IT was all so heartbreakingly close. But, it was not to be, and Bolton Wanderers go down from the Premiership once more.

All the "what ifs" in the world make no difference now. What if Frandsen's early efforts had paid off .... What if that critical goal-mouth scramble had brought just an equaliser ....

What if, indeed, it had all been done earlier in the season and not left to a Stamford Bridge thriller, and an equally vital Goodison Park clash.

Wanderers have proved themselves a team good enough for the Premiership. But they simply ran out of games from which to take points and, in the end, it was all down to goal difference, with Everton the winners.

No-one who saw yesterday's match, at Chelsea or on TV, could have failed to be moved by the sheer bravery of Bolton.

As news reached the ground of Coventry's equaliser, even Chelsea's fans were urging Bolton to score. Football skill is a matter of respect whatever colour shirt you wear.

Bolton was a team of lion-hearts, backed by a loyal army of supporters spread across the country. As the BEN's e-mail responses showed, spread across the world.

Today, there will be many disappointed fans in all parts of the globe, although none sadder than in the Wanderers' home town.

But let's keep heads high.

As Boris Becker famously remarked when he lost at Wimbledon, nobody died here.

So Bolton is in the First Division next season? So what.

We have a ground to rival any Premiership team. We have football talent equal to any other top name club. And we have fans as vocal, as encouraging and as determined as those at any club in the land.

Relegation is only a temporary matter for such a quality side. So, come on, shout it out loud so that every Premiership club can hear it - "We'll be back!"

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