As Bolton Wanderers head to the high court on Wednesday to face a winding up petition that could decide the future of the club, many across the Football League and the wider footballing world will watch on with interest and concern, though perhaps none will do it with as much strength of feeling as Christian Doidge.

For Doidge, the situation that Bolton's own squad find themselves in now was nearly his own reality, the Welshman having been signed on loan from Forest Green Rovers by Bolton in August with a view to buy in the January transfer window.

That move however fell through at the turn of the year when Forest Green claimed that they had received no payment from Wanderers for the striker, and Doidge is now back playing at The New Lawn with Rovers looking to take legal action against the Championship side over the failed transfer of Doidge.

In amongst all the headlines and controversy between Bolton and Forest Green, Doidge has almost become the forgotten man of his own transfer.

It seems to have gone almost unnoticed that the striker has, despite all the distractions, notched five goals in thirteen appearances to help Forest Green's League Two playoff hopes since his return down south.

While Doidge will surely watch what happens at Bolton with a sense of having dodged a bullet - he won't have to find a new club in the way that so many others may soon have to should the worst happen - there may also be a question of what could have been.

Had it not been for Bolton's financial issues, Doidge would likely still be a Championship player now, and he may wonder whether he will get that opportunity again.

Forest Green may be in the hunt for promotion to League One right now, but even if they succeed in that campaign, reaching the Championship remains another big step altogether, and there is no guarantee whether another Championship club will make an approach for Doidge.

What could have been the opportunity has become something of an anti-climax for Christian Doidge, though it could have been much worse.