Bolton v Shrewsbury Town: Sam Ricketts fondly recalls his Wanderers days
Tomorrow is Sam Ricketts’ first competitive return to the club he represented at the top of his game.
The Welshman made more than 100 appearances for Bolton Wanderers between 2009 and 2013, spending three of his four years there in the top flight, writes Lewis Cox.
Ricketts, who had worked his way up with Telford, Swansea and Hull, admitted stepping into the club – for whom he spent time under Gary Megson and Owen Coyle – was an eye-opening ‘wow’ experience.
He will hope his Shrewsbury Town side can hold their nerve given the expectancy on them at rock-bottom Bolton, whose fall from grace has been seismic since Ricketts joined the club.
The Town boss said: “It was really good. I loved my time there. I joined from one Premier League side, in Hull, to another but the difference was joining an established Premier League side who had been there for a number of years.
“The infrastructure, stadium, players you share the dressing room with and training ground was another level to anything I’d seen before. I thoroughly enjoyed my time and have some really good memories.
“They’d been in the Premier League for 10 years on the spin or something and had a real good pedigree.”
On their current plight, which threatened Bolton’s very existence, Ricketts added: “It’s a shame because I have a fondness for the club and you want them to do well.
“Eddie Davies was such a big part of it (the success) but then what went on to the next owner and then the one after I don’t think anyone will know the true extent of.
“When I was there the club were in a really good position. Everything was looking positive.
“But I’ve heard very good things about the new owners and hopefully they’re going back in the right direction.”
Ricketts shared a Trotters dressing room with the likes of Jussi Jaaskelainen, Gary Cahill, Zat Knight, Jlloyd Samuel, Fabrice Muamba, Kevin Davies, Lee Chung-yong and Daniel Sturridge.
He is looking for a Shrewsbury response at the improving basement boys having seen his side under-perform in the Boxing Day reverse to Rotherham.
