Bolton News

Alnwick Departs – Do We Need a New Keeper?

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Ben Alnwick is now free to find another club in January as his contract has been mutually terminated.

The goalkeeper joined us in 2016 from Peterborough, and was often number one in the side that gained promotion from League One, occasionally alternating with Mark Howard, and then won the club’s player of the year award the following season in the Championship.

He signed a two-year deal that summer which was due to expire at the end of this season, but the last season and a half has seen his amount of time on the pitch reduce significantly. Last season, Remi Matthews had spells as the number one keeper, particularly after an early-season injury for Alnwick. This season, he hasn’t been involved at all, except for being named amongst the substitutes a few times. Matthews is now undisputed number one, with Matt Alexander having made a few appearances, most notably against Coventry.

The official line is that Alnwick has been injured, but there’ll be cynicism about that. While it is a shame to lose a decent goalkeeper for this level, he simply hasn’t been playing, in fact not even involved at all on matchdays, so it makes perfect sense to free up a slot while we’re restricted under the terms of the embargo. The question is, do we get a replacement capable of pushing Matthews for the starting spot, or is Alexander trusted enough to be the permanent number two, and even play a few games if Matthews got injured, and we use that free slot to sign an outfield player?

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