WANDERERS’ game against Portsmouth on September 24 has been called off because of international call-ups.

The two clubs gave notice to supporters last week that they anticipated the match at Fratton Park to be rescheduled, with several players set to link up with their country at the end of the month.

Amadou Bakayoko became the first Bolton player to have his international call-up confirmed on Monday when he was named in the Sierra Leone squad to play friendlies against South Africa and DR Congo.

Pompey had already confirmed that a handful of players have been given provisional call-ups – with the likes of Joe Morell (Wales) and Ronan Curtis (Republic of Ireland) regularly featuring for their country.

Dane Scarlett (England Under-20s) and Josh Griffiths (England Under-21s) are also strong possibilities.

Wanderers have half a dozen players who have been recent international regulars including James Trafford (England Under-21s), Dion Charles and Conor Bradley (Northern Ireland) and Owen Beck (Wales Under-21s).

Jon Dadi Bodvarsson would ordinarily be a regular for Iceland but he will be given the option by Wanderers boss Ian Evatt of linking-up with his country for their Nations League game in Albania, or staying behind at Lostock having recently returned from a hamstring injury.

Meanwhile, Wanderers defender George Johnston is looking forward to resuming the League One schedule after Saturday’s postponements.

Both teams will wear black armbands tonight at MK Dons, with the national anthem and a minute’s silence to be observed before kick-off as a mark of respect to the late Queen Elizabeth II.

“It’s a sad moment for the entire country,” said Johnston. “We’re looking forward to getting back out there and paying our respects and getting on with the game.

“We took massive positives from that game (against Charlton). We needed to get a good win under our belts and a good performance alongside that.

“We’re just raring to go now.”

 

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