IAN Evatt reckons the progress Wanderers have made since January can be clearly seen in his midfield line-up.

The Bolton boss has lost MJ Williams to injury for Saturday’s final game of the season but can bring in Kyle Dempsey to face his former club.

Youngster George Thomason is also knocking on the door for a recall, but options have not always been so plentiful, Evatt recalls.

“That hasn’t always been the case,” he said. “I remember November and December not so fondly and we were having to name makeshift teams.

“We had young Adam Senior having to step in and play when he still needs more development time and we had a midfield away at Rotherham of George Johnston, George Thomason and Nathan Delfouneso.

“That was January 1, so it shows you how far we’ve come as a squad and as a group and how things have changed.”

Dempsey worked well alongside Aaron Morley in the second half at Cheltenham and Evatt is upbeat about the midfield he carries into next season in League One.

“I thought the balance (at Cheltenham) was really good, but I think MJ has been playing out of his skin as well,” he said.

“Young George (Thomason) has still got some growth to do, some improvements to make but he’s going to be a really good player as well. He has never let us down and was great at Doncaster.

“We have a talented group of midfield players with Josh Sheehan and Kieran Lee to come back into that.

“You must remember the players who have not been available, the likes of Ricardo Santos, Lloyd Isgrove.

“It is a really good squad when everyone is fit and available and we are pleased with what we have got.”

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