A MASSIVE 96 per cent of Wanderes fans feel that signing Jay Spearing would boost this season’s promotion push.

A poll ran by The Bolton News yesterday showed an overwhelming majority of supporters believe the Scouse midfielder’s capture is integral to the team’s chances of going up next season.

Sixty-nine per cent of supporters rated Spearing’s capture as “vital” while another 27 per cent reckon his signing “would certainly help”.

And reports that Stuart Holden’s salary for the next 12 months could be covered by the US national team have raised hopes that he could be back within Wanderers’ grasp.

Dougie Freedman is now missing a piece of his midfield jigsaw after the American damaged the cruciate ligament of his right knee playing in the Gold Cup final for his country.

Normal protocol is that compensation is paid when players are injured in competitive international duty and that could provide the Whites with cash to fund a move for the Liverpool ball-winner.

Freedman confirmed at Monday’s fans forum that his remains an admirer of Spearing but that the price currently being quoted by the Anfield club was out of his reach.

Spearing turned down a chance to join Blackburn Rovers, who are understood to have reached an agreement to pay £1.75million for his services.

Freedman has hinted in the past that the actual figure is higher and is currently trying to move on some of his fringe players to fund the signings he needs to improve his squad.

Just four per cent of fans who voted on our poll believe that Spearing’s signing was “not important” or that “funds would be better used elsewhere.”

In total, 1,464 votes were cast on our website in a little over three-and-a-half hours.