Bolton Wanderers begin their 2003-2004 FA Cup programme with a Third Round trip to Tranmere Rovers in what is expected to be a tough tie against the Second Division side.
Manager Sam Allardyce is once again expected to make changes for the tie and could give a debut to new signing Donovan Ricketts in goal providing the Jamaican international completes the formalities of his move from Village United in time. Regular goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen is expected to be rested.
Kevin Davies, Ricardo Gardner and Ivan Campo are all suspended for Bolton having acculminated five bookings during the first half of the season and Ibrahim Ba is eneligable having faced contractual problems so there could be rare starts for Henrik Pedersen, Anthony Barness and Jeff Smith. Brazilian duo Mario Jardel and Emerson Thome could also come into contention for the game whilst Stelios Giannakopoulos will keep his place should Per Frandsen fail to make a first team return.
Tranmere manager Brian Little will be hoping his side can cause a cup upset against the Trotters but he is sweating on the fitness of former Manchester City defender/midfielder Tyrone Loran who missed the recent game with Sheffield Wednesday due to a knee injury. Rovers will be without youngster Stephen Jennings also due to a knee injury sustained after he was hit by a car. Alex Hay and Simon Haworth will be hoping to keep their places in the side following impressive displays in recent games. Bolton-born full back Graham Allen will be in the starting XI for Tranmere to face his hometown club. Danny Harrison (suspended), Sean Connelly (suspended) and Shane Nicholson (injured) will be missing for the Merseysiders but former Aberdeen striker Eugene Dadi returns from suspension.
The last round saw Rovers narrowly defeat non-league Hornchurch 1-0 thanks to a first half goal from Gary Jones but their cup history in this competition has been impressive having dumped out the likes of Everton and Southampton in recent seasons.
The last time the Wanderers and Rovers met in this competition was on 6th December 1986 in the Second Round when goals from Tony Caldwell and Steve Thompson gave Bolton victory over their Merseyside rivals at Burnden Park. The then top flight side Coventry City ended Wanderers hopes in the next round with a 3-0 win and City went on to win the competition that year.
The teams that day where:
BOLTON: Mike Salmon, Phil Neal, Jimmy Phillips, Warren Joyce, Mark Came, Derek Scott, Tony Caldwell, Steve Thompson, Steve Elliott, Asa Hartford, Mark Gavin
TRANMERE: Tim Dalton, Steve Mungall, Gary Williams, Andy Thorpe (Alan Hay), Mark Hughes, Steve Vickers, John Morrisey, Graham Bell, Ian Muir, Frank Worthington, Steve Bullock
Back in November 1983 a thrilling 2-2 draw at Prenton Park forced the game into a replay. John Aspinall and Neville Powell scored for Rovers whilst Warren Joyce and a penalty from Jeff Chandler meant the teams had to go it again at Burnden Park, the Wanderers won the replay 4-1 thanks to goals from Simon Rudge, Tony Caldwell and a brace from Chandler to set up a second round tie with Mansfield Town, the club eventually where knocked out by Sunderland in the Third Round at Roker Park.
The teams for the cup replay where
BOLTON: Simon Farnworth, Brian Borrows, Ray Deakin, Warren Joyce, Gerry McElhinney, Peter Valentine, Steve Thompson, Jeff Chandler, Simon Rudge, Tony Caldwell (Steve Saunders), Neil Redfearn
TRANMERE: Dai Davies, John McMahon, Dave Burgess, Dave Higgins, Dave Phillpotts, Mark Palios (Ray Mathias), Neville Powell, John Aspinall, Mark Allen, Owen Brown, Gary Williams
Games with Tranmere always have spice due to our recent league exploits between each other whilst in Division One. However both clubs have pulled in different directions since they last met but the magic of the FA Cup is that anything can happen. Bolton have done well in the League Cup this season and have established themselves in the Premier League whilst Rovers have a knack off knocking bigger teams out of cup competitions and despite few remaining members of their 2000 League Cup Final side it is expected to be another challenge for the Wanderers.
PLAYED FOR BOTH
GRAHAM BELL
VINCE DILLON
MALCOLM EDWARDS
SIMON FARNWORTH
SYD FARRIMOND
RALPH GUBBINS
MIKE MCBURNEY
NEIL MCNAB
JOHN MANNING
TOMMY NEILL
RICHARD OXTOBY
MARTIN PIKE
JOHN PLATT
GRAHAM ROWE
BARRY SIDDALL
GRAHAM STANLEY
DENNIS STEVENS
SCOTT TAYLOR
JOHN THOMAS
RAY TRAIN
JOHN WHEELER
FRANK WORTHINGTON
OTHER CONNECTIONS
GEORGE MULHALL
BILL RIDDING
WARWICK RIMMER
Manager Sam Allardyce is once again expected to make changes for the tie and could give a debut to new signing Donovan Ricketts in goal providing the Jamaican international completes the formalities of his move from Village United in time. Regular goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen is expected to be rested.
Kevin Davies, Ricardo Gardner and Ivan Campo are all suspended for Bolton having acculminated five bookings during the first half of the season and Ibrahim Ba is eneligable having faced contractual problems so there could be rare starts for Henrik Pedersen, Anthony Barness and Jeff Smith. Brazilian duo Mario Jardel and Emerson Thome could also come into contention for the game whilst Stelios Giannakopoulos will keep his place should Per Frandsen fail to make a first team return.
Tranmere manager Brian Little will be hoping his side can cause a cup upset against the Trotters but he is sweating on the fitness of former Manchester City defender/midfielder Tyrone Loran who missed the recent game with Sheffield Wednesday due to a knee injury. Rovers will be without youngster Stephen Jennings also due to a knee injury sustained after he was hit by a car. Alex Hay and Simon Haworth will be hoping to keep their places in the side following impressive displays in recent games. Bolton-born full back Graham Allen will be in the starting XI for Tranmere to face his hometown club. Danny Harrison (suspended), Sean Connelly (suspended) and Shane Nicholson (injured) will be missing for the Merseysiders but former Aberdeen striker Eugene Dadi returns from suspension.
The last round saw Rovers narrowly defeat non-league Hornchurch 1-0 thanks to a first half goal from Gary Jones but their cup history in this competition has been impressive having dumped out the likes of Everton and Southampton in recent seasons.
The last time the Wanderers and Rovers met in this competition was on 6th December 1986 in the Second Round when goals from Tony Caldwell and Steve Thompson gave Bolton victory over their Merseyside rivals at Burnden Park. The then top flight side Coventry City ended Wanderers hopes in the next round with a 3-0 win and City went on to win the competition that year.
The teams that day where:
BOLTON: Mike Salmon, Phil Neal, Jimmy Phillips, Warren Joyce, Mark Came, Derek Scott, Tony Caldwell, Steve Thompson, Steve Elliott, Asa Hartford, Mark Gavin
TRANMERE: Tim Dalton, Steve Mungall, Gary Williams, Andy Thorpe (Alan Hay), Mark Hughes, Steve Vickers, John Morrisey, Graham Bell, Ian Muir, Frank Worthington, Steve Bullock
Back in November 1983 a thrilling 2-2 draw at Prenton Park forced the game into a replay. John Aspinall and Neville Powell scored for Rovers whilst Warren Joyce and a penalty from Jeff Chandler meant the teams had to go it again at Burnden Park, the Wanderers won the replay 4-1 thanks to goals from Simon Rudge, Tony Caldwell and a brace from Chandler to set up a second round tie with Mansfield Town, the club eventually where knocked out by Sunderland in the Third Round at Roker Park.
The teams for the cup replay where
BOLTON: Simon Farnworth, Brian Borrows, Ray Deakin, Warren Joyce, Gerry McElhinney, Peter Valentine, Steve Thompson, Jeff Chandler, Simon Rudge, Tony Caldwell (Steve Saunders), Neil Redfearn
TRANMERE: Dai Davies, John McMahon, Dave Burgess, Dave Higgins, Dave Phillpotts, Mark Palios (Ray Mathias), Neville Powell, John Aspinall, Mark Allen, Owen Brown, Gary Williams
Games with Tranmere always have spice due to our recent league exploits between each other whilst in Division One. However both clubs have pulled in different directions since they last met but the magic of the FA Cup is that anything can happen. Bolton have done well in the League Cup this season and have established themselves in the Premier League whilst Rovers have a knack off knocking bigger teams out of cup competitions and despite few remaining members of their 2000 League Cup Final side it is expected to be another challenge for the Wanderers.
PLAYED FOR BOTH
GRAHAM BELL
VINCE DILLON
MALCOLM EDWARDS
SIMON FARNWORTH
SYD FARRIMOND
RALPH GUBBINS
MIKE MCBURNEY
NEIL MCNAB
JOHN MANNING
TOMMY NEILL
RICHARD OXTOBY
MARTIN PIKE
JOHN PLATT
GRAHAM ROWE
BARRY SIDDALL
GRAHAM STANLEY
DENNIS STEVENS
SCOTT TAYLOR
JOHN THOMAS
RAY TRAIN
JOHN WHEELER
FRANK WORTHINGTON
OTHER CONNECTIONS
GEORGE MULHALL
BILL RIDDING
WARWICK RIMMER