Bill Ridding had been in charge of Bolton Wanderers for 15 years by the start of the 1965-1966 season and knew the game inside out by this point. The 1965-66 season was not a romantic affair for Ridding and Bolton as they stumbled by the end of the campaign to a ninth place finish. It was a finish that was matched the following season and saw the club only able to progress to the fourth round of the FA Cup. Everything went poor for the Trotters during the 1967- 1968 campaign as they were condemned to a 12th place finish in the second division, which was in turn, their worst league finish in the history of Bolton Football club by that time period. Bill Ridding left the managerial post at Bolton and former player, Nat Lofthouse took charge at the club. His first term in charge at the club proved to be an unhappy one for Bolton as they struggled a 17th place finish, much poorer even that then previous campaign, a new all time low at the club. The following season, the 1969-1970 campaign was not much better for the Trotters as Bolton struggled to a 16th place finish, proving they were not a major club in the football league anymore. They could only manage a third round finish in the FA Cup, a place they had reached on too many occasions in the recent years.