Bolton Wanderers have enjoyed a strong first-half of the League One campaign, with Steven Schumacher’s side very much in the hunt for a top two spot and automatic promotion back to the Championship.
TheĀ TrottersĀ have put in good performances throughout the campaign but they have been undermined by their away form.
That was again exposed at the weekend as, despite taking the lead via Thierry Gale, Bolton succumbed to a 2-1 loss away at Adams Park against Michael Duffās Wycombe Wanderers.
The Chairboys were play-off semi-finalists last season but had set the pace at the very top-of-the-table mid-way through the campaign before a disruptive January which saw the departure of manager Matt Bloomfield to Luton Town.
As well as that, key midfielder Aaron Morley was recalled by his parent club, Bolton, as the Trotters struggled under Ian Evatt, who would leave less than two weeks after Morleyās return to the Toughsheet Community Stadium.
Aaron Morley could leave Bolton Wanderers in January – Trotters shouldn’t regret not cashing in in summer
After returning and playing well forĀ BoltonĀ in the second half of last season, Wanderers opted to keep hold of Aaron Morley,Ā amid reported interestĀ from Wycombe, once again, as well as Luton, then managed by Bloomfield.
It has been a tough few months for Morley, though, with the former Rochdale midfielder struggling to find consistency in the middle of the park alongside stiff competition from the likes of Ethan Erhahon, Xavier Simons and Josh Sheehan.
With reports now indicating that Morley – who has been left out of the match day squad in Boltonās last three matches –Ā could again departĀ Lancashire this winter,Ā FLWāsĀ Bolton Fan PunditĀ Liam OāMearaĀ doesnāt believe there are or should be any regrets over how his future was handled in the summer.
Liam toldĀ FLW: āI think itās just a simple case of those clubs not meeting the amount that Bolton were looking for at that time.
āI donāt know whether they regret it because I think that in an ideal world, Aaron Morley would have put in performances that would have cemented his place in the starting 11 at Bolton and heās been given a chance to do that.
āI donāt think itās a case of regret. Everyone has got clearer vision in hindsight.
āHe was given the opportunity to perform and he hasnāt done. We would have sold him this summer but the amount that we were looking for wasnāt met and that will be the same in January.
āItās not for us to make it easy for these other clubs to sign another player. If they want to pay for him then absolutely do that.ā
Aaron Morley has often frustrated at Bolton Wanderers – cashing in may be the best course of aciton
Having arrived from Rochdale in the January transfer window of 2022, Aaron Morley immediately shone and became a fansā favourite at Bolton, as they surged up the table and achieved a ninth place finish in their first season back in the third-tier.
However, as Evattās time went on, Morley often flattered to deceive. Never really obviously playing badly but not doing enough within games to ensure he kept his spot or drove Bolton on, especially in comparison to 2023/24 Player of the Year Sheehan or that seasonās Young Player of the Year, Paris Maghoma.
Deemed surplus to requirements in the summer of 2024, Matt Bloomfield clearly got the best out of Morley last year and he returned refreshed for the opening few months of the Schumacher reign.
Things have again stagnated for Bolton and it would be of no surprise, albeit perhaps a fair bit of disappointment that things havenāt worked out to the absolute best of what they could, if Morley was to move on in January.
