Ex-Bolton Wanderers players who are out for FA Cup success

Though Ian Evatt’s side have a free weekend, some of the club’s former favourites will feature in the fourth qualifying round, which gives non-league teams a last hurdle before the first round proper.

We looked around the dugouts and team-sheets to find out which ex-Bolton stars could yet get a reunion with the Whites in this year’s competition.

Richard Sneekes (Image: Newsquest) RICHARD SNEEKES – The former Burnden Park favourite, with a rocket shot, is currently the first team coach of Rushall Olympic, who host Peterborough Sports.

HARRY CHARSLEY – A blink-and-you’ll-miss-it Bolton loan from Everton in the 2017/18 season which comprised just one appearance. Nevertheless, once in never out, and he’s in action for Oldham Athletic against Halifax Town.

Adam Senior (Image: Newsquest)

ADAM SENIOR – Bolton born and bred, and a lifelong supporter of the Whites, the defender made seven first team appearances after coming through the academy. Until Luke Hutchinson started against Aston Villa’s Under-21s in midweek, he was the last homegrown player to start a game for the club.

Now at Halifax, he will be looking to knock out neighbouring Oldham for a place in the first round draw.

JOEL DIXON and GARY MADINE – Goalkeeper Dixon made 36 appearances for Bolton and was briefly their first choice keeper under Ian Evatt after he signed from Barrow in 2021. Now at Hartlepool, he is unfortunately injured for this weekend’s home tie against Brackley Town.

It is a similar case for former terrace favourite Madine, who has been battling back from a knee injury and has only played a handful of game for Pools since signing for them as a free agent in the summer.

The target man became a potent weapon under Phil Parkinson at Bolton and earned a £6million move to Cardiff City, eventually playing Premier League football.

CONOR HALL – Brackley will be hoping Hall’s FA Cup pedigree has followed him down south, as the striker was an important part of Chorley’s excellent run a few years ago. Hall scored plenty of goals as development level for Wanderers but made just four first team appearances.

Marvin SordellMARVIN SORDELL – It might come as a surprise to some that the former GB international has picked up his boots again, following his retirement in 2019 at the age of 28. But he was talked into playing again last month by Kettering and will most likely be leading their line against Farsley Celtic, a team who were until recently managed by another ex-Bolton player, Clayton Donaldson.

Sordell was signed by Wanderers for £3.2million from Watford in January 2012 and played 29 times for the club, scoring eight times.

KEVIN POOLE and CONOR WILKINSON – Former keeper Poole was an understudy to Jussi Jaaskelainen in the Premier League days and is now the goalkeeper coach of Solihull Moors, who provided Bolton’s first round opposition last season.

Striker Wilkinson was signed for £90,000 from Millwall by Dougie Freedman in the summer of 2013 and played 17 times for the club without scoring a goal.

SAM ASHTON – Homegrown goalkeeper who was memorably brought on by Sam Allardyce as a striker in an FA Cup game against Watford in 2006. Now a player-coach with Bury, who face Harborough Town seeking a place in the first round draw.

JACOB BUTTERFIELD – Midfielder who had a short spell on loan with Wanderers from Norwich City under Dougie Freedman. He will be lining up for Gateshead this afternoon at Hednesford Town.

Sam Allardyce and Phil Brown (Image: PA)

PHIL BROWN, NEIL MCDONALD and DEAN HOLDSWORTH are all in the Kidderminster Harriers camp these days, and will be hosting Guisley.

Former Wanderers first team coach Brown was appointed manager in January with the Midlands club cut well adrift in the National League relegation zone. He agreed to stay on after relegation and has called upon his former Bolton coach, McDonald, to help the team bounce back at the first attempt.

Holdsworth, the one-time record club signing at £3.5m, is technical director at Kidderminster.

He was involved in a takeover at Wanderers in 2016 but had some high profile issues with business partner, Ken Anderson, which led to him severing ties with the club some 12 months later.

JAMES HENRY – Former midfielder who was part of the promotion-winning Wanderers squad in 2016/17 under Phil Parkinson, joining the club on loan from Oxford United.

Henry, now 35, is aiming to help Aldershot Town get through against Bath City into the first round proper.

NIALL MAHER – Homegrown defender who made five appearances in a troubled 2015/16 season in the Championship before forging his career elsewhere. He is part of the Eastleigh side hosting Southend United this afternoon.

(Image: PA)

MATTY TAYLOR – Well regarded midfielder in his Premier League days with Wanderers, who made 139 appearances and scored 23 goals after a £3.5m move from Portsmouth.

He is now in charge at Wealdstone, who host Gosport Borough, and also has in his ranks ANTHONY GEORGIOU, a winger who had a very brief spell on loan from Tottenham in 2019.

QUADE TAYLOR made just one appearance for Bolton in 2014 and he is now playing for a different Wanderers, Cray, who host Tonbridge Angels in the fourth qualifying round.

WILL JAASKELAINEN – The son of Bolton goalkeeping royalty, Jussi Jaaskelainen, never quite made the first team grade in his time with the Whites but has since built a decent career, now playing for Woking, who host Slough Town this afternoon. Another former Wanderers man in the Woking ranks is ADAM CHICKSEN, who had a successful but short spell with the club under Keith Hill in the truncated 2019/20 campaign.

CHRISTIAN DODIGE had a brief but eventful time at Bolton. Billed as the club’s first £1million signing in several years, the striker was loaned from Forest Green in the summer of 2018 on the promise that a transfer fee would be paid in January. When the club’s financial issues started to bite, owner Ken Anderson pulled out of the deal, leaving Doidge in limbo.

He made 17 appearances for Wanderers and scored once before heading back to Forest Green. And he is now back with the Gloucestershire club, who host Weymouth.

REISS GREENIDGE was part of Ian Evatt’s first squad at Bolton, signed on a free transfer after a spell in Norway. The big defender’s time with the Whites wasn’t a huge success, and he was shipped out on loan to Barnet after playing just seven games. He is now playing for Maidstone United, who host Ebbsfleet United.

Striker MUHAMMADU FAAL made just two appearances in a brief career at Bolton having been signed from Enfield in 2020. He eventually moved on to Barnet less than 12 months later and is now in the colours of Worthing, who are away at Plymouth Parkway.