Bert Tyldesley followed the fortunes of Bolton Wanderers through eight decades and kept a diary of his time in the terraces. With the kind permission of his family, we bring you his reflections on that journal, entitled: 75 Years a Wandering.

There were just three games remaining for the Wanderers to usurp Middlesbrough at the top of the table to claim automatic promotion, and this was not a time to develop goalkeeping problems. 

Back in March I had nearly spat out my tea as I read the BEN to find out that Bolton had signed the 45-year-old Peter Shilton. Shilton for Wembley, says the TV! Over my dead body… And Branagan’s and Davison’s!

Ancient enemies Oldham Athletic were the opposition at Boundary Park. Demoted only last season from the Premier League and now without their outstanding manager Joe Royle, the Latics were nevertheless considered more likely contenders for top spot than the Wanderers. 

They had snatched the FA Cup sixth round tie from us by courtesy of an appalling back-pass and had grabbed a draw at windswept Burnden after being outplayed beyond the realms of possibility. In neither game had they remotely suggested being in Bolton’s class and their current mid-table position only supported this assessment. What, then, for the Wanderers to fear? 

Quite a lot, as it turned out, but very little aside from the scoreline, to the detriment of Bolton. 

I was left without a ticket, as I they had been sold out while I was picking out tulip bulbs with the wife in Amsterdam, so relied on Teletext, Ceefax and radios GMR and Piccadilly for my information. And forgetting all the hyperbole of the commentators, let us look at the facts. 

Sean McCarthy put Oldham ahead with a good goal after 32 minutes, after a somewhat sketchy build-up, but his second, as I saw it on TV, would have been disallowed by most referees for blatant shirt-tugging. No wonder Alan Stubbs and his colleagues protested, without response, but there is was and on such decisions titles rested.  

After the dubious second goal John McGinlay completed a near vintage Wanderers move to put the lads back into contention. And they certainly were in contention on the resumption of play when goalkeeper Paul Gerrard miraculously saved David Lee’s goal-bound effort. 

Unfortunately, a daydreaming Bolton defence allowed Paul Rickers to register a third, re-establishing the two-goal advantage and thereafter the Latics grimly held on despite some incessant pressure from the men in white.  

It is no use us being the best side in the division and not winning games. The pole position had now effectively gone, leaving us six points behind Middlesbrough and one behind Reading, who both had a game in hand. 

Stoke City were next up on May 3, and what a start! Mark Seagraves was lucky to avoid a red card having felled the dangerous Paul Peschisolido. Not so lucky was Aidan Davison only 11 minutes later when the goalkeeper – in for the injured Keith Branagan for only his second game of the season – repeated Mark’s indiscretion and was not afforded the same second bite at the cherry. 

Not only did his offence warrant a penalty, it also meant an outfield player would have to be withdrawn after only 12 minutes to make way for the 45-year-old ex-manager, ex-racehorse owner, ex-England star Shilton. 

Initially, I was a little disappointed that David Lee was the player who had to make way for Shilton’s dramatic return to the big time. I was certain the little winger had another match-winning performance tucked away. But as it turned out it was probably the right decision, which makes me wonder why we always think we know better than a manager we rate so highly? 

Peter’s first duty on his fairy-tale return against the club he had signed for 21 years earlier was to pick Toddy Orlygsson’s penalty from the opposite corner of the net to which he had dived. Thereafter he performed in a thoroughly professional manner, making two excellent saves and, helped by the stubborn Jason McAteer and Mark Patterson on defensive duties, continued to peg the Potters back to that single goal. 

Without reaching the heights they had managed a month or two ago, the striker force of Mixu Paatelainen and McGinlay, supplemented by Alan Thompson, played their part in ensuring the balance of play, despite the one man shortage, was still in Wanderers’ favour. And the goal they scored after Stoke’s penalty was the stuff dreams are made of: a deep cross from Patterson to the far post, a precise header across the goal by the Finn to the waiting Scot, whose header was well saved by Ronnie Sinclair only for it to rebound back on to the head of Bolton’s top-scorer to record his 20th goal of the season. 

It was enough to ensure a play-off place but not that coveted single automatic spot.  

All the same the performance warranted Lou Macari’s praise: “We didn’t win because Bolton are the best team in the league,” he said. “They played us with 10 men and have been the better side.” 

Bruce Rioch added, presciently: “Some managers have been saying our legs have gone and we’ve looked jaded since Wembley, well, we weren’t jaded tonight.”