FIVE months after his sensational decision to quit Wanderers for the famous marbled halls of Highbury, Bruce Rioch admitted today: "If Arsenal had delayed their move another 24 hours I would still be at Bolton!"

The Gunners boss, who makes an emotional return to Burnden Park for Monday's Sky TV spectacular, has reviewed the dramatic events of early June when he was catapulted into one of the Premiership's top jobs, just ten days after leading Wanderers into the top flight on a wave of Wembley emotion.

"The call from Arsenal on that Monday morning came right out of the blue," he recalled. "I'd gone home to Harpenden for the weekend to consider the new contract Bolton had offered me and was due back on the Tuesday to speak to the chairman, Gordon Hargreaves.

"I actually thought about coming back up on the Monday. It was as close as that.

"I didn't put myself in the position of moving to another club but I was put in a position where I had to think seriously about my future.

"In the end it was a combined decision based on football and, as I made clear at the time, my family who were based south of Luton.

"I'm sure people would understand that. But I had three great years at Burnden Park. I shall be ever thankful to the people of Bolton and thankful to the Wanderers. Going back will be a nostalgic occasion for me.

"You can't have three years as we had, incorporating two promotions, a Coca-Cola Cup Final, Championship of the Central League, fantastic experiences and a magnificent friendship with the players, staff and thousands of supporters without having an enduring feeling for the club. The memories will never leave me."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.