Which former Wanderers have been on the move in the January transfer window?
THE jury might be out on the success of Wanderers’ transfer window – but January proved to be a busy one for several former players who found new clubs around the EFL and beyond.
We take a look at some of the former Bolton stars who have found pastures new.
Zac Ashworth celebrates scoring against Barnsley for Wanderers last season (Image: PA)
Zac Ashworth (Blackpool to Ross County on loan).
The midfielder spent a season on loan from West Brom with the Whites in 2023/24 and played 23 games, scoring three goals in all competitions. He made a permanent move to Blackpool the following summer after Bolton had passed on the chance to sign him but he got precious few chances at Bloomfield Road, playing just 13 times before moving out on loan to SPL side Ross County.
Stephen Duke-McKenna (Harrogate to St Johnstone on loan).
The much-travelled attacking midfielder, who was part of the title-winning Bolton development squad under David Lee in 2017/18, had signed a two-year deal with Harrogate last summer in League Two after leaving QPR.
After making 24 appearances for the Yorkshire side, the Guyana international agreed a move to SPL strugglers St Johnstone.
Rob Holding (Crystal Palace to Sheffield United).
The former academy defender burst on to the scene with Wanderers in a difficult 2015/16 campaign in the Championship and did enough to earn a move to Arsenal.
He spent seven seasons on the Gunners’ books before making a move to Crystal Palace in September 2023, which earned Bolton a small slice on an undisclosed transfer fee.
Holding’s time at Selhurst Park was decimated by injuries and he was eventually frozen out completely by manager Oliver Glasner, training on his own and even being excluded from the team photo.
The acrimonious split was confirmed on deadline day as Holding secured a move to Sheffield United, hoping to help the Blades get back into the Premier League.
Ronan Darcy (Crawley to Wigan).
After being given a debut in the Championship by Phil Parkinson in 2018/19, academy product Ronan Darcy became one of the most high-profile members of the ‘Junior Whites’ who kept Bolton going under difficult circumstances the following season.
The midfielder had been sent out on loan to Scotland, with Queen’s Park, and Norway, with Sogndal, before leaving Wanderers with 35 senior appearances and two goals under his belt.
Spells at Swindon Town and Crawley followed, helping the latter win the League Two play-off final last summer. And Darcy pushed on after promotion to earn a move back to the North West with Wigan Athletic.
Caleb Taylor (West Brom to Wycombe on loan).
The big defender had a short spell on loan at Bolton in the second half of last season, which was interrupted by injury. Taylor bounced back this season, however, and after a strong spell at Wycombe at the end of last year he rejoined the Chairboys to try and help them over the line to promotion.
MJ Williams (MK Dons to Barrow).
The popular ball-winning midfielder came to Bolton in January 2021 having broken through at his boyhood club Liverpool and carved out a career in the lower leagues at Blackpool and Rochdale, recovering from a potentially career-ending knee injury.
He found a new lease of life with Wanderers, however, and proved a big part of Ian Evatt’s side for the following two seasons, making exactly 100 appearances, scoring once, and coming on as a substitute in the Papa Johns Trophy win at Wembley.
He joined MK Dons in July 2023 for an undisclosed fee and played 57 games for the club over one-and-a-half seasons but has now returned closer to home with Barrow.
Jon Dadi Bodvarsson in action for Wrexham earlier this season (Image: PA)
Jon Dadi Bodvarsson (Wrexham to Burton).
Another fan favourite, the Icelander was released by Wanderers in the summer having played two-and-a-half years with the club, scoring 25 times in 94 games.
Bodvarsson’s chequered injury record had stymied his time with the Whites, which came as a frustration as he had rarely had fitness issues in previous spells with the likes of Wolves, Reading and Millwall.
He found a short-term deal with Phil Parkinson’s Wrexham until the turn of the year but has now signed permanently with Burton Albion and has scored four times in his last five games.
Calvin Ramsay (Liverpool to Kilmarnock on loan).
Signed for £6million from Aberdeen in the summer of 2022, the Scotland defender has had numerous loan spells to gain first team experience, including a brief stay with Bolton last season which involved just four appearances.
Ramsay has also played at Preston and Wigan but was moved on to SPL side Kilmarnock in the winter window with the hope of getting more game time.
