By Mark Heys
April 10 2007

Pakistan could be the next country to benefit from Bolton Wanderers expertise after discussions where held recently between Wanderers chairman Phil Gartside and Pakistan Minister of Sport Ali Shan. Mr Shan was a guest of the club recently when Bolton lost 2-1 to their local rivals Blackburn Rovers and he admits a new youth academy in Pakistan could be in the offing as part of the Wanderers new international Academy initiative.

"I wanted to come to Bolton to appreciate the work the Club is doing to develop partnerships with clubs and schools around the world as part of its ambitious International Academy project." he said

The Bolton international Academy was launched earlier this year and partnerships with the USA, Europe, India and Africa are already in place and Shan wanted to explore the possibility of taking such a scheme over to Pakistan.

"I understand relationships are already in place in USA, Europe, India and Africa and I am keen to take this initiative to Pakistan. I do believe there is potential of a tie up between some of the forward thinking sports schools and clubs in the Azad Kashmir region and Bolton."

Wanderers chairman Phil Gartside fully endorses the idea having previously worked in Pakistan. He appreciates that cricket is still the number one sport in the middle east but feels that this new partnership could highten the profile of football in Pakistan.

"I have a passionate interest in Pakistan having worked there a few years ago, I admire the work Minister Ali Shan is carrying out in his home country by putting sport at the top of the social and economic agenda. Cricket is still the King, but football is gathering momentum across the country.

"With the Barclays Premiership taking the game to the world, football is becoming more accessible. By harvesting relationships with the region, Bolton Wanderers can make a positive impact with a potential partnership going forward."

In the game against Sheffield United a couple of weeks ago a number of schoolchildren from California where given a chance to sample the delights of the Reebok Stadium on a week long tour of the UK.