Nickname(s) The Trotters Founded 1874 | Ground County Ground | |
Full name Bolton Wanderers F.C. Development Squad Manager David Lee (Under-23s) & Jimmy Phillips (Under-18s) League Professional U21 Development League 1 Division 2 2014–15
2014–15 Barclays U21 Premier League Division 2, 9th
Barclays Under 18 Premier League North Division, 12th | ||
Bolton Wanderers Development Squad are the youth team of Bolton Wanderers and play in the FA Premier U21 League, Division 2. They also participate in the Manchester Senior Cup, although in recent years the teams entered in this competition have featured an increasing number of youth players.
Contents
- The Academy
- Development Squad
- Out on loan
- ReservesDevelopment Squad
- Youth TeamAcademy
- Academy Under 18s
- Graduates
- References
Bolton Wanderers Development Squad play their home games at the County Ground in Leyland, the home ground of the Lancashire F.A.
Throughout the history of Bolton Wanderers F.C. many of the club's best known players have progressed through the reserve team. These include former captain Kevin Nolan.
The Academy
The Bolton Wanderers Academy was established in 1998 and is based at the club and the main training ground. It replaced the older, more informal youth system, and enabled the club to focus their youth development and scouting, employing new techniques and FA standards.
It is overseen by former Bolton Wanderers F.C. player Jimmy Phillips. It provides a stepping stone for youngsters to progress to the highest levels of football at Bolton Wanderers.
Scouts attend many local youth matches looking for talented boys. A boy will then be invited to attend training sessions at the Academy. They are taken in as young as the age of eight. At this age, the boys start by simply attending after-school training sessions, but as they reach their middle-teens, their academic needs will be taken over by the Academy if they are deemed athletically talented enough.
Between the ages of eight and twelve the boys play in eight-a-side games of three twenty-minute periods. It allows the boys to play as defenders or as attackers in small groups within a system and is not as physically demanding as playing eleven-a-side matches.
The first player to graduate from the Academy to the first team was the former club captain, Kevin Nolan who had previously been on the youth books of Liverpool. He has since been followed into the first team by Joey O'Brien, Ricardo Vaz Tê, Nicky Hunt. Josh Vela, Zach Clough and Rob Holding amongst others.
In December 2012, the Bolton Academy was awarded Elite status by the Premier League.
In June 2015, it was announced that the club had sought to downgrade from a Category One status in order to save money.
Development Squad
The following players are expected to play for the Bolton development squad during the 2016–17 Professional Development League, League 2 (North Division). They will compete in the league along with Barnsley, Birmingham City, Bristol City, Cardiff City, Charlton Athletic, Colchester United, Coventry City, Crewe Alexandra, Crystal Palace, Huddersfield Town, Hull City, Ipswich Town, Leeds United, Millwall, Nottingham Forest, Queens Park Rangers, Sheffield United, Sheffield Wednesday and Watford.
Three players over the age of 23 and players from the U18 side are also eligible to play in these fixtures and the games will usually take place on a Monday afternoon or evening. Furthermore, at least two of the club's development fixtures must be played at the Macron Stadium as per FA rules introduced in 2012.
In addition the U-23 team will take part in the Manchester Senior Cup and Lancashire Senior Cup in the 2015-16 season. Bolton are the current holders of the Manchester Senior Cup having beaten Manchester City 1-0 on 30 August 2015.
In August 2016, the U21 side was renamed as the U23 side, after a consultation involving all 31 clubs in the Professional Development League 2, voted in favour of the new age parameters.
The development squad is managed by former Bolton midfielder David Lee after he was promoted to the role ahead of the 2016-17 season.
As of 1 September 2015 Squad Numbers refer to players' first team squad number (for season 2015–16), where applicable. Reserve and youth games are 1–11.Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
Out on loan
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
Reserves/Development Squad
Youth Team/Academy
Academy (Under-18s)
As of July 2016.
In addition, the reserves and academy employ staff from the first-team.
Graduates
The following players have been associated with the Bolton Wanderers Academy and have gone on to play league football for Bolton or other clubs since the Academy was founded in 1998.
Academy Graduates who have made at least one senior appearance for the Bolton Wanderers first team.
Other players associated with the Academy who have made at least one senior appearance for league clubs in Britain or abroad.