Goodbye Gregg Wylde, We Hardly Knew Ye

Gregg Wylde first came onto Bolton's radar in the summer of 2011. Owen Coyle made a £400K bid for the Glasgow Rangers winger, and manager Ally McCoist turned it down. Of course, those were different times for Rangers. When the once giant Glasgow club fell into financial ruin, Wylde was one of several players made redundant. There was a huge race to sign a player many saw as a talented (and cheap) young left winger. Miraculously, Bolton won that race.

The signing was outside the transfer window though, so FIFA had to get involved. Never a good sign for a club that can't afford to whisk a group of FIFA representatives away in a private jet for a little wining and dining. The club were actually told that clearance would come in time, but it never did. Wylde did not play a part in Bolton's relegation battle.

Many people expected the young Scot to have a good showing in the Championship, myself included. Owen Coyle did not agree. Neither did Dougie Freedman. Wylde never actually made an appearance for Bolton Wanderers. Dougie was so unimpressed he sent him on loan to Bury, who were in the relegation spots of League One at the time. That loan was even extended at a time when Bolton had desperate need for another winger.

It looked like Wylde would be returning to Scotland after his loan ended, but Hibs weren't willing to pay enough for the player. So he languished in the reserves. Again, when Bolton could have used an attacking player.

After all that, the writing was on the wall. And finally, Marc Iles reported this week in the Bolton News that Wylde is not likely to be back. He has been told, presumably by Dougie Freedman, that he is surplus to requirements. So, after roughly 15 months, and exactly zero appearances, Gregg Wylde will be heading out the door. Goodbye Gregg, we hardly knew ye, to say the least.