David Wheater to make major injury recovery step

The U21s have been a vehicle for injury returns for quite some time. Be it Sean Davis, Ricardo Gardner, Josh Vela, or Stu Holden, the development squad has served as a major vehicle in returns to fitness for Bolton players. Vela and Holden took big steps in their bids for a turn using the U21s last week and now it looks like David Wheater is next in line.

The time frame is right for Wheater's return after damaging his knee last May. There were rumors and quotes from Manager Dougie Freedman a few weeks ago that Wheater could partake in Holden and Vela's reserve return matchbut that didn't come to pass.

The next reserve match is later today (Monday) against Newcastles reserves and accorting to the Mirror's Alan Nixon, among other sources, David Wheater looks to be in line for his first minutes in a match since sustaining his injury. According to the rules for the U21s, Bolton are only allowed to use three overage players in their match. This would allow Stu Holden, who was not in the team for the trip to Crystal Palace, to get some more minutes under his belt ahead of the weekend's FA Cup clash with Everton at the Reebok.

Best of luck to all the Wanderers involved.