Bolton fans leave early and some took to clash with stewards, being ejected from Oakwell during their side’s 4-1 defeat at Barnsley.
The match itself, saw Barnsley put in a dominant performance, with Fabio Jalo and Jonathan Russell both scoring twice, with Aaron Collins netting a consolation goal for Bolton.
The result left Bolton 8th in League One with 66 points from 42 games played, and 3 points from the playoff places, Barnsley are 11th with 57 points from 42 games played, with a mid-table finish looking likely.
How far away are they? pic.twitter.com/TpqQB7aAVT
— EyUp&Down ~ Barnsley FC Fanzine (@EyupandDown) April 12, 2025
Little old Barnsley’s got the massive Bolton fighting amongst themselves.
You shit cunts
@OfficialBWFC pic.twitter.com/tAH5FZesww
— Josh (@JoshBfc_) April 12, 2025
fully losing their heads it’s hilarious
#bwfc #boltonwanderers pic.twitter.com/VqfWaCOLt9
— woody (@woodlerr7) April 12, 2025
Bolton boss Steven Schumacher said, per bwfc.co.uk: “It’s the first time I’ve said we were nowhere near it. We were miles off today.
“We’ve lost games before this season when I felt we played well and deserved something from the game but today we didn’t, especially in the first half.
“The way we started the game was poor. We were flat and we got punished. I said every time Barnsley went forward in the first 10-15 minutes I thought they were going to score because we didn’t tackle, we didn’t compete, we didn’t do the basics well enough.
“It wasn’t a great start for the two goals and I had to change it because if we didn’t, it would have been game over before half-time. We made the changes and finally we made a tackle. Jay Matete made a tackle and we get a chance (for John McAtee) from it. We should score and Aaron Collins had a chance as well before at half-time.
“For how bad we were it could have been 2-2. But in the second half it was better. It was better for 20 minutes and then Jordy getting injured and us going to down 10 men, sort of killed the game off.
“Occasionally you get a performance like that. It’s probably happened too often throughout the season. Today was the first time it’s happened since I’ve been here. I’m disappointed, especially for what’s at stake because we’re trying to get promoted, we’re trying to get in the play-offs.
“We looked nowhere near like a play-off team today. If you look at it in the cold light of day, to lose four games out of six is not promotion form. The other three games that we’ve lost, as I’ve just said, they were all close games.
“Maybe we shouldn’t have lost them but you get what you deserve in football quite often, and today we deserve nothing.”
Barnsley’s Conor Hourihane, per barnsleyfc.co.uk: “It’s a fantastic result. Full credit has to go to the players – they were outstanding today. I’ve asked a lot of them over the last five or six games, and everything just came together really nicely. I’m so proud of the group. They’ve stayed consistent, stuck to the work we’ve been doing, and today was a real reward for that.
“It’s massively important to be just as effective without the ball as you are with it,” he continued. “The best teams work hard off the ball, they play with intensity and purpose. I asked a lot of the midfielders today – tracking runners, keeping their shape – and the wingers too, in terms of pressing angles and execution. We forced Bolton into three changes in the first half alone, which says a lot about how strong our start was.
“It’s been tough for the fans, especially in recent years with the home form and everything surrounding the COVID period. So I’m delighted they got to enjoy a win like that at Oakwell, against a really strong side. They deserved it.
“I want to play with wingers who excite the fans – and Fabio has that in abundance,” Hourihane said. “He’s struggled with rhythm due to injuries, but he’s in a really good place now. His attitude has been first class since I took over. I’ve been pushing him to do things the right way, and he’s responded brilliantly. The same goes for the other academy lads – Flav [Flavell] and Blandy [Bland] – they’ve all stepped up.
“His [Flavell] kicking was superb. It was a big part of our strategy – as soon as Flavs had the ball, we wanted to stretch the game and hit the space in behind for Fabs and Humps to run into. It wasn’t just hopeful kicking – it was measured, targeted, and he executed it brilliantly.
“Set pieces win or lose you games,” he explained. “They’re a massive part of football and I’m a big believer in them. Ed [Davies] and Steady [Stead], who’ve taken on that area since I stepped up, have been brilliant. We had a bit of a reset after the Birmingham game – both in terms of performances and our approach to set pieces. The focus has been renewed, and it paid off today.
“It’s just one result. We’ve got to go again – stay level-headed and consistent. Of course, the players can enjoy it, they deserve to. But it’s back to work Monday. We’ve got four games left and we need to give everything. The message is simple: go full throttle and keep pushing.
“I’ve spoken a lot about standards – on and off the pitch. This is just the start. It’s a footstep in the right direction, but nothing more yet. The thing I’m most proud of is that I’ve stuck to what I believe in – turning up every day with energy, driving the lads on, even after tough results. They look to you in those moments. And today, they repaid that with a performance full of fight, togetherness, and quality.”
Conor Hourihane on his first victory as Reds’ Interim Head Coach
pic.twitter.com/fKJRxTy3wZ
— Barnsley FC (@BarnsleyFC) April 12, 2025
This is what Twitter users are saying when seeing Bolton fans leave early and clash with stewards during the 4-1 defeat at Barnsley…
@stu_wafc: Woooooopsie 
#wafc
@CadWMC: Atmosphere from Bolton fans today was a microcosm of English football in 90 minutes. Start loud, sing football in a library, coke wears off, silence, boo team at half time, start fighting each other, let off a flare that gets confiscated immediately. Spectacular.
@bolton2021: Why on earth was Bolton fans fighting with each other #bwfc
@boltonwandere13: More fight in the stands than on the pitch #bwfc
@unhappyslender: Bolton fans scraping amongst themselves jalo and humphreys really got there fans tilted
@martinjohnson81: Saw more fight in those 5 minutes from the fans than the team gave us for the other 95 to be fair 
@CameronJeromeFC: Some of our fans man….chanting for the new gaffer to “sort it out”…what do you want him to do? Don’t you think he realises he has a team full of fucking fannys, he probably hates this team just as much as us, not much he can do until they all get sold or fucked off #bwfc
@BoothyP: These lot downed tools to get IE sacked (some lauded them doing it) they laughed in interviews & had digs after he left. They could have shown IE was the issue. We have a new manager & they are still gutless. The players are the problem. They aren’t arsed about this club. #bwfc
@BwfcFans:” Just end the season now. A squad paid ridiculously well for this level showing their true colours, once again. Don’t deserve a play off spot. Big changes needed in the summer. #bwfc
@jakebfc7: Worst season in 30 years and we can still count on 6 points from Bolton, love you lads 
@HPennington16: the people clapping them off are as bad as them on the pitch
@OldManWinter999: Back to back losses against teams with no manager and nothing to play for. As much as the players are to blame, Schumacher needs to look in the mirror because that is unacceptable.
@Josh_Beesley03: Good job yous clinched promotion at Wigan 
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