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Connor Hall has crammed quite a lot into his two years at Wanderers but is only too happy to start afresh.
Since a goal-laden spell in the development squad pushed him to the brink of Phil Parkinson’s first team last season the 21-year-old striker has endured months without pay, a frustrating lack of opportunity and then a freakish training ground injury which left him side-lined for nine weeks.
Happily, Hall is now looking forward once again. As one of only a handful of professional players carried forward after administration, he could trade horror stories with almost anyone in the Bolton dressing room. But the youngster seems excited by the prospect of showing a new management team – Keith Hill and David Flitcroft – why he can be an asset in League One and put his Wanderers past behind him.
Hall scored against Crewe on Monday night on his comeback from ankle ligament surgery and how feels like he has a blank canvass from which to work from.
“It has been ridiculous when you think I only signed a couple of years ago,” he told The Bolton News. “So much has happened but, to be honest, I’m in a good place now. We can start again.
“The injury happened literally three days before the Wycombe game on the opening day of the season, just when it looked like the chance was there. You couldn’t make it up.
“I’m back training with the first team now, which hasn’t always been the case, so it’s all down to me. I need to make sure the manager’s eyes are on me for the right reasons.
“I need to learn what he wants from me, how he wants me to play, watch players like Daryl Murphy or see what I need to do to play off him. It’s down to me.”
Hall was a man in demand when Wanderers sent him out on loan last season and his chosen destination, Accrington Stanley, provided limited reward. By the time he returned to the UniBol, Ken Anderson’s empire had already began to crumble. Parkinson continued to persist with experience and the season petered out disappointingly for the young striker.
Circumstances back in August meant he was virtually guaranteed football at the start of the current campaign until fate intervened once more.
“I think Harry Brockbank put a cross in from the right and I stretched out to hit but fell on to my ankle. It dislocated and did damage to the ligament. I was in pain and knew I wouldn’t be playing again for a fair while.
“It’s exactly the same injury as Josh Earl got, and Jason Lowe last season, which is a bit odd.”
After Hall’s operation he returned to start rehab with Wanderers to see a much-changed environment at Lostock.
“I walked into the gym on my first day back and literally didn’t know anyone,” he laughed. “They had made so many signings it felt like I’d joined a new club.
“Thankfully, the lads who came in have been great. There’s no bad eggs, it’s a positive place right now.”
Hall returned for the Under-23s after just three training sessions and admits he is feeling the aches and pains associated with pre-season all over again.
The young striker’s desire to return to regular football – and ideally at first team level – is undeniable, however, and there are few on the terraces who would not gladly see him achieve his goal.
“Just getting back out there and running was massive,” he said. “Two weeks prior to training I was back out there running and that’s a big step when you have been out injured.
“It was great to get out there playing again and scoring, of course. I should have had at least one more, being honest, so maybe it’ll take me a few more weeks for my touch to come back completely.
“I’ve still got work to do to get match fit but that’s what the next few weeks are about. You won’t hear me complaining.”
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Since a goal-laden spell in the development squad pushed him to the brink of Phil Parkinson’s first team last season the 21-year-old striker has endured months without pay, a frustrating lack of opportunity and then a freakish training ground injury which left him side-lined for nine weeks.
Happily, Hall is now looking forward once again. As one of only a handful of professional players carried forward after administration, he could trade horror stories with almost anyone in the Bolton dressing room. But the youngster seems excited by the prospect of showing a new management team – Keith Hill and David Flitcroft – why he can be an asset in League One and put his Wanderers past behind him.
Hall scored against Crewe on Monday night on his comeback from ankle ligament surgery and how feels like he has a blank canvass from which to work from.
“It has been ridiculous when you think I only signed a couple of years ago,” he told The Bolton News. “So much has happened but, to be honest, I’m in a good place now. We can start again.
“The injury happened literally three days before the Wycombe game on the opening day of the season, just when it looked like the chance was there. You couldn’t make it up.
“I’m back training with the first team now, which hasn’t always been the case, so it’s all down to me. I need to make sure the manager’s eyes are on me for the right reasons.
“I need to learn what he wants from me, how he wants me to play, watch players like Daryl Murphy or see what I need to do to play off him. It’s down to me.”
Hall was a man in demand when Wanderers sent him out on loan last season and his chosen destination, Accrington Stanley, provided limited reward. By the time he returned to the UniBol, Ken Anderson’s empire had already began to crumble. Parkinson continued to persist with experience and the season petered out disappointingly for the young striker.
Circumstances back in August meant he was virtually guaranteed football at the start of the current campaign until fate intervened once more.
“I think Harry Brockbank put a cross in from the right and I stretched out to hit but fell on to my ankle. It dislocated and did damage to the ligament. I was in pain and knew I wouldn’t be playing again for a fair while.
“It’s exactly the same injury as Josh Earl got, and Jason Lowe last season, which is a bit odd.”
After Hall’s operation he returned to start rehab with Wanderers to see a much-changed environment at Lostock.
“I walked into the gym on my first day back and literally didn’t know anyone,” he laughed. “They had made so many signings it felt like I’d joined a new club.
“Thankfully, the lads who came in have been great. There’s no bad eggs, it’s a positive place right now.”
Hall returned for the Under-23s after just three training sessions and admits he is feeling the aches and pains associated with pre-season all over again.
The young striker’s desire to return to regular football – and ideally at first team level – is undeniable, however, and there are few on the terraces who would not gladly see him achieve his goal.
“Just getting back out there and running was massive,” he said. “Two weeks prior to training I was back out there running and that’s a big step when you have been out injured.
“It was great to get out there playing again and scoring, of course. I should have had at least one more, being honest, so maybe it’ll take me a few more weeks for my touch to come back completely.
“I’ve still got work to do to get match fit but that’s what the next few weeks are about. You won’t hear me complaining.”
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