The Young Lions return to Wanderers tomorrow night for the first time in more than two decades.
The last England Under-21 international match played at the then Reebok Stadium was against Yugoslavia in September 2002; This night featured four future Bolton players.
Jlloyd Samuel and Shola Ameobi, who will go on to play senior football in Trinidad and Tobago, managed to feature in the 1-1 draw with Matty Taylor and Gary O’Neil on the bench.
Five of Wanderers’ players have won the England Under-21 award while under contract at the club, and a further three players (James Trafford, Jack Wilshere and Daniel Sturridge) have won these honors on loan from other clubs (Manchester City, Arsenal and Chelsea).
Although Trafford will not be returning to the Toughsheet Community Stadium after being selected for the first team, there will be plenty of talent to feature alongside Lee Carsley, who won the Euros last summer.
So which Bolton players managed to play for the Young Lions? We looked through history books.
FABRIC MUAMBA – Made an impressive 25 appearances for the Young Lions for Wanderers, including the 2009 European Championship final.
Muamba played 33 times in total, becoming the fourth most capped player at this level alongside Tom Huddlestone, and made his debut for Birmingham City against Romania in 2007.
NICKY HUNT – Won all 10 England Under-21 matches with Wanderers; The first was against the Netherlands in Hull on 17 February 2004.
Full-back Hunt had been with the Bolton first team for two-and-a-half years before this, and by the time he made his final appearance against Germany in Mainz in September 2005, he had already played 80 senior games and played over nine days. They will then face Lokomotiv Plovdiv, a game to remember thanks to Jared Borgetti’s last minute winner.
KEVIN NOLAN – Despite playing regularly for Bolton since the age of 17 and playing for England’s Under-19 team, Nolan has only earned an Under-21 cap once.
Due to injury, Nolan was forced to withdraw from the squad to face Slovakia and Macedonia in October 2002, but came off the bench to replace Shaun Wright-Phillips in a friendly against Italy at Carrara in February the following year.
He made the squad to play against Portugal and Turkey in March and April 2003, but did not take the field to play.
Over the next few years Liverpudlian Nolan would become a key man for Wanderers and although his ancestry meant he could play for the Republic of Ireland or the Netherlands, he held out for the chance to play for England.
‘Nobby’ played 401 Premier League games during his career and only former West Ham United team-mate Mark Noble has achieved more before being snapped up by the Three Lions.
PETER REID – Reid, who played six times for the Under-21 National Team in the 12-month period between April 1977 and 1978, was one of the country’s most sought-after midfield talents at that time.
He made his Wanderers debut in October 1974, coming on as a substitute in the 2–0 win against Leyton Orient at Burnden Park; this was also Ian Greaves’ first match in charge.
He quickly became a first team regular and was part of the team that twice came close to promotion to the top flight in 1976 and 1977.
His England Under-21s debut came against Scotland at Bramall Lane, a game decided by a lone goal from Laurie Cunningham.
Reid also missed the chance to play for Bolton in the first televised England Under-21 match against Italy at Maine Road in March 1978. They drew 1-1 at home against Brighton, while the Young Lions won the match 2-1 with two goals from Tony Woodcock.
Of course, he would go on to make 13 senior caps and play in the 1986 World Cup finals.
ALAN THOMPSON – Both of Thompson’s Under-21 caps came for Bolton, helping the club gain promotion to the Premier League.
He made his debut against Latvia at Burnley’s Turf Moor; They won 4-0 with goals from Chris Bart-Williams, Neil Shipperley, Steve Watson and Andy Booth.
His second and final cap came a few months later and was a real disappointment. Dani’s two goals gave Portugal a 2-0 lead before Thompson was given a red card and they failed to qualify for the final against Norway. England drew this match 2-2 and failed to qualify for the European Championship.
Thompson won the senior cup when Sven-Goran Eriksson played for Celtic in a friendly against Sweden in 2004.
MARK DAVIES – It must be noted that the superb skills of one of Bolton’s most unfortunate players deserved two international call-ups to the England Under-21 Team.
Davies was scheduled to play against Ecuador in February 2010, but had to withdraw from the squad due to an ankle injury against Arsenal. Referee Alan Wiley didn’t even award a free kick.
Davies was later scheduled to play for England’s Under-21 team against Iceland in March 2011 but had to withdraw from the squad due to a muscle injury.
ENGLAND Under 23 – Prior to the emergence of Under-21 football in the mid-1970s, Wanderers had also seen some outstanding players join the England Under-23 team; these included Freddie Hill (10 times), Eddie Hopkinson (six times), Ray Parry (four times). capital letters) and Dennis Stevens (two capital letters).