Bolton Wanderers announced the signing of a group of young players the other day. Who are they? We don’t claim to know them inside out, but a bit of digging goes a long way…
Chiori Johnson
The 20-year-old has been in the Arsenal youth ranks and is a right-back. He didn’t feature for the Gunners’ Under-23 side at all last season though after injury problems and went to Blackburn in a bid to win a professional contract. He then featured for our side late in the season, giving away a penalty against Watford. He can also fill in anywhere along the back line, according to the Arsenal official site, and they claim is good on the ball and in the tackle. But the official site would hardly point out a weakness, would they?
Joe Pritchard
Three goals and five assists for the midfielder when he played for Spurs’ Under-23 side last season, but with first football a pipe dream, he moved on, and like Johnson, turned out for us on trial at the end of the campaign. He seems to have done enough to earn a contract.
Stephen McKenna
The 17-year-old (for God’s sake, do not let David Wheater buy him his first legal pint) can play anywhere down the right or in the centre of midfield. If he turns out to be any good, he would be able to play for England, Ireland, the Netherlands or Guyana. He had a trial with Burnley at the back end of last season, providing a threat in an Under-23 defeat to Hull