Former Sunderland full back Joe Bolton was born on this day in Birtley in 1955. He spent a decade at the club, making over 300 appearances and scoring 12 goals.
Bolton was a fullback who was tough in the tackle (understatement if there ever was one...) and established himself as first choice left back eventually in the 72/73 season after coming through our youth sides. In the 1973 cup run, he made appearances in the third round tie at Notts County and the subsequent replay but the more experienced Ron Guthrie was trusted for the remainder of the cup run and in the eventual final at Wembley.
Joe helped us to secure promotion to the First Division after a six-year absence in the 1975-76 seasons. He was awarded the SAFC Player of the Year award 1977, cementing his status as a firm fan favourite. The rumour was that folk in the paddocks took umbrellas to protect them from blood spraying from opposition wingers. The award meant a bit more back then, won by the likes of Gary Bennett, Superkev and Bobby Kerr before now being won by pretty average players like Charlie Wyke.
Bolton was an immensely popular figure on Wearside due to his strength in tackling and could energise the terraces through absolutely destroying opposition attackers, something which has always been certain to get our fans going. He was sent off three times – something quite hard to do accomplish back then. A famous sending off came in the 89th minute against Middlesbrough, where Bolton essentially head butted the Boro winger Tony Cochrane. Even the most lenient of referees in the early 80’s would have to begrudgingly send someone off for such an offence. Middlesbrough went on to win the game 1-0. His disciplinary record is not bad at all considering how many games he played and his tendency to barge people over – over 300 games and only 23 bookings is very decent. We could certainly do with a full back like him today.
Bolton would go on to play for Boro after leaving Sunderland. He signed for £200,000 and made 59 appearances on Teesside, scoring a solitary goal. He then moved to Sheffield United but a serious knee injury ended his career in 1986. Since retiring, Bolton has become a lorry driver, a career choice which lacks the glamour of today’s choices of becoming a pundit, manager or starting a foundation in your own name. Sadly today, players like Jack Rodwell can amass fortunes and retire, simply stealing a living.
That aside, Bolton will be fondly remembered by the lucky generation of fans who got to see the full back score some very good goals and simply flatten the opposition. He even has a line on the back of the Housemartins' single ‘Happy Hour’ , which described the band as having "more striking power than Lineker, Platini and Joe Bolton all rolled together into a great big cuddly ball." That’s something a player like Rodwell can only dream of.
