The Buff presents: Stockport County, expectations an what striker is next....
It's the start of a new League One season and The Buff is ready for the big kick-off.
There is a chance for vengeance at Stockport County this weekend, with the Sky Sports TV cameras watching on, but can Steven Schumacher's new=look team take it?
Marc Iles and Henry Hewitt look through a week of big headlines in The Bolton News and present s a bumped load of listener emails on the eve of the new campaign.
We don't know what is going to happen between now and next Monday - but we do encourage you all to join our brand new EFL Fantasy League - details below - and revel in how many points Aaron Collins is going to score for us at MK Dons.
Press play on the graphic below to listen to the Buff Podcast on the Bolton News website. Alternatively, download this - and nearly 300 other episodes - via Spotify, Google, Apple, Omny and all other leading platforms for free.
The Buff is also available on , or wherever you get your podcasts if you wish to have the episode download straight to your phone or tablet every single week.
We have some NEW advertising opportunities on The Buff, The Last Word AND our Matchday Live coverage.
If you are interested in getting your business associated with the highest-rated longest-running Bolton Wanderers podcast, which attracts thousands of listeners and streams every single week, then please contact our advertising department on emily.wood@localiq.co.uk
Do you want to join our Buff Fantasy League this season? If so CLICK HERE
Remember, it isn't just a podcast, it's The Buff Podcast. And we're here every Friday.
If you want to get in contact with the show, please email thebuffmail@gmail.com or tweet Marc on @MarcIles and @Henry__Hewitt
And please, please leave a review. We work hard to put these episodes out every single week, in-season and out, and the more feedback we get, the better the product. Having said all that, we are currently only accepting five-star ratings, as all the other ratings are broken.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
5 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Kieran Tierney has injury scare on 2nd Celtic debut
Former Arsenal left-back Kieran Tierney made his second official debut for Celtic over the weekend, but fans were left concerned after he was withdrawn early. Photo bySix years after leaving Celtic for Arsenal, Kieran Tierney returned to his former club this summer, and he had his first opportunity in a competitive fixture on Sunday. Celtic were kicking off their Scottish Premiership campaign against St. Mirren, and Tierney was named in the starting lineup for the clash. Yet the 28-year-old couldn't complete the full 90 minutes, limping off the pitch with 25 to go. Fortunately, Brendan Rodgers has played down fears of an injury to the left-back. Photo via 'He had a wee bit of cramp at the end,' Rodgers admitted, before adding: 'He's still building his fitness. He hasn't played a lot of football in the last few years so we have to manage him.' In general, Rodgers seemed to be impressed with how his new signing had performed, as the player put in a confident display. 'Kieran looked very, very good,' Rodgers said. 'Once he understands a wee bit more how we play he'll be able to get into positions that fraction quicker. 'Overall it was fantastic to see him back at Celtic Park.' Photo byTierney joined Celtic on a free transfer from Arsenal this summer, after coming to the end of his Gunners contract. The defender played a role in pre-season for Rodgers' side, including playing in a 4-0 win over Newcastle United, but he's yet to complete 90 minutes since his comeback. After all his injury problems in north London, Celtic will want to be very careful with Tierney in the early months following his return.
Yahoo
5 minutes ago
- Yahoo
What happened ahead of Liverpool vs. Athletic Bilbao game as fans evacuated from Anfield
Liverpool's team news had just been confirmed when suddenly sirens began to sound inside Anfield. Was this a drill or something more serious? In a summer of devastating news at Liverpool, it's easy to jump to conclusions. Thankfully, it proved to be a false alarm, but staff initially weren't sure as a voice boomed over the public address system telling everyone to exit the ground before the friendly against Athletic Bilbao. Journalists and staff located in the Main Staff press room shuffled out and congregated outside, while supporters situated just over an hour before kick-off were forced to do the same. Staff soon were demonstrating a slightly greater sense of urgency in ejecting those still in stadium, presumably, without being sure what was actually going on. READ MORE: Liverpool pays tribute to Diogo Jota and Andre Silva ahead of Athletic Bilbao friendlies READ MORE: Arne Slot explains Virgil van Dijk and Conor Bradley absences from Liverpool friendlies Thankfully, this was a sunny - although very blustery - afternoon on Merseyside, so waiting in the fresh air didn't prove to be be a huge problem. Had it been a mid-winter night this could have been a different story. In the meantime, team news began to filer through ahead of the second game. Arne Slot confirmed Virgil van Dijk was ill and Conor Bradley has suffered a minor knock. None of the reporters in the ground were able to type the news on their laptops, so social media updates had to do. Then, news came through via Liverpool FC Help on X: This was merely a technical error. "Shortly before 15:50 p.m. there was a false alarm in the Anfield Main Stand, leading to supporters in that area of the stadium to be temporarily evacuated," the club explained in a post. "Fans are now being let back into the Main Stand and there is no expected delay to KO. Thank you for everyone's co-operation." It didn't immediately lead to those milling about outside be readmitted, though. In fact, it was another 30 minutes until security staff were allowed to let fans enter once again. Outside the media entrance, an exception was made for club staff, who were crossing the threshold with a flash of a pass. In the end, it wasn't until 15 minutes before kick-off that the doors fully opened. Understandably, that many people entering the ground isn't a quick process, and at certain areas of it took things moved at a snail's pace. In the press box, one reporter missed the first goal by the time he took his seat. Most importantly, it was an episode that passed without any major incident. Before the game even started, fans were signing the name of the late Diogo Jota. That put the minor inconvenience into perspective.
Yahoo
36 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Stokes: I'm looking forward to getting to Australia
For months, England captain Ben Stokes has avoided talking about the Ashes in Australia as much as possible. But after a Test match - and series - for the ages against India, even he is prepared to mention it and firmly believes his side are battle hardened after the draining series that finished in a chaotic defeat at The Oval on Monday. More than 7000 runs were scored in the five Tests, but just when England were in need of fewer than 50 runs for the final five wickets, they lost. The last time that happened to them in a fourth innings while chasing victory was in 1902, against Australia at Old Trafford Stokes was England's most effective bowler in the series but exhausted himself into a shoulder injury that forced him to miss The Oval. Stokes praised his seam attack - deprived of himself, Jofra Archer and Chris Woakes, who came out to bat with a dislocated shoulder but did not have to face - for running India so close in the six-run defeat that squared a superb series. "When one of your bowlers goes down so early in the game, the role of the other seamers changes," Stokes said. A stunning end to the five-Test series as India clinch the thriller at The Oval 👏#WTC27 #ENGvIND 📝: — ICC (@ICC) August 4, 2025 "Even in the second innings, the heart and desire they showed was amazing. There were many what-ifs in the last five days, makes the game great, but all (coach) Brendon (McCullum) and I asked was to give it everything. (Josh) Tongue, (Gus) Atkinson and (Jamie) Overton showed it. "The way in which we've been able to perform throughout the series, I'm looking forward to getting to Australia and doing what we want to go out there and do." England and India both wasted earlier chances to win the fifth Test but after India took the final four wickets in a hectic 57 minutes of play on the final morning, Stokes accepted the conclusion was deserved. "The series as a whole has been pretty much toe-to-toe for 25 days. From a cricket fan's point of view, 2-2 is probably fair," he said. "Two very good teams who have thrown everything at each other and left everything out there. We obviously would have loved to get a series win but it wasn't meant to be. "We're bitterly disappointed we couldn't get over the line but it was another hard-fought game and both teams put so much energy and effort into the series, it's been an amazing one to be part of. "There's a little bit of frustration there as well but as a massive advocate of this format and for Test cricket as a whole, this has certainly been one of those series that could hopefully keep off the narrative around 'Test cricket is dying'." Stokes said he was looking forward to being well rested for the first Ashes test against Australia, in Perth, on November 21, but if he is fit, there are serious questions over who will join him in England's attack. Fast bowlers Jofra Archer and Mark Wood have both missed more Tests than they have played in recent years and the chances of Woakes being fit to bowl in less than four months must be remote. England have not won a Test in Australia since 2011, something David Warner will doubtless be reminding them of during his stint playing for London Spirit in The Hundred over the next few weeks. With agencies