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No Reebok return for Nigel Reo-Coker

The Blues will visit the Reebok Stadium this weekend for the first time in over a decade and will not be bringing Nigel Reo-Coker with them in what would have been his first go at his former team.

Jamie McDonald/Getty Images

When Bolton Wanderers were relegated, there was only one player that activated the relegation clause in his contract and left the club while still under contact. That man, Nigel Reo-Coker, proved to be a leading force in what was a very tough season for Bolton fans with Chung-Yong Lee and Stu Holden's absences, Fabrice Muamba's collapse, and ultimately a relegation fight that went right to the death.

Yet, the man that called for strength and unity so many times was the first one to jump ship. After a summer and fall of not being able to find a club (due to thinking that he was better than Bolton Wanderers), Reo-Coker was not picked up by any teams in the Premier League and instead went to then-bottom Championship side Ipswich Town. The Tractor Boys soon sacked their manager in Paul Jewell and brought in Mick McCarthy to lead them.

Speaking in TWTD, an independent Ipswich Town fansite, manager Mick McCarthy said of the Reo-Coker situation:

"I still don't know how many games Nigel will miss, I think he's hoping to train next week.

"But the bigger worry is that Luke Hyam got a kick on his calf and he won't train today, but hopefully he'll be OK.

"I think he'll be all right, but it's enough that he's not going to train today and we'll have to wait and see tomorrow. Everybody else is fine, no problems."

That's one less returning player curse for Bolton fans to worry about, then.