A CHANCE meeting on a tropical island has spawned a family of young Wanderers fanatics in NEW ZEALAND. Back-packing Bolton pair Tony Myler and Susan Smallshaw never stopped taking about their beloved Super Whites when they bumped into Kiwi couple Tracy Davis and Mark Wilson in beautiful Bali three years ago. But now the travelling duo have discovered their football fanaticism has travelled 11,600 miles - to all the young New Zealand nephews and nieces of their holiday friends.

Tony explained: "Tracy and Mark told them all why we loved the Wanderers so much and now they're all fully-fledged supporters." Seven of the young Colin Todd-converts, aged between nine months and eight years, live in Collingwood, a remote town on the northern tip of New Zealand's South Island.

"Normally Kiwi kids are well into rugby and the All Blacks, but our bunch just can't get enough of Bolton," said Tony.

Susan, of Windsor Grove, Halliwell, who sent the youngsters Wanderers shirts as Christmas presents, also predicted many more antipodean Reebok recruits would soon be on their way.

"We know an eighth member of the family already wants a kit as well," she said.

Nomadic Tony, 34, and Susan, 37, have back-packed all over the globe spending months on end in places like India, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia and America.

Summer plans include adventures in Mexico and South Africa.

But this week, as thousands of Wanderers fans the world over were mourning relegation to Division One, the couple said their hearts would always be in Bolton.

"We love travelling, but we also love coming home," said Susan.

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