Bolton Wanderers enjoyed a very promising second half of the season in League One after significantly enhancing their squad in the January transfer window.

Ian Evatt's men announced themselves in the third tier pretty spectacularly, and even flirted with the automatic promotion places in the opening months of the campaign.

Teams started to figure them out to an extent and some injury problems saw them fall into the bottom half before the turn of the year.

Kieran Sadlier was one of a number of quality mid-season additions, arriving from Rotherham United, and the attacking midfielder coped well out of his comfort zone under Evatt.

With Marlon Fossey's season ending early due to injury, the 27-year-old slotted in admirably at right wing back towards the end of the campaign, but it turned out to be a positive experience.

Sadlier is hungry to establish himself at Bolton Wanderers, and reflected on the start of his career at The UniBol when he spoke to The Bolton News.

He said: "I think it was important coming in in January so I had the second half of the season to get bedded in and get used to everything off the pitch.

"Understanding the surroundings, getting the know the lads and everybody around the training ground.

"Now, I can hit the ground running in pre-season, get as fit as I can, and we can really start the season well.

"I am looking forward to our training when we come back.

"It is a really good environment to be in here at this club and I think all the lads are looking forward to it.

"I will play wherever he (Evatt) wants me to play and try to do the best I can in that position.

"I have got used to playing as a right wing-back over the last few games I’ve played and I have started to really enjoy it.

"At the start - new system, new lads and the way we play, I was just getting used to it.

"But I am used to it now.

"It is something I enjoy and I can see where I can make the most impact in that position - that is how I look at it.

"I would like to add more assists as well.

"But wherever I play next year, I am happy to do that and see what the manager wants."

The Trotters are expected to mount a more sustained promotion push next season, and Sadlier's performances will be crucial to that, regardless of the position he ends up playing in.

The Verdict

 

 

There is a lot of competition for places at Bolton at the moment, and with transfer targets being identified, Sadlier will need to have a very strong pre-season to begin the campaign as a starter under Evatt.

2021/22 was very congested at the top of League One will some very large clubs battling it out to return to the second tier.

With Derby County dropping down this season, and Reading and Birmingham City also on downward trajectories, the task could only become more difficult in the coming years.

Evatt is an exciting young manager with a very capable squad at his disposal and Sadlier having to rely on his versatility to break into the team, demonstrates how strong Bolton are in jostling for the promotion mix.