Full name Joshua James Vela 2008–2011 Bolton Wanderers Weight 73 kg Number 6 Height 1.81 m | Role Footballer Place of birth Salford, England Name Josh Vela Career start 2012 | |
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Date of birth (1993-12-14) 14 December 1993 (age 22) Current team Bolton Wanderers F.C. (#6 / Midfielder) | ||
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Goal josh vela scores against middlesbrough
Joshua James Vela (born 14 December 1993) is an English professional footballer who plays as a defender or a midfielder for Championship club Bolton Wanderers.
Contents
- Goal josh vela scores against middlesbrough
- Josh vela midfielder on his new contract with wanderers
- Bolton Wanderers
- Loan to Notts County
- Personal life
- Career statistics
- References
Josh vela midfielder on his new contract with wanderers
Bolton Wanderers
A product of the Bolton Wanderers Academy since joining the academy at nine, Vela signed a professional contract with the club in March 2011. At age of seventeen, Vela was linked to Liverpool and Bolton rejected £1 million offer from Liverpool.
Throughout the 2011–12 season, Vela was a mainstay of the reserve team, although he spent three months on the sidelines after fracturing his foot in the reserve match with Blackburn Rovers in November 2011. After returning to fitness, he was rewarded with a new three-and-a-half year contract in February 2012. Vela was then given number twenty-five shirt at the club.
He made his debut for the club in the 1–1 home draw against Swansea City on 21 April 2012, coming on for Mark Davies in the 90th minute. His first start for Bolton came on 28 August in the League Cup second round against Crawley Town but this full debut didn't last very long because he was taken off after seven minutes and replaced by Darren Pratley because of an injury caused by a foul from Nicky Adams. This injury would sideline Vela for four months. On his return, Vela started in Bolton's 2–0 victory at Sunderland in an FA Cup third round replay on 15 January 2013 and he made his first league start for the club at Watford on 2 February. After those matches, Vela expressed his delight on returning to action from injury.
Under Neil Lennon's management, in the 2014–15 season, Vela has been playing at right back ahead of the more experienced Kevin McNaughton and fellow youth graduate Oscar Threlkeld. Vela was initially to be sent out on loan by Dougie Freedman, but this didn't happen, as Freedman was sacked by the club. For his good display, Vela was among players to be offered a new contract by Lennon, as his contract was expected to expire at the end of the 2014–15 season. Vela made twenty-nine appearance for the club this season, but impressive display in the right-back soon led him play in midfield, which The Bolton News calls for Vela to be voted for the club's player of the year, while Lennon said Vela should be proud of his display on the 2014–15 season. At the award ceremony, Vela finished second with 19 percent for Bolton Wanderers’ Player of the Season, just behind Tim Ream.
Vela scored his first goal for Bolton in a 2–2 draw with Charlton Athletic on 15 December 2015.
Loan to Notts County
On 21 March 2014, Vela joined League One club Notts County on an initial 28-day loan after the club's manager Dougie Freedman was considering sending Vela out on loan.
Vela made his Notts County debut the next day as a central midfield, where he made his first start, in a 4–1 win over Carlisle United on 22 March 2014. After making five appearance for Notts County so far, Vela extended his loan spell with the club until the end of the season. While at Notts County, Vela stated that his first team at Notts County could give him a green light of having first team at Bolton Wanderers.
Making two further appearance, Vela loan spell with Notts County came to an end and returned to his parent club. Upon leaving, Manager Shaun Derry paid tribute to among loanee players, including Vela, quoting: "Josh [Vela] has come in and been at the centre of all our good results and he’s done very well."
Personal life
Vela was born in Salford, Greater Manchester and attended Hope High School.