Former Wanderers youngster Sam Lavelle has joined League One side Carlisle ahead of the upcoming season.

Lavelle was on the fringes of the first-team picture at Bolton but couldn’t make his senior debut due to the club’s embargo at the time.

The defender, who previously represented Scotland at youth level, had to leave the Whites in 2017 amid their financial problems off the pitch.

He then joined Morecambe, making 165 appearances during a four-year spell at the Mazuma Stadium.

Lavelle’s performances earned a move to Charlton in the summer of 2021 and he played 41 times over the next 18 months.

The 26-year-old joined Burton on loan earlier this year but saw his time with the Brewers cut short by a shoulder injury.

Carlisle are preparing for life back in the third tier after beating Stockport on penalties in the League Two play-off final at Wembley.

“It’s one that we’ve been working away at for weeks to be honest, and I’ve left that number five slot open for this particular reason," manager Paul Simpson told the club website.

“I’m delighted that we’ve eventually got it over the line. He made it clear that he wanted to come here but he had a few things he needed to get tidied up with Charlton.

“He’s a player with League One experience. He has a lot of games under his belt and that’s with him still being relatively young.

"He’s another who has a load of developing still to do and he certainly ticks the boxes of what we’re trying to bring into our club.”

Simpson added: "(Dean Holden) said that he’s a lad with great character who just didn’t fit in with his plans at this time."

Lavelle could come up against his former club when the Blues make the trip to the Toughsheet Community Stadium on Saturday, October 7. The reverse fixture at Burton Park is scheduled for Saturday, January 27.

Another ex-Bolton man was on the move earlier this week with former captain Jason Lowe joining Port Vale.