WHEN Dougie Freedman brought Conor Wilkinson in from Millwall he was convinced Wanderers could shine up “a rough diamond.”

Four years and seven loan spells later and the job has been passed on to someone else.

Phil Parkinson announced this week the former Ireland Under-21 international could speak with other teams, despite having 12 months left on his Macron contract.

Still just 22, Wilkinson has led a nomadic existence since swapping South London for the North West, spending the majority of his time looking to prove himself in the colours of another club.

From Chester to Torquay, Newport to Portsmouth, there has been no shortage of clubs willing to take him short-term. But at Bolton the young striker has never shown quite enough to force his way into regular first team football.

Chesterfield seems a likely destination for Wilkinson next season, the Spireites losing Ched Evans to Sheffield United and looking for a player to lead their line.

Wanderers also instructed five other players their contract will not be renewed this summer and plan to speak with other players over the coming week.

But how will they fare in the future and was it the right decision? Chief football writer Marc Iles gives his verdict.

LIAM TROTTER: Has all the ingredients you would want to see in a top Championship midfielder but the boo-boys rarely gave him a rest and at times it was hard to argue his performances had not been up to scratch.

Consistency was a big problem for the former Millwall man who looked the part in games where Wanderers saw a lot of the ball, yet sub-standard against sides who would put them under pressure.

Three different managers tried to unlock Trotter’s potential, and ultimately failed.

But Trotter did have a decent spell on loan at Nottingham Forest last season which suggests he might flourish elsewhere.

LEWIS BUXTON: Arrived late in pre-season as a few different defensive targets dropped by the wayside for Phil Parkinson as he battled against the constraints of the embargo.

Buxton started the season soundly enough but never looked as sharp as the rest of the squad and once Lawrie Wilson was dropped into the right-back slot, he was only ever going to be cover.

A persistent back problem prevented him from playing in the last few months but staff at Lostock speak highly of Buxton’s character.

REECE WABARA: Had a summer move worked out for Wabara, we may not be looking at his time at Bolton as a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it affair.

Despite a good pedigree, the full-back was thrown in before match-ready against a good Bristol Rovers side and never really recovered from a difficult debut.

A change to 3-5-2 two months before the end of the season certainly didn’t help Wabara’s cause but he won’t find it tough to to find another club this summer.

TOM WALKER: There was a time Walker was being mentioned in the same breath as Zach Clough and Josh Vela coming through the Wanderers ranks, yet his transition to first team football didn’t quite run as smoothly.

He made some encouraging early appearances and scored a first senior goal against Wigan but the wind was taken out of Walker’s sails as Neil Lennon’s side started to struggle for form.

The Northern Irishman’s upfront approach suited some, yet others struggled under such pressure, and Walker was one.

A loan season at Bury did not go according to plan either, leaving a technically-gifted young midfielder at a crossroads. If he can find a good local club in League Two – he will definitely come back stronger.

WILL JAASKELAINEN: It would have been a fairy-tale story to see Jussi’s son come through the ranks and forge a Wanderers career, but the 18-year-old will need to take a step back to develop before moving on.

Jake Turner’s progress in the youth ranks overshadowed Jaaskelainen’s own progress and the club’s transfer embargo also left him out of the first team reckoning as a reserve keeper.

Regarded as a fine shot stopper with a work ethic just as strong as the old man, Jaaskelainen Jnr has certainly got something to offer the game.