Debut Review: George Newell

Another new face emerged from the bench for Bolton Wanderers as George Newell made the step up to first team football against Hull City on Saturday lunchtime, and did not look out of place amongst the first teamers.

He came on for the legendary figure of Emile Heskey mid-way through the second half and did not take long to get involved in the match. Within a minute of entering the fray he held the ball up well and laid it off well, not long after he did the same thing in the build up to Stephen Dobbie’s winner. For a player who didn’t look all that strong (in comparison with your traditional target man) Newell was impressive in holding the ball up and competing in the air. He was not able to get a chance in front of goal, but his willing running was great to see.

The youngster is from Formby and is the son of Blackburn Rovers Premier League winner Mike Newell. He was a part of the Everton youth set up becoming a first year scholar at the Premier League club in 2013 after three years in the academy system. During his time with Everton he won the Academy League title with the Under-18s in the 2013/14 season and was again involved as they came close to repeating the feat a year later.

His future was put in doubt with a serious injury and Everton did offer him a six month stay after his scholarship to see how he got on. But Newell opted to leave Goodison Park in 2015 and joined Bolton.

At Bolton he has since impressed for the development squad including scoring a brace of penalties in the outing before his first team debut. His scoring exploits for the development squad should give us some optimism that we have another player on our books capable of finding the back of the net and indeed of playing a part for the club next season in League One. After his debut he would be rightly disappointed not to be in the squad for the season finale at Craven Cottage, and hopefully he will have another chance to shine.