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David Flitcroft believes his decision to "tap into a system that's working" at Wanderers is starting to bear fruit.
The timing of Academy graduate Rob Holding’s arrival last week looked on the surface to be a marriage of convenience.
In return for providing defensive cover in the final month of the season, the 19-year-old development squad full-back gets to sample life in and around the Shakers' first team.
The fact Holding was signed up on the final day of the loan window and followed Joe Riley’s three-match suspension and an injury to fellow defender Jim McNulty just added to that sense of cautious necessity.
Yet Flitcroft let slip in his glowing appraisal of Holding that his signing could well have been made with a bigger picture in mind.
“We have watched him a couple of times now and he has impressed me,” said Flitcroft.
“It was an opportunity with the link we have got with Bolton for another player to come in and sample it, feel the environment and for us to really look close-hand at Rob and his qualities.
“I think Joe being suspended obviously alerted us to act but I am glad we have got a chance to work with him.”
Flitcroft gave an inkling to his future recruitment plans earlier in the year following a behind-closed-doors training game between Bury and Bolton’s Under-21s side.
The Shakers lost that game 3-0, but he described it as one of the most constructive defeats he had ever experienced.
Weeks later and Bury have two Wanderers loan signings in their first team, with Holding following striker Tom Eaves.
Their arrival draws comparisons with Hallam Hope and Danny Rose, who both joined on loan from higher league clubs at the tail end of last season and went on to make permanent moves.
In effect, both Eaves and Holding could now be undergoing extended job interviews.
If that is the case, Holding has made a good first impression.
“I have already seen enough for him to be given the chance to come in and be part of what we are doing,” said Flitcroft.
“I don’t feel with the youth at the minute that we have got that back-up. They are just not ready, certainly from a defensive position we are still waiting for the physicalities to emerge and develop.
“So we have had to tap into a system that’s working at Bolton.
“Rob over the last two days has been top draw and I have enjoyed working with him.
“He can play left-back as well as right-back so that gives us cover for Joe and Huss (left-back Chris Hussey), which was important with Nults being out.
“He can even fill in as a right-sided centre-half, so the utility he offers was important.
“He also has good size and he’s a player that has an aggression about his work, which I like.”
It is not yet clear, however, exactly what opportunities Holding will be given to prove himself in a competitive match.
Tom Soares moved from the attacking midfield role he has been playing in recent weeks to right-back for Saturday’s abandoned match at home to Southend, with Holding starting on the bench.
And with Riley only suspended for three matches and McNulty expected to return from injury next week, the young Bolton defender may soon lose his place among the substitutes.
But Flitcroft added: “You just never know. You get another suspension or a couple of injuries and we will need back-up.”
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The timing of Academy graduate Rob Holding’s arrival last week looked on the surface to be a marriage of convenience.
In return for providing defensive cover in the final month of the season, the 19-year-old development squad full-back gets to sample life in and around the Shakers' first team.
The fact Holding was signed up on the final day of the loan window and followed Joe Riley’s three-match suspension and an injury to fellow defender Jim McNulty just added to that sense of cautious necessity.
Yet Flitcroft let slip in his glowing appraisal of Holding that his signing could well have been made with a bigger picture in mind.
“We have watched him a couple of times now and he has impressed me,” said Flitcroft.
“It was an opportunity with the link we have got with Bolton for another player to come in and sample it, feel the environment and for us to really look close-hand at Rob and his qualities.
“I think Joe being suspended obviously alerted us to act but I am glad we have got a chance to work with him.”
Flitcroft gave an inkling to his future recruitment plans earlier in the year following a behind-closed-doors training game between Bury and Bolton’s Under-21s side.
The Shakers lost that game 3-0, but he described it as one of the most constructive defeats he had ever experienced.
Weeks later and Bury have two Wanderers loan signings in their first team, with Holding following striker Tom Eaves.
Their arrival draws comparisons with Hallam Hope and Danny Rose, who both joined on loan from higher league clubs at the tail end of last season and went on to make permanent moves.
In effect, both Eaves and Holding could now be undergoing extended job interviews.
If that is the case, Holding has made a good first impression.
“I have already seen enough for him to be given the chance to come in and be part of what we are doing,” said Flitcroft.
“I don’t feel with the youth at the minute that we have got that back-up. They are just not ready, certainly from a defensive position we are still waiting for the physicalities to emerge and develop.
“So we have had to tap into a system that’s working at Bolton.
“Rob over the last two days has been top draw and I have enjoyed working with him.
“He can play left-back as well as right-back so that gives us cover for Joe and Huss (left-back Chris Hussey), which was important with Nults being out.
“He can even fill in as a right-sided centre-half, so the utility he offers was important.
“He also has good size and he’s a player that has an aggression about his work, which I like.”
It is not yet clear, however, exactly what opportunities Holding will be given to prove himself in a competitive match.
Tom Soares moved from the attacking midfield role he has been playing in recent weeks to right-back for Saturday’s abandoned match at home to Southend, with Holding starting on the bench.
And with Riley only suspended for three matches and McNulty expected to return from injury next week, the young Bolton defender may soon lose his place among the substitutes.
But Flitcroft added: “You just never know. You get another suspension or a couple of injuries and we will need back-up.”
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