Derek Talbot
The word legend does not come close to describing the association of Derek Talbot and Bolton County Football Club, to all who knew him, Derek was Mr Bolton County.
Derek joined Bolton County when he left school in 1954, and spent over 38 years as player, secretary, match day co-ordinator; this was when the club had four teams playing in the Lancashire Amateur League.

Derek never did things by half measures, and through his work as club secretary, Derek joined the committee of the Lancashire Amateur League, and his work was recognised when he was made Life Time Vice President of the League. He also received the Football Association “30 years service to grass roots football” award.

Affectionally knowned as Alf, Derek lived and breathed Bolton County and always went the extra mile, from spending Saturday mornings on Castle Hill with wellies and buckets, bailing out waterlogged pitches so we could play in the afternoon, to presenting the “Cardinal Puff Puff” initiation ceremony to debutants on the club’s annual Easter tour to Llandudno
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His inspiration and legacy is measured by the people still involved with the club today, some active and some passive, but all who played for or knew Derek, are Bolton County to the core. The Derek Talbot Clubman of the Year Trophy (first awarded to Derek in 1979), is still in use to today, another example of his legacy.

So R.I.P great man, Alf, Mr Bolton County, gone but not forgotten.