JORDAN Boon knew soon after Keith Hill’s arrival as Bolton Wanderers manager that his six-year association with the club was through.

The 19-year-old defender officially left the Whites earlier this month to sign for Swedish side Ostersund IFK, who play 250 miles from the Norwegian border.

His move followed a season in which Boon broke through into the first team during difficult circumstances, the club still in the midst of administration. Since then, he made one appearance under Hill in the Leasing-com Trophy and was loaned out to Atherton Colls.

Speaking from his new base in Ostersund – known as the Winter City for its diverse outdoor sports – Boon has no regrets about ending his time at Bolton.

“I knew within the first few weeks of the new manager coming in that I would have to plan to go elsewhere,” he told The Bolton News. “I was just there for the bench and never got given the chance in any games or in the cup, even if I had trained well or done well in a training game.

“It’s fair enough – I’m still young and being in my position is could be a risk throwing on a 19-year-old centre-back.

“But the experience at the start, to make my debut and play a few games for the club was a dream come true.”

Boon was an unused sub when Wanderers fought to a 0-0 draw with Coventry City at the UniBol back in August with the youngest squad in its history.

But he was involved in some of the tough games to come – as a handful of senior professionals returned to a side supplemented by a raft of Under-18s.

“The management and the senior pros were brilliant with us, and though the results against us were frustrating they stuck by us through it all,” Boon said.

“The circumstances weren’t the best but we gave it everything we could for the fans because they stuck by us throughout it all.”

Boon had been playing in the Northern Premier at Colls when he jumped at the chance to move to Sweden and experience a different lifestyle, plus some competitive football in a season only just preparing to start.

“I went to look abroad now to play games and gain my fitness,” he said. “I also like a challenge and I couldn’t join any English club until the summer so my goal is to do three months here and then sit down with my agent and see the options back in England for next season.

“This is an experience for me and we’ll see what happens being out here.”

With all that is going on back home, and indeed throughout the world, Boon accepts it is not the easiest time to be away from loved ones.

He intends to return soon, however, and will be looking for an English club again from the start of next season.

“It does get hard being out here but I’m on Facetime and messaging my family and friends all the time,” he said. “I look forward to coming back to English football not to prove Bolton Wanderers wrong but reach my full potential and use the experiences I have had and put them into my game.”