The Buff

Welcome back to The Last Word...And the regular season is done and dusted. Time for the play-offs. Bradford City await over two legs in the semi-final after Wanderers lost only their second home game of the season against Luton Town, who were themselves denied a shot at the play-offs thanks to Stevenage's late win against Wigan Athletic. We bring interviews with Steven Schumacher and Josh Sheehan...

Welcome to The First Word - and the last First Word of the regular season! Wanderers host Luton knowing a win would guarantee third spot. But the Hatters need three points too if they are to sneak into the top six at the last possible moment. We've got a stacked podcast this week including interviews with Steven Schumacher and ibbi Cissoko, Russ Pollitt drops by to give his take on the weekend and...

Welcome back to The Buff Podcast... And Wanderers are finally play-off bound! Join Marc Iles and Henry Hewitt for another voyage into this week's headlines at the Toughsheet Stadium, including an entertaining draw at Bradford City, the concern over Sam Dalby's injury and Ibrahim Cissoko's remarkable upturn in form. As ever, we read out your emails, take a closer look at the play-off picture, make...

Welcome back to The Last Word...And the play-offs are in the bag. Sure, it should probably have been three points and not just the one at Bradford, but the performance at Valley Parade was encouraging nevertheless. We hear from Steven Schumacher and Ruben Rodrigues after the game and also introduce a newcomer to our parish. Sam Burtonwood brings some of the sights and sounds from the terraces and...

Welcome to The First Word - Now in podcast and video form! Join Marc Iles for a browse through the pre-match press conference as Wanderers head to play-off rivals Bradford City looking to cement their place in the top four. We hear from Steven Schumacher and goalkeeper Jack Bonham, plus Bolton fan Russ Pollitt drops by with his take on the weekend. And we also rope in Simon Parker, the Bantams wri...

Welcome back to The Buff Podcast... And something has changed. The Buff is now available as a video podcast AND an audio podcast. So you can see the faces Marc and Henry pull as they read out the Wanderers headlines. Our brand new YouTube channel will be up and running soon but we have included our first video on The Bolton News website for your delight and delectation! For those who usually liste...

Welcome back to The Last Word...And yet another late, late show! Ibrahim Cissoko's 101st minute goal might have arrived too late for the Wanderers end-of-season awards ceremony shortlist, but it made for yet more drama at the Toughsheet as Steven Schumacher's side inched their way towards the play-offs. We hear from the Bolton boss and the hero of the hour, along with Wanderers fans Henry Hewitt a...

Welcome to The First Word and the penultimate home game of the regular season. It's three to go (hopefully six) and we are coming off the back of a strange old week at Bolton Wanderers. Bad at Cardiff, outstanding at home to Stevenage, which side will turn up on Saturday lunchtime? In fairness, Huddersfield have not been the most consistent this season. Bolton have got the better of them twice and...

Welcome back to The Buff Podcast... And a week of extremes at Wanderers. After a poor performance at Cardiff, we got a five-star display against Stevenage. Life is never dull at the Toughsheet Stadium. Marc Iles and Henry Hewitt wade through a week of headlines from The Bolton News and discuss some of the big topics this week including Thierry Gale's form, Bolton's best central defensive partnersh...

Welcome back to The Last Word...And a surprisingly goal-filled night against Stevenage. Given the fact that Bolton's play-off rivals had perfected the art of the 1-0 win, who saw a 5-1 hammering in store, particularly after a disappointing day in Cardiff? We'll take it, though, and the sight of Amario Cozier-Duberry and Thierry Gale back to their early-season best is something that bodes very well...

Welcome back to The Last Word... And a desperately disappointing afternoon in South Wales. We're back to review Wanderers' poor performance at Cardiff City and a game that not only spelled the end of any lingering automatic promotion hopes but also raised some serious questions about the team as they head towards - theoretically - the play-offs. Marc Iles guides you through the post-match press in...

Welcome to The First Word and a trip to South Wales to face second-placed Cardiff City. There's a tinge of regret in the air as we head to a fixture that 'should' have been a season-defining one. But with the play-offs on the horizon, there is no time to mope. We hear from Steven Schumacher and Ruben Rodrigues in the pre-match press conference and Russ Pollitt drops by to give his view on Saturday...

Welcome back to The Buff Podcast... And an acknowledgement for the windiest place in the UK. Marc Iles and Henry Hewitt are back with a review of the week's headlines, a look back over a bust Easter weekend of games against Plymouth and Stockport, and a look forward to another double header against Cardiff and Stevenage. All the regular features are here including your emails, Why I'm a Wanderer a...

Welcome back to The Last Word... And another draw to add to an extensive collection. The result against Stockport County wasn't all bad. Bolton showed some resolve to get ahead in a tough first half, then to get themselves back on level terms after a ropey spell immediately either side of half time. But an all-action final 15 minutes felt like the perfect opportunity to seize three points, to clos...

Welcome back to The Last Word... And an impressively brave victory at Plymouth which answered a lot of questions about Wanderers heading towards the play-offs. There was more of a story to tell at Home Park aside from an action-packed game, and Marc Iles takes you through events on and off the pitch. We hear from Steven Schumacher and Plymouth boss Tom Cleverley - and why there may have been a bit...

Welcome to The First Word and, ladies and gentlemen, we are at the business end of the season. Two huge games over the Easter weekend begin down on the South Coast at Plymouth, as Steven Schumacher goes back to the club he led out of League One in 2023. Bolton start the day in third and knowing two wins this Easter could effectively wrap up their place in the play-offs. Drop points, however, and t...

Welcome back to The Buff Podcast... And a great big Easter Weekend for Bolton Wanderers. Marc Iles and Henry Hewitt are back to go through all the headlines after the international break and preview two massive games in the play-off race. Wanderers head to Plymouth Argyle on Good Friday before hosting Stockport County on Easter Monday, after which they could have one foot in the play-offs... Or a...

We have recorded a special podcast from the Bolton Wanderers Supporters' Association's 10th anniversary event, including a Q&A session with Steven Schumacher and Fergal Harkin, plus an exclusive interview with Ricardo Gardner about his upcoming charity game. We have a very special offer for listeners of The Buff Podcast - so take note. The latest deal for subscription to The Bolton News will a...

Welcome back to The Buff Podcast... And we'll try and keep talk of the Port Vale game to a minimum. After that monstrosity it looks like the play-offs are Bolton's only remaining shot for promotion. Marc and Henry chat through what that will look like, how tough the run-in will be, and what missing out on a top two spot could mean to morale. We read out your emails, Why I'm a Wanderer, plus look t...

Welcome back to The Last Word... And a defeat against Port Vale that was as ugly as they come. We sift through the wreckage of arguably Wanderers' worst performance of the season, on what was without doubt the worst pitch. After two disappointing draws against Rotherham and Doncaster, Cardiff's lunchtime result left a small window of opportunity to cut the gap to eight points. But no such luck. We...

Welcome to The First Word as Wanderers aim to be pitch perfect at Port Vale! After a couple of frustrating draws, the Whites face a potential banana skin against a side sitting bottom of League One, but who have proven they are no pushovers with a remarkable FA Cup run. Hear from Steven Schumacher and Chris Forino, plus Russ Pollitt drops by to share his thoughts on the past week at Wanderers. It'...

Welcome back to The Buff Podcast... And things are getting tense on Wanderers Mountain. Two draws against Rotherham United and Doncaster Rovers have all-but ended slim hopes of automatic promotion but do they hint at bigger issues? It seems inconceivable that Wanderers won't make the play-offs as a bare minimum but with Corey Blackett-Taylor now out for the season and a few awkward questions being...

Welcome back to The Last Word... And a goalless draw that has left pretty much everyone feeling nonplussed. In the absence of too much goalmouth action to talk about, Marc Iles sifts through what a 15th draw of the season means for Bolton and brings you some post-match reaction from Steven Schumacher and Jack Bonham. Henry Hewitt drops by with his take on the game and we hear why Corey Blackett-Ta...

Welcome back to The Last Word... Another comeback, another draw, and maybe the end of the automatic promotion chase? Join Marc Iles to sift through the details of a frantic 2-2 draw at Rotherham United in which we once again saw the best and the worst of what Steven Schumacher's side have to offer. Henry Hewitt weighs in with his verdict from the stand and we hear from a disgruntled Bolton boss, w...

Welcome to The First Word - and time to put to bed a 60-year-old statistic! After the drama of last weekend's comeback win against Wycombe it is time to go over the hill to Rotherham and earn a first win there since 1966. There is no rhyme or reason why Bolton just haven't managed to win on Millers soil but if Steven Schumacher's side want to keep up the chase on Cardiff, they had better break the...