Bolton Wanderers play-off ticket update for Bradford City

The club has reported huge demand in the first few days, starting with online sales on Monday and in-person from Tuesday morning.

Bolton hope to bring themselves some play-off luck on Saturday evening by inviting one of the heroes of the 2001 triumph against Preston North End to speak in the indoor FanZone, which is open from 5pm.

Ricardo Gardner scored a memorable third goal in a 3-0 victory at the Millennium Stadium, and he will be on hand for a Q&A with supporters before kick-off, including an update on his charity fundraiser, which is due to be played later this year.

Tickets for the away leg of the semi-final, to be played on Thursday, May 14 (8pm kick-off) will also go on sale on Thursday at 10am, although the window of opportunity for fans to get one of the 2,179 available seats at Valley Parade is likely to be very slim.

Bradford sold out their allocation of 2,051 eight minutes after they went on sale to general season ticket holders, with reports of some supporters camping overnight to ensure they were at the front of the queue.

John McGinlay, who was part of the 1995 play-off winning campaign under Bruce Rioch, recalled his former boss making a plea via the pages of the BEN for Burnden Park to become a “cauldron of passion” for the semi-final second leg against Wolves.

The Scot hopes fans can achieve something similar this weekend to set Steven Schumacher’s side off on the right foot.

“At times it will be tactical, each team will be making changes, and the other one will counteract but over the two legs we know we’ll have great support,” he said. “Bradford will have great support as well and it’s about turning up on the day.

“Previous form goes out the window. Previous results against each other go out the window. It’s now that matters, not what has gone past us.

“We know what to expect from Bradford, they are a big, physical, powerful side. They prey on the final third, put you under pressure and make you defend in your box, there’s no doubt about that – long throw-ins, corners, free-kicks. They have got quality going into that box.

“it’ll be a cracking game of football. Two great big clubs, big supports, two fantastic stadiums, so there is a lot to look forward to, I can’t wait.”

Wanderers’ last venture into the play-offs ended in disappointment at Wembley but McGinlay feels there are tips that can be picked up from the atmosphere that was created for the semi-final win against Barnsley.

“That is one of the best atmospheres I have witnessed in this stadium,” he said. “It was fantastic, the noise that the players came out to.

“The fans were in their seats early as well. When you come out to do the warm-up and it’s nearly a full stadium, it sets the tone for the game.

“Players can’t wait to get out on to the pitch and get involved in the match. If we can replicate that, it worked on the night, for the last 20 minutes or so we were hanging on and the fans got us through it.

“It helps more than people will ever know. I just wish fans could step inside the players’ shoes, really, and witness it.

“We keep going on about it, but believe me, it really makes a difference.”

Having experienced three promotions at Wanderers during his time as a player, McGinlay believes the current squad has what it takes to write their own page in the club’s history books.

“These teams are never forgotten,” he said. “They are always in the history of the football club. The players are always well-remembered, respected, and people can’t want until they come back to the club, and these boys can find that out themselves because that’s what we want them to achieve.

“Go and write your own history, your own success. We have the talent in the squad, no doubt about it, and as one – supporters and players together – we can do it.”

Click here to read article