DARREN Pratley is delighted to see the embargo shackles have finally been released from young midfielder Jeff King.

Wanderers were finally able to hand the 21-year-old a debut against West Ham United in midweek, a full six months after the EFL refused Phil Parkinson permission to promote the Liverpudlian to the senior set-up.

King signed his first professional contract in the summer but had arrived from non-league football the previous season to be told he could not play in League One.

He impressed over the summer and featured in the majority of Wanderers’ pre-season fixtures but once again found himself frozen out because of the squad limitations imposed by the league on clubs in special measures.

Now, with those restrictions partially lifted at the Macron, Pratley hopes to see the youngster push on and feature more regularly.

“Kingy has had to be patient all pre-season with what is going on with the embargo and stuff but he’s knuckled down and got the opportunity,” he told The Bolton News.

“It has been difficult – he’s seen Jack Earing come through, who is a little bit younger than him but has different rules on when he can play.

“He got a chance against West Ham and I think he grabbed it with two hands.

“Jack is coming up behind him as well and there’s a few in the Under-18s like Luca (Connell) and Matt Fearnley who have trained with us in the first team, so I think we’ll be well-stocked in that position if we can bring them through.

“But I definitely think Kingy’s game against West Ham will be the first of many for Bolton.”

Pratley also returned to the team in midweek after sitting out the last two games on the bench and he has seen signs over the two performances against Sheffield United and Ipswich which bode well.

“There’s no question it’s a big game for us – we want a first win and they haven’t won a game either,” he said. “We’re bottom of the league so every match that comes up feels bigger because there’s lots riding on it.

“I think the lads have done well in the last couple of weeks, they have played well even though the results haven’t been there, but that will change.

“I think the shape is good and if they can get anywhere near where they did against Ipswich and Sheff United then I think we can get a positive result.”

The season is only eight games old but already the visit of Brentford is being billed as a must-win, not least for manager Phil Parkinson – who has come under fire from some sections of the club’s support in the last few weeks.

“You can’t panic but we want to win games,” Pratley said. “I don’t want to be stood here half way through the season and saying ‘it’s OK, we’ve got 15 games, 20 games to put it right ‘- we want a win now.”

If Pratley gets the nod to start against Brentford he may be in the unique position of getting a better reception from the away end than he will the home fans.

Ever dividing opinion on the Bolton terraces, he is still regarded highly by the patrons of Griffin Park after twice helping the club to the play-offs in 2005 and 2006.

Such was his popularity the locals actually banded together to keep him in West London for a second season – a fact the midfielder recalls with a grin on his face.

“They clubbed together to pay my wages while I was on loan – and it wasn’t a massive wage, before anyone starts having a go at me!” he laughed.

“They had a whip-round in my first loan spell there, it was years ago now, but I’ve always had a good relationship with the fans down there. I enjoyed it.

“Any club I’ve played for, whether I get booed or cheered, I always appreciate the fans.”

Pratley has seldom managed to completely win over the Wanderers support in his time at the club, spent in three different divisions.

But he intends to try and channel out the negativity to try and help Parkinson’s side out of their current bind at the foot of the table.

“I’ve been here six years and there’s been stick which has fallen at my door, for whatever reason,” he said. “I’ll have to do what I have always done – put my head down, work hard and try to win people over.”