BOLTON Wanderers paid tribute to a decade of success and hard work today when they announced the granting of a testimonial for Dean Crombie.

One of the club's most popular characters is ready to kick off the celebration of 20 years in football - 10 as a Wanderer - in the town he now calls home.

Crombie's Burnden years have amazingly coincided with the club's ascension from the depths of Fourth Division despair to the threshold of an exciting return to the Premiership.

Typically modest, he counts his blessings as he reflects on his part in the rise and rise of the Wanderers - initially as player and recently as youth coach.

"I've been fortunate to be part of it," he maintained. "I was fortunate to be in at the beginning when Phil Neal started the long haul back after the club had been relegated to Division Four for the first time and I'm fortunate to be doing the job I have now, which involves bringing kids through for the future. "But I'm not just looking back. There's still a lot of work to do and a lot to look forward to."

Crombie, who made his footballing debut with Lincoln City, where he was born, was one of the fixtures and fittings in the Grimsby defence before he joined Wanderers in 1987.

He went on to become one of the team's most consistent performers in the early years of Wanderers' resurgence.

He was part of the team that won promotion back to Division Three at the first attempt but the most memorable game of his Bolton career came a year later when he scored a sensational solo goal as Wanderers romped to Wembley success with a 4-1 victory over Torquay in the Sherpa Van Trophy Final.

"It's been practically all highs for me since I came here to Bolton," he adds. "But that Wembley appearance is obviously the highlight from a personal point of view. "I actually have vivid memories of other games in that cup run, especially the semi-final against Blackpool, but Wembley was the icing on the cake.

"Overall, though, it's been an experience and a pleasure to have seen the seeds, which were sown 10 years ago, now starting to bear fruit.

"And I really appreciate the the fact that the directors and Colin Todd have found time to put this together for me while they have been busy with everything else that's been going on."

Crombie will kick off his benefit year with a dinner and race night at JJs Restaurant, Farnworth on May 19 and anyone requiring information on that or forthcoming events should write to "Dean Crombie Testimonial", c/o Eurodis HB Electronics, Lever Street, Bolton or by phone to Alan Fullelove (01204) 389200.

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