Phil Parkinson asks key striker Gary Madine to play through the pain

Phil Parkinson wants Gary Madine to play through the pain and help see Wanderers over the promotion finishing line.

The Whites drew a third straight blank against Bury tonight but extended their lead on third-placed Fleetwood to two points.

Parkinson’s side could still clinch a return to the Championship on Saturday depending on results elsewhere. But with his side yet to chalk up a win without Madine in the side, the Wanderers boss has issued an ultimatum to his target man, who has been nursing a shoulder injury.

“It’s a very difficult one because Gary is going to have to play with pain,” he told The Bolton News. “I’ve had shoulder injuries, dislocated it, had some really bad ones and they are not right for months.

“I said to him yesterday if you are going to wait until it’s perfect you won’t be playing this season. At some point it’ll have to be strapped up, get an injection in it and get back out there.

“He has been running again and will keep progressing. He doesn’t want to play and then have to come off again after 15 minutes but if he wants to play a part in the run-in, it needs to get to a level where he can manage it.

“He has to do everything he can morning, noon and night to give himself a chance of playing. That’s all we want from him.

“If he gets out there, great, if not, we’ll have to win without him.

“The frustrating thing is in the past few games we’ve had so many chances this shouldn’t be an issue we’re discussing – but we are because we haven’t scored enough goals.”

Wanderers grew stronger in the second half tonight with Adam Le Fondre hitting the underside of the bar and David Wheater bringing a fine save out of Joe Murphy.

But Parkinson admits his side need a touch of good fortune to fall their way in the remaining two games.

“Bury set themselves up to not get beat – and they did a good job in that respect but we had the best moments in the game.

“We had enough set plays, enough shooting opportunities, probably not enough of them hit the target. And that has been the case just recently.”

Source

So he is more or less admitting that we can't score if Madine doesn't play. Just confirms that he has no ability to come up with a plan B.

Even if we get promoted next season could be a problem.

Yes. No plan b, well there is. Play a striker stood in a hole!

Wonder if SKD would have needed asking, or Mcginlay for that matter, imagine the conversation.

Pakinson, " Please Gary can I ask that you save my bacon and play with a poorly shoulder"

Madine, " No boss.

Parkinson, " Oh ok just thought I'd ask "


Big pair of mard fuckers.

The sad thing about this is that if he plays and we get promoted, he'll be the first one getting a contract extension in the absence of any other ideas.

He shouldn't, he was garbage in the Championship.

We all know he shouldn't.

But he's cheap.

And that trumps all other considerations as far as BWFC are concerned.

Unless of course, KA's extensive network of contacts means that he can source an alternative in the summer or this fabled Chinese money which keeps popping up periodically on the boards actually materialises.

if we do get promoted he will look for a slightly better version of lamp post that we can aim at i'll bet

Could little ALFY not wear spring-loaded boots.

You would think he'd be desperate to play and maybe he is, but this kind of bullshit is just a sign of the times. Either get him out there with Le Fondre from the start on Saturday or write him off for the season and play ALF with a.n. other it's Saturdays game that is must win and we need to give ourselves the best chance of getting in front. From what I remember of Vale Park it is a big pitch so we need to be brave use the space and open the game up.