Carling Cup Final Preview

Bolton Wanderers and Middlesbrough go head to head at the Millennium Stadium this Sunday in the Carling Cup final knowing that a win would ensure European Qualification in the UEFA Cup for next season

Neither side has ever competed in serious European competition before, for Bolton it is nearly 46 years since they lifted their last domestic trophy, the 1958 FA Cup Final win over Manchester United being their last domestic truimph whilst their North East opponents Boro have had to wait considerably longer having lost out in both the FA Cup and League Cup finals on numerous occasions. Both sides have won minor trophies since then as well as championships in the lower divisions but Sunday will be a real acheivement for whoever comes out of the tie victorious.

Both sides have been involved at this stage before in their history. In the 1995 final Bolton lost out 2-1 to Liverpool after winger Steve McManaman had done the damage with a goal in each half and despite a superb consolation goal by Alan Thompson the Wanderers where so near yet so far. Boro themselves know all too well what it feels like to get to the final hurdle and fail. In 1997 they took Leicester City to a final replay at Hillsborough but a goal from Steve Claridge in extra time meant the cup went to the Foxes. The following year Boro defeated Bolton on their way to the 1998 final with a 2-1 win at the Riverside Stadium in November 1997 but it was Chelsea who eventually defeated them 2-0 in the final at Wembley Stadium thanks to goals from Frank Sinclair and Roberto Di Matteo in extra time.

The 44th Final of the competition sees two sides who are sitting in a comfortable mid table position in the Premiership and are very evenly balanced under two of the brightest young English managers in the game in Sam Allardyce and Steve McClaren. Which ever manager wins the game will become the first Englishman since Brian Little guided Aston Villa to the League Cup trophy in 1996 to lift a domestic trophy.

The Bolton manager Sam Allardyce has a slight selection problem as Greek international midfielder Stelios Giannakopoulos has declared his fitness for the game following an ankle injury but the Bolton boss must decide whether or not to play the former Olympiakos man or leave him on the substitutes bench. Nicky Hunt will return for his hometown club in the final having been rested for last week's defeat to Manchester City and either Anthony Barness or Simon Charlton could make way. Ricardo Gardner and Florent Laville will miss the game due to long term knee injuries as will recent signings Steve Howey and Jon Otsemobor who played in previous rounds of the competition for other clubs. Ex-Boro keeper Kevin Poole is named in the squad for the final as is former Boro loanee Anthony Barness.

BOLTON SQUAD: Jussi Jaaskelainen, Nicky Hunt, Anthony Barness, Bruno N'Gotty, Emerson Thome, Simon Charlton, Ivan Campo, Jay-Jay Okocha, Per Frandsen, Kevin Nolan, Stelios Giannakopoulos, Youri Djorkaeff, Henrik Pedersen, Kevin Davies, Javi Moreno, Ricardo Vaz-Te, Kevin Poole, Donovan Ricketts, Dwight Pezzarossi, Ibrahim Ba

Boro boss Steve McClaren will be without long term injury victim Malcolm Christie for the final as he is still recovering from a broken leg so Cameroon international Joseph Desire Job is expected to play up front on his own with Juninho just playing behind. Former Bolton striker Michael Ricketts is expected to be named amongst the substitutes after shaking off a slight knock. Frenchman Franck Queudrue is also expected to return to the side in place of Stuart Parnaby at left-back. Steve McClaren's biggest quandry is who to name on the bench with Andrew Davies, Chris Riggott, Colin Cooper, Massimo Maccarone, Szilard Nemeth are all jostling for places. Bolton born keeper Carlo Nash will miss out on a place on the bench against his hometown club with young Australian Brad Jones taking his place.

BORO SQUAD: Mark Schwarzer, Danny Mills, Franck Queudrue, Ugo Ehiogu, Gareth Southgate, George Boateng, Doriva, Gaizka Mendieta, Joseph Desire Job, Juninho, Boudwijn Zenden, Michael Ricketts, Stewart Downing, Massimo Maccarone, Stuart Parnaby, Colin Cooper, Chris Riggott, Andrew Davies, Brad Jones, Szilard Nemeth

HOW THEY GOT THERE

BOLTON

24/09/2003 Bolton Wanderers 3 Walsall 1 SECOND ROUND
28/10/2003 Bolton Wanderers 2 Gillingham 0 THIRD ROUND
03/12/2003 Liverpool 2 Bolton Wanderers 3 FOURTH ROUND
16/12/2003 Bolton Wanderers 1 Southampton 0 QUARTER FINAL
21/01/2004 Bolton Wanderers 5 Aston Villa 2 SEMI FINAL 1
27/01/2004 Aston Villa 2 Bolton Wanderers 0 SEMI FINAL 2

BORO

24/09/2003 Middlesbrough 1 Brighton & HA 0 SECOND ROUND
29/10/2003 Wigan Athletic 1 Middlesbrough 2 THIRD ROUND
03/12/2003 Middlesbrough 0 Everton 0 FOURTH ROUND
(Boro win 5-4 on Penalties)
17/12/2003 Tottenham Hotspur 0 Middlesbrough 0 QUARTER FINAL
(Boro win 4-5 on Penalties)
20/01/2004 Arsenal 0 Middlesbrough 1 SEMI FINAL 1
03/02/2004 Middlesbrough 2 Arsenal 1 SEMI FINAL 2

PLAYED FOR BOTH

IAN BAILEY
ANTHONY BARNESS
ANDY CAMPBELL
SIMON COLEMAN
NEIL COX
ANDY DIBBLE
ALLAN JOHNSTON
ALAN KERNAGHAN
GARY PARKINSON
JIMMY PHILLIPS
JAMIE POLLOCK
KEVIN POOLE
MICHAEL RICKETTS
STUART RIPLEY
ANDY TODD
TOM WOODWARD

OTHER CONNECTIONS

BRUCE RIOCH
COLIN TODD
WALTER ROWLEY