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Phil Parkinson’s walking wounded will be patched-up where possible for tonight’s Checktrade Trophy clash with Everton’s Under-23s.
In a game the Whites boss could well do without, the likes of Kaiyne Woolery, Chris Taylor, Andy Taylor, Conor Wilkinson, Tom Walker and Lawrie Wilson will be given a chance from the start against David Unsworth’s young Blues.
Competition rules dictate that FIVE players who played in the 1-1 draw against Charlton Athletic have to be involved but some claim the threat of £50,000 fines for clubs who do not adhere to the rules are unworkable.
With Mark Davies ruled out for the rest of the season with a cruciate ligament injury, Jamie Proctor nursing a back problem, plus knocks for David Wheater, Liam Trotter and Gary Madine, options are clearly thin on the ground.
“There will be changes, no doubt about it,” Parkinson told The Bolton News. “Some players need football, they need games.
“The rules dictate you can only make so many changes. We’ll pick a side that can get a result but equally I want to give some lads a game.”
Wanderers voted firmly against allowing category one academy teams into the competition – a change which was heavily lobbied by the Premier League to allow more competition for their younger players.
Fans have also voted with their feet, and just one home stand will be opened at the Macron tonight to accommodate what could be the smallest crowd ever seen at the stadium for a competitive game.
Nevertheless, an extra £1million-plus of prize money has been injected into the competition and Parkinson refuses to allow his standards to drop despite not agreeing with the competition in principle.
“The new format is not one managers are totally happy with and I think most will be saying the same as me – it’s been dictated to by the Premier League Under-23 teams,” he said.
“But you have got to deal with what is thrown at you and if the attitude and application is right in the early stages then it can quickly gather momentum.
“We have just got to make sure we apply ourselves correctly and make sure it goes our way.”
Source
In a game the Whites boss could well do without, the likes of Kaiyne Woolery, Chris Taylor, Andy Taylor, Conor Wilkinson, Tom Walker and Lawrie Wilson will be given a chance from the start against David Unsworth’s young Blues.
Competition rules dictate that FIVE players who played in the 1-1 draw against Charlton Athletic have to be involved but some claim the threat of £50,000 fines for clubs who do not adhere to the rules are unworkable.
With Mark Davies ruled out for the rest of the season with a cruciate ligament injury, Jamie Proctor nursing a back problem, plus knocks for David Wheater, Liam Trotter and Gary Madine, options are clearly thin on the ground.
“There will be changes, no doubt about it,” Parkinson told The Bolton News. “Some players need football, they need games.
“The rules dictate you can only make so many changes. We’ll pick a side that can get a result but equally I want to give some lads a game.”
Wanderers voted firmly against allowing category one academy teams into the competition – a change which was heavily lobbied by the Premier League to allow more competition for their younger players.
Fans have also voted with their feet, and just one home stand will be opened at the Macron tonight to accommodate what could be the smallest crowd ever seen at the stadium for a competitive game.
Nevertheless, an extra £1million-plus of prize money has been injected into the competition and Parkinson refuses to allow his standards to drop despite not agreeing with the competition in principle.
“The new format is not one managers are totally happy with and I think most will be saying the same as me – it’s been dictated to by the Premier League Under-23 teams,” he said.
“But you have got to deal with what is thrown at you and if the attitude and application is right in the early stages then it can quickly gather momentum.
“We have just got to make sure we apply ourselves correctly and make sure it goes our way.”
Source