Bolton's 11-Year Stay in Premier League Ends

The chances were always slim to none for Bolton to stay in the Premier League on the final day of the season.

Those chances were even higher at halftime of the Trotters' away game at Stoke City, when they were up by a goal on their opponents and relegation rivals QPR were losing to Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium.

After going down a goal in the 12th minute at the hands of a Jonathan Walters goal, Mark Davies scored in the 39th minute and then Kevin Davies hit one home in the 45th minute.

At that point, Bolton were up and the club they needed to lose, QPR, were losing at Manchester City.

But with a new half came a set of circumstances that ultimately ended in relegation.

First, QPR struck back at the Etihad Stadium with a Jamie Mackie goal in the 66th minute.

Then, 11 minutes later in Stoke, Trotters keeper Adam Bogdan took down Peter Crouch in the penalty area and then gave up a penalty to Walters, which sealed the club's fate.

Even with QPR falling at the last second to Manchester City, it was not enough as Bolton needed a full three points to stay afloat in the Premier League.

Now, things will have changed at the Reebok Stadium as Bolton will return to the Championship for the first time in 11 years.

The last spell in the Championship lasted from 1998 to 2001, a spell in which they reached the promotion playoffs in all three seasons with promotion finally earned under manager Sam Allardyce at the end of the 2000-01 season.

Both Bolton Wanderers and their fans hope that this spell in the Championship will not last more than one season.