FORMER Wanderers youngster Stephen Duke-McKenna has called his time at the UniBol “the worst experience”.

The winger – who is now at Queens Park Rangers - joined the Whites in 2018 and failed to make a first-team appearance.

Duke-McKenna’s time at Wanderers was overshadowed by the club’s financial struggles before the Football Ventures takeover.

And he admits it was a tough environment to be part of, particularly as a young player learning his trade.

"It was bad,” he told the Liverpool Echo. "When I was at Bolton, they were going through administration, new owners - I didn't like a second of it.

“I had no digs and I was getting trains for two-and-a-half hours every day just to get to training.

"Having to get up at five in the morning and sometimes not even getting into training because the second train was cancelled.

"I'd get halfway there, the second train would be cancelled and I had to phone the coach to say I couldn't make it in, and go all the way home again.

"On top of that, because of the administration they weren't paying us for five or six months so it got to the point where I couldn't afford to go in.

"I was having to buy £300 worth of train tickets but with no pay, for five or six months, and I had a child to pay for. It was all crazy to be honest."

Duke-McKenna came through the ranks at Everton and was part of the first-team squad for a Europa League trip to Cyprus back in 2017.

However, he was released by the Toffees six months later and made the move to Wanderers amid the club’s struggles off the pitch.

After leaving the UniBol in 2019, Duke-McKenna joined QPR and has gone on to make two first-team appearances for the London club so far.

The winger also spent time on loan at Hemel Hempstead last season in the National League South.

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