BOLTON Wanderers were among the few Lancashire clubs invited to attend a meeting in Manchester on April 17, 1888, to discuss a proposal to form the Football League.

Alongside Wanderers were Accrington, Aston Villa, Blackburn Rovers, Burnley, Derby County, Everton, Notts County, Preston North End, Stoke, West Bromwich and Wolves.

These clubs were chosen to constitute the league and played their first games on September 8, 1888, setting the scene for the beginning of a new era in football.

Since those early days, some of the game's illustrious players have worn the famous white shirts.

The most famous of all was Nat Lofthouse. He scored 32 goals in 32 internationals, in addition to hitting 252 for the Wanderers in League matches before being forced to retire through injury in 1960 -- later to join the coaching staff, and become manager before being appointed to his current position as club president.

But before Nat came along and since then, Wanderers have been served by a number of players who made their mark on English football.

First there were the likes of Dick Pym, David Jack, Joe Smith and J R Smith, along with Ted Vizard and Jimmy Seddon, famous names of the 20s.

Arsenal had long admired Jack and he was sold to them for the record fee of £10,500 as transfers had moved into five figures for the first time. But that was the exception rather than the rule, as Jack Milsom signed from Rochdale for £1,750.

George signed in 1927 then along came Ray Westwood from Brierley Hill in Staffordshire and Harry Goslin from Boot's Athletic, Nottingham.

After the war, players like fulbacks Ralph and Tommy Banks, goalkeeper Stan Hanson, forwards Harold Hassall, Bobby Langton and Willie Moir did so much for the Wanderers.

They were succeeded by Doug Holden, Dennis Stevens, Ray Parry, Freddie Hill, Roy Hartle and the like.

Then came the era of Wyn Davies, Francis Lee, John Byrom and big signings Terry Wharton and Gareth Williams.

During this time the Wanderers produced another international in Eddie Hopkinson. Hopkinson was a prince among goalkeepers and notched up a record 519 league appearances.

The club's youth policy spawned talent such as current boss Sam Allardyce, England international Peter Reid, Neil Whatmore and Paul Jones during the 70s and since then under recent managers Bruce Rioch, Colin Todd and Allardyce, Wanderers have attracted players from all around the world.

Per Frandsen led the 'invasion' from Denmark, Gudni Bergsson and Eidur Gudjohnsen came from Iceland, but in between came a couple of canny Scots' strikers, John McGinlay and Andy Walker, who galvanised the team in the mid-nineties.

In their second successive Premiership campaign Wanderers can now attract the best. World Cup stars Youri Djorkaeff, of France, and Nigerian Jay-Jay Okocha head the current list of worldwide stars at the Reebok.