Wilbs to Sign Up for Bolton.

Done us proud,time to move on.
Personally think this is a good move for all.

 

Gutted
I really thought he would become part of the back office - like Scotty or Tinman.

 

Agreed. Bit surprised tbh as he likely had a career path with us after his playing days. Seems odd to move for a short term playing contract.

Good luck to him. He did everything we asked of him.

 

The time is right. Thanks for the sterling job you did Wilbs

 

Can't really blame him for wanting to prolong his playing career, when realistically he will barely play this season here.

 

He's a Northern lad, so it's a move that will suit him I guess. Like all the others on here, I wish him well and thank him for the great job he has done for our club both on and off the pitch. Over the last decade we have had a few of what could be described as 'journeyman strikers' at BCFC, by far and away Wilbs has been the best, even though he didn't play much last season, his presence and positional nous was invaluable to the team.

I hope he gets a rousing ovation when he visits the Gate.

This will add more speculation to us bringing in Mason I guess?

 

It's a bit weird in many ways - after he signed an extension, I presumed he did so more to become integrated into the backroom staff whilst still being able to be called on in an emergency, i.e. phasing into retirement.

That said, if Bolton are saying they'd actually play him this season, then maximising his playing career (and near his home to boot), then it does make sense. He'll be fondly remembered for his time here and most will wish him luck.

I suppose this will increase speculation on another signing, unless LJ thinks Garita might be capable of making an impact. I'm not sure what kind of player we ought to be targeting though - it's unlikely we'll splash out again on a striker to compete with Diedhiou, so would any signing be any better, or offer anything different to the likes of Taylor, Djuric or Engvall? Is there much game time to be had beyond those four (injuries/suspensions aside)? For what would likely be a slightly bit-part role, it seemed to me that a reliable old head like Wilbraham suited perfectly.

 

Agree but Diedhiou is a complete unknown at this level (and in his country come to that), and if LJ is putting all his faith in him then we could come spectacularly unstuck unless one or more of the others can come good.

 

That's true, but I also think that you need to take a certain number of calculated risks - if we don't think at this point that we can rely on any of them, then that'd be quite a lot of deadwood and we'd need to be signing someone we felt we could rely on pretty sharpish. We'd then also be in a position similar to when McInnes was in charge, i.e. a bloated squad with a massive wage bill.

I think the ball is in the players court - there are places to be made their own, so it's down to them to prove they're worthy of it. Signing someone else who automatically goes ahead them in the pecking order could be rather demotivating - particularly for Engvall.

 

I agree it's all down to the individuals to prove themselves, assuming they even get selected of course.

 

GUTTED I also had him down as top bloke for the backroom staff, in a way he might be a bit like me !!!! age means nothing, at my age 4 times a week I keep up, almost, with others who are from 8 to 50 years younger, and it is physical stuff moving on average 2 to 2.5 tonnes of mud and clay along a tunnel over 20 metres long.. he may feel he perform as well as he has . for 2 or 3 more years.. how about 40 y o and still going?