And Another

27/06/08 22:23 Transfers
Bolton have made a second signing - Swedish forward Johan Elmander from Toulouse. The fee is undisclosed but is thought to be around £10m, with Daniel Braaten also moving to Toulouse as part of the deal.

First Signing of the Summer

17/06/08 21:27 Transfers
Bolton have signed defensive midfielder Patrice Muamba from Birmingham City. Muamba is an England U-21 international (he's 20) and was previously on the books at Arsenal.

2008-2009 premiership Fixtures

17/06/08 21:25 Fixtures
The 2008-09 Premiership fixtures were announced today. Bolton will open the season against Stoke at the Reebok and end it away at the City of Manchester stadium. I've made a PDF sheet of the full fixture list (subject to later interference from Sky, obviously) here.

Jaaskelainen Contract Agreed

12/06/08 21:09 Transfers
Although the player hasn't actually signed the contract (He's on holiday, apparently) the club and the player's agent have both issued statements suggesting a new four year deal is done and the player is happy to sign.

I have to be honest with you, I'm not entirely happy though. Jaaskelainen has served the club well for a long time, but his performances last season were occasionally very poor. Also, late in the season Ali Al-Habsi took over and looked very solid - reminded me of Jaaskelainen about five years ago. Al-Habsi only has one year left on his contract and, unless he makes a significant number of appearances next season, you'd have to assume he'd be off elsewhere rather than signing on to spend more years on the bench. Leaving us with one aging keeper (Jaaskelainen will be 37 when the contract ends) and no established successor. I don't really see the logic (or need) to give Jaaskelainen a four year deal.

Campo's Farewell

06/06/08 23:49 Transfers
Ivan Campo (released along with Stelios Giannakopolous after the end of last season) has written a column for the website of noted Spanish sports journalist Guillem Balague entitled 'An open letter to the Fans of Bolton Wanderers'. Well worth a read. Personally, I think if anything Campo probably stayed about a year too long at the Reebok but nobody reading the letter could doubt his love for the club or it's fans. I think we will all miss Ivan. In a time when football has become incredibly narcissistic and self absorbed, where the likes of Christiano Ronaldo - hugely talented but frankly deeply flawed as an individual - are lauded, I think we have to take a moment to consider how much a player with Ivan's character brought; not only in his ability and his play, but in the fact he made football seem... fun. It is supposed to be fun, isn't it?

The reaction to the article has been so unusual Guillem has posted a number of the responses here.

We should also note some other similar news : Hull City have decided not to take up the option of a further year on the contract of Jay Jay Okocha and he won't be playing for them in the premiership next year. So sadly, we won't get one more chance to see him playing at the Reebok..