Lee – a recent arrival on the Burnden scene after Rioch had persuaded his directors to stump up the cash to convert his loan from Southampton into a permanent transfer – ran the Liverpool defence ragged. So much so that full-back Mike Marsh still has nightmares about being turned one way then the other.

Only three minutes had gone when Lee – dashing down the left touchline towards the bank of Bolton fans at the Anfield Road end – left Marsh for dead before delivering the perfect cross for John McGinlay to head home at the back post to give Wanderers a dream start.

They’d had a similar start to the original tie at Burnden, of course, so no-one was getting too carried away. But this time was different.

There were scares, but with Lee in such menacing form – his switch to the left wing was a tactical master-stroke – Rioch’s Whites went on to complete the most comprehensive of giant-killings.

Liverpool had time aplenty, and no shortage of chances, to get themselves back in the tie but, despite holding such a slender lead for so long, I vividly remember never once feeling Wanderers would be denied.

It was not a rout – not by any means – but when McGinlay skipped past Stig Bjornebye to deliver the cross for Andy Walker to head home in front of a stunned Kop 11 minutes from time, it was no more than Wanderers – and their fans – deserved.

The Liverpool supporters knew their beloved Reds had been well beaten and so did Souness who, although bitterly disappointed and angry, was magnanimous in defeat admitting: “We were outplayed and outfought by the better team. They deserved to win. They were better than us in all departments.

“This club’s history is based on and steeped in passion. The vast majority of my players tonight played as if they have never been told what passion and Liverpool Football Club is all about.”

In fact the buzz around the packed press lounge after the game was not so much of a bright new dawn for Wanderers but of Anfield having been rocked to its core.

It was a mood Rioch – seven months into his Bolton reign – picked up on when he put his team’s achievement into perspective, praising the Kop for the ovation they had given his team at the end and paying a personal tribute to Liverpool.

“They have been the most successful club, domestically, for 25 years. They have given us all good memories,” he acknowledged.

“This club has a magnetism about it that is special. They are having a difficult time at the moment and they will need as much support as they have ever had.”

But he quickly turned his thoughts to his own team.

“They have played their hearts out and they have played well,” Rioch said, succinctly and proudly.

“This was a memorable night for my players and for the fans.”