THE blackest day in the history of Bolton Wanderers happened on Saturday, March 9, 1946.

Stoke City were the visitors to Burnden Park for the second leg of their FA Cup sixth round tie against the Wanderers who had won the first encounter 2-0 through goals by Ray Westwood.

The Embankment end was quite full but people were still entering the area and thousands more were waiting outside. Spectators outside the ground started to climb over the turnstiles and railway sleepers which then divided the Embankment from the railway line.

The teams emerged at 2.55pm and as spectators pressed forward at the Embankment end, two barriers collapsed. People were pushed into heaps, three or even four deep and many more were trodden underfoot.

When it was discovered that there had been fatalities, the referee was informed and at 3.12pm took the players off the field.

It was then found that 33 spectators had died and another 500, of whom 24 were taken to hospital, received treatment at the first aid posts.

At 3.20pm the Chief Constable consulted with the referee and urged that play should begin again. This happened and the reason was that hardly any spectators away from the immediate area of the tragedy realised what had happened and it was felt that the abandonment of the match could lead to disorder.

Play re-started at 3.25pm and the match eventually finished at 5pm in a goalless draw.

The size of the disaster shocked the community. An appeal fund was opened by the Mayor of Bolton which reached nearly £40,000 and the Home Secretary ordered an inquiry.

Criticism centred on the admittance of too many people, the organisation and slowness in closing the turnstiles.

Recommendations were made not only to the reception and control of crowds not only at Burnden Park but also at other grounds.

It was the first example in the history of football of serious casualties being inflicted by a crowd upon itself.