Bolton Wanderers' 13 loan deals under Ian Evatt assessed and ranked

Ian Evatt says he will only consider making signings which can match the quality of James Trafford, Conor Bradley and Owen Beck, who have been recruited from Manchester City and Liverpool respectively.

The Bolton boss has loaned 13 players in his two-and-a-half years at the club, and most deals have proved solid.

Here we look through the hits, misses and maybes.

2020/21.

DECLAN JOHN

Initially signed on loan from Swansea City, where his career had drifted, the Welshman made an immediate impact in League Two and scored a few important goals to get Bolton moving back up the table – not least the one that signalled a late comeback at Mansfield Town.

Wanderers tied him up to a three-year deal the following summer as he became a free agent, and he spent the first of those as first choice left-wing back. This season, however, the arrival of Owen Beck on loan from Liverpool, Jack Iredale from Cambridge United and even Kieran Sadlier’s ability to play on either flank has left John facing an uncertain future.

Loan stars: (7 out 10).

PETER KIOSO

Kioso only played for Bolton 13 times on loan from Luton Town but when the Hatters decided to call him back in the January window – eventually sending him out to Northampton Town – it caused quite the stir.

The Dublin-born defender had become quite popular with Bolton’s supporters, weighing in with a few goals in League Two, and generally offering the dynamism which had been lacking in the first half of the season.

He was later loaned out to MK Dons and then signed by Rotherham United, where he currently plays in the Championship.

Loan stars: 6/10.

ZACK ELBOUZEDI

Lincoln City had brought the rangy but rapid winger over from Ireland but he had struggled to get first team football in League One, so dropped down to help Bolton’s promotion push in January 2021.

He started only two games, making another 12 appearances from the bench, and while there were brief flashes of his talent, a few missed chances rather killed his momentum.

Elbouzedi has managed to progress his career, though, and last season helped AIK Solna finish fifth in Sweden’s top-flight.

Loan stars: 4/10.

LUKAS JENSEN

May well be a quiz question in years to come. Which member of the Bolton Wanderers squad that won promotion at Crawley on the final day of the season never actually played for the team? The answer is Burnley keeper, Lukas Jensen.

Added as back-up for Matt Gilks, the Danish stopper had a couple of games on the bench but Bolton fans had very little chance to see what he could do.

He has since been loaned out to Kordrengir in Iceland, Carlisle United and Accrington Stanley.

Loan stars: 3/10.

MARCUS MADDISON

There was such excitement when Wanderers added the maverick talent of Marcus Maddison to their squad in January 2021 but, ultimately, his stock was very much on the wane.

The one-time Peterborough United marvel had struggled at Hull City and Charlton Athletic and it became clear his luck was out when he (wrongly) received a red card on his debut against Morecambe.

He made only five appearances after that, and living away from his family in the midst of a pandemic clearly took a toll on his personal wellbeing.

Maddison reversed his decision to quit football entirely to play for non-league teams Spalding United and Darlington but is now out of the game again.

Loan stars: 3/10.

TOM WHITE

One of Evatt’s original loan players, picked to play the holding midfield role he had filled for him at Barrow, Blackburn Rovers loanee White looked the part in pre-season, putting in a few eye-catching performances.

Wanderers’ wretched start to the season affected some more than others, and White’s confidence was shot by the time he was taken out of the team following a mad 6-3 defeat to Port Vale and another bruising loss at Walsall.

White went back to the National League with Hartlepool United and then moved back to Barrow at the start of last season, where he now commands a regular first team spot.

Loan stars: 4/10.

DAPO AFOLAYAN

It seems strange to think we knew so little about Afolayan when he turned up from West Ham, given the direction his Bolton career would eventually take.

A goal for the Hammers in the FA Cup had been just reward for a long route to senior football, which took in a spell in Canadian football, university, non-league and loan spells at Mansfield and Oldham. But his star quality was quickly realised at Bolton.

His only goal of the promotion campaign came against Crawley on the final day – but many more would follow the following year when he signed permanently alongside Declan John.

Player of the year last season, and a match-winner on any given day, he remains one of Evatt’s most important assets, albeit one who has had to work hard to keep his place at times.

Loan stars: 9/10.

BILLY CRELLIN

Could probably fill a chapter of the Wanderers story by himself. An England youth international who had been courted by Everton at Fleetwood, Crellin looked a canny loan when he turned up in summer 2020.

Unfortunately, the young keeper made a series of errors which were magnified by the club’s woeful form. And it all came to a head one afternoon in Cambridge, when Evatt reflected on the rookie mistakes his goalkeeper had made and urged him to ‘man up’.

The comment was in no way a reflection on footballing masculinity, more the boyish Crellin’s age, but it was ill-advised. Evatt’s quick apology the following day did little to assuage the national outcry after a hastily clipped audio package bounced its way around social media, even becoming the topic of a phone-in on BBC Five Live.

Crellin soldiered on and even saved a penalty in his next game against Bradford City. But his form did not pick up and Evatt had to call his goalkeeper coach Matt Gilks – who had initially recommended the youngster – to step in as his full-time replacement.

The story ends well for Crellin, though, and Everton were clearly undeterred by his problematic spell at Bolton, signing him on a two-and-a-half year deal in February 2022.

Loan stars: 2/10.

BEN JACKSON

Signed on loan from Huddersfield Town as cover for Declan John on the left, teenager Jackson only played six times for Bolton – but his impact on their season was significant.

His winning goal at promotion rivals Morecambe was a pivotal moment, maybe ‘the’ pivotal moment of the run-in, and ensured his name would be fondly remembered for years to come.

Jackson, still 21, had loan spells with Stockport County and Doncaster Rovers but is now starting to turn heads with his parent club Huddersfield in the Championship.

Loan stars: 7/10.

2021/22

Marlon Fossey.

Following in the footsteps of Kioso, wild-haired American wing-back Fossey proved a huge hit with supporters in his loan from Fulham but will ultimately be remembered for never coming back to the club.

His loan from January onward proved a roaring success, at least until a knee injury ended his season a month premature. Fossey’s past injury record gave Bolton some reason for concern and though signing him on a permanent basis was seriously considered, the availability of Liverpool’s Conor Bradley allowed Evatt to move on.

Fossey has since signed for Standard Liege in Belgium and has played five times to date.

Loan stars: 7/10.

JAMES TRAFFORD

Signed on loan from Manchester City after a relatively unsuccessful time at Accrington, it is fair to say there were reservations among Bolton fans when Trafford first turned up.

Joel Dixon’s dip in form had left Evatt looking for a keeper, and Cumbrian teen Trafford showed immediately that he had picked the right man. After a record four straight clean sheets in his first four games, he helped Bolton climb the table to a credible ninth and also broke into the England Under-21 squad. What is it they say about never judging a book by its cover?

Loan stars: 9/10.

2022/23

James Trafford.

‘Traff’ returned in the summer – this time for the whole season – and continues to return some pretty impressive numbers. He claims he reads nothing into statistics, which is a shame because he ranks pretty highly among any young goalkeeper playing outside the Premier League right now.

After signing a long-term deal with Manchester City last summer and furthering his international ambitions, the future looks bright.

Loan stars - 9/10

CONOR BRADLEY

It was a tough job to get Bolton supporters to forget about Marlon Fossey – but Bradley’s fantastic start to the season has managed it, and then some.

The Northern Ireland international is consistently one of Bolton’s biggest attacking threats at right wing-back and has also tuned into the physical demands of League One.

He should have more than four goals but that is a minor gripe in what has been a very solid start.

Loan stars – 8/10.

OWEN BECK

Somewhat of a surprise addition when he arrived on the penultimate day of the summer transfer window, the Wales Under-21 international – best pal and Liverpool team-mate of Conor Bradley – joined a relatively crowded group of left-sided wing-backs.

It has taken him some time to get up to speed with the demands of League One football and those placed by Evatt on his wide defenders but there have been clear recent signs that the technically gifted Beck is getting there.

Loan stars – 6/10.