BOLTON Wanderers came into existence on August 28, 1877and have a place in football history as one of the original 12 founders of the Football League.

They owe part of their origins to the village of Turton and the Kay family, who brought soccer to the Bolton area.

The Kays came into prominence in the 16th century in agriculture and the professions.

James Kay bought an area of land centred on Turton Tower and this gave him the rights as squire.

His grandsons James, John and Robert, born in the 1850s, needed to be educated and two of them, John and Robert were sent to Harrow.

John left that famous school in 1870 and Robert in 1875 having learned how to play football.

They were convinced that it was a fine game and one which could be developed further by the inhabitants of Turton.

John was the more accomplished footballer of the Kay family and he was helped on his return to Turton by schoolmaster W T Dixon. Together they formed a village team.

Mr Dixon was schoolmaster in the village for more than 40 years and he was succeeded later by Mr Peter Duxbury, who became a chairman of Bolton Wanderers.

Turton FC was founded in 1871 and in 1873 issued a book of rules showing that the Harrow form of football was played and that the club colours were blue knickerbockers, white stockings and white jerseys.

A year later, Turton conformed to the Rules of the London Association -- in common with several other teams.

Soccer in Turton was being talked about all over Lancashire and Thomas Ogden, a master of Christ Church School, Bolton, was impressed.

Under the direction of his vicar, the Rev J F Wright, Mr Ogden examined Turton football a view to introducing it at his church.

In July 1874, Mr Ogden collected his players together and demanded sixpence from each of them. In those days a football could be purchased for five shillings and Christ Church FC was formed.

And after being without a ground for some time the team secured the use of the corporation's Park Recreation Ground before moving on to a bigger pitch at Pikes Lane.

Meetings of the committee were held in Christ church school by courtesy of the vicar but he refused permission for business meetings to be held if he were not present and this led to a walkout by the rest of the officials.

They decided to meet at the Gladstone Hotel, near Pikes Lane, and on August 28, 1877, it was unanimously resolved at the last meeting to be held at Christ Church School.... "that we alter the name of the club from Christ Church to Bolton Wanderers."