By Mark Heys
January 5 2006

Bolton Wanderers travel down to Hertfordshire this weekend to take on high flying Championship side Watford in the Third Round of the FA Cup.

It is the first time in five years that these two sides have faced each other in any competition and it is fair to say that a lot water has travelled under the bridge since that infamous 1999 Play Off final at Wembley.

Since the last meeting with Bolton in December 2000 the Hornets have lost their long term saviour Graham Taylor and have also had a number of monetry worries due to the ITV digital farce.

Inexperienced manager Adrian Boothroyd has come into the Vicarage Road hotseat over the last year and has taken their side on the verge of promotion back to the Premiership whilst also assembling a squad of promising young players.

The Wanderers in contrast have gone from strength to strength having achieved promotion to the Premiership via the Play Offs in 2001 and have since become a top flight force with household names such as Okocha, Djorkaeff, Campo, Hierro et al.

However, this is the FA Cup and as everyone knows this competition has a habit of producing a surprise so the Wanderers must avoid showing any complacency or rank when they make the long journey south.

Pre-game Watford can also take some heart by the fact that Bolton have never won a single game when playing at Vicarage Road whether it be in the league or cup competions.

Wanderers manager Sam Allardyce will be keen for that dismal sequence to be overturned on Saturday but he will face a big selection crisis for this game as his squad is hit hard with numerous international call ups and suspensions.

Kevin Nolan, Kevin Davies and Ivan Campo are all serving suspensions and will not be in contention whilst Abdoulaye Diagne-Faye, El-Hadji Diouf and Radhi Jaidi are all absent due to their participation in the forthcoming African Nations Cup.

Furthermore Gary Speed (knee), Nicky Hunt (calf) and Khalilou Fadiga (illness) are all nursing slight knocks so the Bolton boss may have to bring in Academy players such as Bedi Buval, Jarek Fojut and Johann Smith to make up the numbers.

Jay-Jay Okocha will play after the Nigerian FA delayed his release for the African Nations Cup by a few more days and he could be handed the captain's armband in Nolan's absence

Watford-born goalkeeper Ian Walker is set for a rare run out between the sticks for the Trotters and there could also be an opportunity for experienced one time Fulham utility player Martin Djetou.

Watford are without the suspended James Chambers, Ashley Young and Matthew Spring so manager Boothroyd will need to make some slight alterations to his starting eleven.

Sierra-Leone teenager Alhassan Bangura is a doubt for the Wanderers visit after picking up an injury in the festive win over local rivals Luton Town earlier this week.

Academy graduate Dominic Blizzard is back in full training after spending a few games on the sidelines due to a virus but he is said to be some way from making a first team return

FA CUP RECORD

03/01/1970 BOLTON WANDERERS 1 WATFORD 2

FA CUP FORM GUIDE:

Played: 1

Won: 0

Drawn: 0

Lost: 1

CONNECTIONS

Paul Atkinson, Neil Cox, Les Ferdinand, Mark Gavin, Jim Hernon, David Holdsworth, Dean Holdsworth, Nigel Jemson, Andy Kennedy, Neil Redfearn, Ray Train

IT HAPPENED WHEN BOLTON PLAYED WATFORD

Identical twins Dean and David Holdsworth both appeared regularly in the Watford team for their successful 1988-89 second division campaign and did likewise for Bolton in a League Cup tie against Bury in October 2002.

Ex-Wanderer Les Ferdinand is on a non-contract agreement with Watford but has yet to make his debut for them.