Bolton Wanderers announce player departures

Bolton Wanderers have just announced that the majority of the players out of contract this Summer will leave the club.

As stated on the club site:

“Alex Baptiste and midfielder Andrew Tutte have not had their playing contracts renewed, while full-back Liam Gordon and forward Nathan Delfouneso – who is finishing the season on loan at Bradford City – have been released.

Defender Liam Edwards – who returned from a lengthy injury absence to spend the second half of the season on loan at Southport – has also been released, along with young goalkeeper Matty Alexander, teenage striker Jay Fitzmartin and defender Reiss Greenidge, who has spent the 2021/22 campaign on loan at Barnet.”

In addition to those eight, on loan winger Xavier Amaechi will return to his parent club, Hamburg.

Despite his playing contract coming to an end, Matt Gilks will continue in his role as Goalkeeping Coach with the first team.

Adam Senior has been offered new terms, whilst Wanderers have taken up options to keep hold of youngsters Finlay Lockett and Luke Hutchinson.

Best of luck to those departing. Baptiste, Tutte and Delfouneso all played roles in the clubs’ promotion from League Two last season and should be fondly remembered for that. Baptiste for the leadership he brought to the defence, Tutte for his solid performances in midfield and Delfouneso for his goals and partnership with Eoin Doyle.

To borrow from DownthemannyRD’s fantastic article, Alex Baptiste returned after a less than favourable first stint at the club:

“They say “never go back” in football. Admit it, when we brought Alex Baptiste back to the fold, you weren’t excited. His first spell as a Wanderer had ended in disappointment after all. Often deployed as a makeshift left back in a team that underestimated The Championship after relegation from the Premier League, Baptiste’s name was just another on a long list of players with forgettable tenures as a Wanderer. After just one season, he was sent on loan to local rivals Blackburn Rovers. He wouldn’t be seen in a white shirt again, his three year tenure cut short with a permanent move to Middlesbrough.

Fast forward five years, and Baps rejoined a club on the other end of a dark journey. He formed a fearsome partnership with Rico Santos in League Two last season, and brought some much needed experience to a young Bolton side. This season, he opened his account with a last gasp equaliser against MK Dons on the opening day. A true centre half’s finish, he mishit an open goal to tap in and score. As the season progressed, he saw his time on the field limited, starting just six games. His substitute appearance on the final day of the season seemed to be a sentimental nod from teammate-turned-gaffer Ian Evatt. Although (and don’t hold me to this), I’m almost certain he told one fan “one more year” when he was asked for the hundredth time whether he was calling it a day on his playing career.

If it is the end Baps, let me say this: thank you for coming back for a second stint as a Wanderer. As the club has emerged from the clutches of extinction, you have had the opportunity to carve out a new reputation as a leader of this young squad.”

(You can read the full article here)

Everyone at LOV wishes the best of luck for those departing the club with the rest of their careers.