Eidur Would Have Stayed But For Play Off Defeat

Last updated : 21 November 2004 By Mark Heys
Former Bolton striker Eidur Gudjohnsen says he would have stayed at the club had they achieved promotion at the end of the 1999-2000 season.

Gudjohnsen 26, who starred against Wanderers yesterday for Chelsea, played in 55 games for the Trotters scoring 18 goals in a two year spell, before moving onto Stamford Bridge in the summer of 2000 where he has since gone from strength to strength.

The Icelandic international admits the Play Off Semi Final defeat to Ipswich Town left the club no choice but to sell their prized assetts which included Gudjohnsen and team mates Claus Jensen and Mark Fish.

"I would almost certainly have stayed at Bolton if we'd been promoted that year, when we didn't get promoted, I think people understood that I was going to move because Bolton where struggling financially" Gudjohnsen explained

"In the end it worked out well for everybody because Chelsea wanted me, I was happy and, having signed me on a free, Bolton sold me for £4 million" he added

Former PSV Eindhoven star Gudjohnsen also paid a special tribute to former manager Colin Todd and his staff for getting his promising career back on track, whilst also taking time out to praise the support from the club and it's supporters for the times he has come back since his move south.

"The people at Bolton had a lot of faith in me, They got me back playing again and I will never forget the support I got from the club and the fans. I've always enjoyed the reception I have got from them when I have gone back"

The Scandanavian forward also explained that he would like to have a second spell at the club later on in his career, when the time comes to leave his current employers at Stamford Bridge.

"Who knows?, one day in the future I might play for them again" he said