Mason Signs = Davies Departs?

Bolton Wanderers have today officially confirmed the loan signing of Cardiff striker Joe Mason until the 5th January 2014.

Mason began his career with Plymouth Argyle, his home town club, for whom he made 53 appearances, scoring ten goals. While at Cardiff he scored in the 2012 Football League Cup Final and won promotion to the Premier League. Mason played youth international football for the Republic of Ireland by virtue of his mother, who was born in County Mayo. He has to date scored 15 goals in 62 appearances for the Bluebirds.

The deal was supposed to have gone through a fortnight ago only for Cardiff manager Malky Mackay to change his mind just 24hrs after the previous loan was reported by Wanderers. However, Mason has made only two appearances for the Bluebirds this term, both of them in the Capital One Cup.

He joins another Cardiff player, Kevin McNaughton, at the Reebok Stadium.

Popular opinion seems to be that the arrival of Mason, coupled with the return of Tom Eaves from an underwhelming loan at Rotherham United will herald the loan departure of Craig Davies. Davies has been on the fringes of the first team since arriving from Barnsley almost a year ago, though has struggled with injury of late.

We look forward to welcoming Joe to Bolton and seeing what he can do. Craig Davies has been an adequate third choice striker since he joined the club but has seen even less game-time since the arrival of Jermaine Beckford this summer from Huddersfield Town.