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So begins a catalogue of articles here at LoV where we pontificate about who Wanderers should sign this season. Each writer is allowed one contract renewal, a League One player, a Championship veteran, a loanee from the Premier League, and a former Wanderers player picked up from LoV’s very own time machine. First up, DTMR Tom.
1) Contract renewal
Of all the players out of contract, I think I'd plump for Filipe Morais as my top target. His form at a crucial period last season saw us get over the right sign of that dotted line in the race for promotion. Comfortable at either full back, wing back or winger, he'd offer some much sought after versatility on the right hand side.
2) League One player
Marcus Maddison, Bradley Dack, Billy Bodin and Nat Knight-Percival all came close, but the League One player at the top of my shopping list is David Ball. A goalscorer that can also do a shift on the wing, he chipped in with 14 goals and 7 assists last season for Fleetwood. I think he's ready for a test at a higher level.
3) Championship veteran
I'd quite like to take a risk with either Steve Sidwell or Alex Smithies. Sidwell, a ball-winning general all round pain in the backside in midfield for newly promoted Brighton and Hove Albion, may find himself surplus to requirements once The Seagulls have finished their own summer retail therapy. At 34, he has experience at Premier League and Championship level. His teams always seemed to be at the higher end of the second tier, so he is worth a one year deal if you ask me.
Smithies has always impressed me for a relatively "small" goalkeeper at just 6 ft, 2 in. He is still relatively young for a goalkeeper at just 27 years old, yet has made over 300 career appearances so far. The problem with this situation is that Smithies cost QPR just shy of £2m in 2015, and he recently signed a long-term deal with The Rs in February of this year. We might have to win the lottery before putting him on our radar.
Both seem unlikely, but I'll go Sidwell for the leadership qualities he brings.
4) Premier League loanee
Josh Cullen impressed me at Bradford last season, and Tom Lawrence was superb at Ipswich last season on loan from Leicester City.
However, I'm going to throw Ashley Fletcher's name into the fray. He was instrumental in Barnsley's promotion from League One in the 2015/16 season, but has had little chance to impress at West Ham so far. David Gold came out this week to defend his club's policy of restricting the chances granted to young, English talent at West Ham's disposal, so a loan move back to the North West wouldn't be an improbable prospect. A former Bolton youth academy product, I'd like to see Fletcher play a full season at Championship level.
5) Time Machine signing
Im taking the LoV time machine back to 1997, and I'm bringing Gudni Bergsson in his prime back with me as Bolton Wanderers' captain. He was simply outstanding in Colin Todd's title winning side at centre half, and went on to steer Wanderers to safety with his family already moved back to Iceland. Surely a difficult time for him personally, he was a true leader for us on the pitch. Without doubt one of the best captains the club has ever had.
There you have it, my BWFC Fantasy XI for next season. Unrealistic? Of course it is, I haven't even built my time machine yet! However it was fun all the while.
Tell me why I'm right, wrong, or mentally unstable below.