A diehard soccer fan has quit his job in Australia so he can watch his beloved team play on the other side of the world.
Ian Wagstaff was a sheet metal worker in Australia and was told was told by his bosses that he would not be given the time off to travel across the globe to see Bolton Wanderers take on Stoke City in Sunday's FA Cup semi-final.
So the 52-year-old, who has been based in Australia for the last 23 years, decided to quit his £38,500-a-year job in Brisbane and hop on a plane for the 10,000-mile journey home to cheer on the Trotters.
"I've been a Wanderer all my life," Wagstaff told the Bolton News. "I've watched them in every league apart from the Premier League.
"I told my boss I wanted to go, but he said we were too busy. I told him I was going anyway. It's not every day you get the chance to watch Wanderers at Wembley."
Wagstaff is staying with his friend Chris Taylor in Bury, and the pair, who grew up together in Radcliffe, are travelling down to Wembley together on Sunday.
"Waggy is Wanderers mad," said Taylor.
"He follows Wanderers in Australia and he knows more about the team than I do. We went for a pint when he got back over here and he was even telling me about how the reserves were getting on.
"But even so, I was shocked when he told me he'd quit his job to come to the match."
Wagstaff, who has never watched the Whites at the Reebok, last saw a live game in 1994 at Burnden Park.
He plans to stay in the UK for two months after the game, meaning he will still be around if Bolton reach the final, before returning to Australia.
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Ian Wagstaff was a sheet metal worker in Australia and was told was told by his bosses that he would not be given the time off to travel across the globe to see Bolton Wanderers take on Stoke City in Sunday's FA Cup semi-final.
So the 52-year-old, who has been based in Australia for the last 23 years, decided to quit his £38,500-a-year job in Brisbane and hop on a plane for the 10,000-mile journey home to cheer on the Trotters.
"I've been a Wanderer all my life," Wagstaff told the Bolton News. "I've watched them in every league apart from the Premier League.
"I told my boss I wanted to go, but he said we were too busy. I told him I was going anyway. It's not every day you get the chance to watch Wanderers at Wembley."
Wagstaff is staying with his friend Chris Taylor in Bury, and the pair, who grew up together in Radcliffe, are travelling down to Wembley together on Sunday.
"Waggy is Wanderers mad," said Taylor.
"He follows Wanderers in Australia and he knows more about the team than I do. We went for a pint when he got back over here and he was even telling me about how the reserves were getting on.
"But even so, I was shocked when he told me he'd quit his job to come to the match."
Wagstaff, who has never watched the Whites at the Reebok, last saw a live game in 1994 at Burnden Park.
He plans to stay in the UK for two months after the game, meaning he will still be around if Bolton reach the final, before returning to Australia.
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