OFFICIAL - Marlon Fossey signs on LOAN

Fast-moving Wanderers have secured the services of defender Marlon Fossey from Championship side Fulham as their second signing of the January transfer window.

Fossey – a 23-year-old attack-minded right-back – joins Wanderers on loan from Fulham for the remainder of the season to follow New Year’s Day signing Dion Charles into the University of Bolton Stadium.

Wanderers have moved swiftly to strengthen their squad and increase manager Ian Evatt’s selection options for the second half of the season.

And Fossey is eager to play his part in helping the Whites climb up the League One table and bolster his own CV, which includes more than a decade on the books at Fulham, international football up to U20 level with the United States and a previous loan spell at Shrewsbury Town.

“I’ve been playing U23s football this season and it’s a step up from that and I’m excited for the challenge,” said Fossey after training with Wanderers for the first time on Monday morning.

“With 23s games you’ve got 10s/20s people watching. Now you’ve got potentially thousands and I like playing in front of a lot of people and I’m getting the prospect of doing that every week, so I can’t wait.

“It’s a higher level and I think the more minutes I can earn myself the higher my level will get. It’s a great opportunity to test myself and whatever happens I think I’ll learn a lot from it.

“I’m aware of Bolton’s Premier League history. I was up here a couple of days ago and was shown around the stadium and the facilities.

“It definitely looks like a club that was once at the top. There’s definitely an aura of hunger to get back up there and hopefully I can help them with my little part while I’m here.”

Hollywood-born Fossey – who holds dual US and UK nationality ­– moved to Jersey at the age of four before catching the eye of Fulham and joining their Academy set-up, initially as a striker, at the age of 11.

A talented athlete, he progressed successfully through the ranks at Craven Cottage and had his first taste of EFL football after signing on loan for Shrewsbury under former Wanderers’ defender Sam Ricketts in August 2020.

Injury curtailed that spell after nine appearances but after returning to Fulham he was rewarded with a new two-year deal last summer and has helped the Londoners to top spot in the second tier of Premier League 2 so far this season.

Fossey is now ready to seize the chance of first-team football with Wanderers and will bring added pace and power as a further right-back option in Evatt’s squad after taking on the number 13 shirt.

“I’m like most full-backs these days. I like to have the ball in the attacking area and I like to impact the game defensively as well,” he added.

“I have an intensity and athleticism and hopefully Bolton can see the best of me while I’m here.

“I’m here to try and bring the club into a better place than they are at the moment and I’m hungry to help out as much as I can.”

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MARLON Fossey has turned down the sun-kissed beaches of David Beckham’s Inter Miami for a chance to roll up his sleeves in League One with Wanderers.

The pacy Fulham full-back has agreed to sign with the Whites until the end of the season, with the view to a permanent deal in the summer.

Fossey is keen to improve his international prospects having represented his country at Under-20 level and could follow in the footsteps of fellow US stars who have flourished at Bolton, including Stu Holden, Tim Ream and Antonee Robinson.


The defender was born in LA but moved to Jersey at the age of 11 and holds a British passport. He has League One experience but had a loan spell at Shrewsbury cut short because of injury last season.

Evatt believes the LA-born 23-year-old’s determination to forge a career in England can work to Wanderers’ advantage.

“When I first spoke to Marlon, believe or not we were in big competition with Inter Miami, who wanted to take him over there,” he told The Bolton News.

“He wants to get into the US team, that’s his goal, but I spoke to him at length, showed him around, told him about the clubs, the plans, the future and what we want to try and do, and he bought into it by choosing us over them.

“It is credit to us and to him because he wants to stay in England and make a good go of it.

“Yes, he has had some injuries but he is one of those players who has outgrown the Under-23s model now and needs to go out there and play senior football to forge a career.

“He has an immense talent, so many attributes, and I am looking forward to working with him.”

Wanderers’ right-back berth has been problematic this season, and since first-choice Gethin Jones picked up a fracture in his leg in October, Harry Brockbank, Adam Senior, Liam Gordon, Alex Baptiste and Lloyd Isgrove have all filled-in at various times.

Fossey is coming to the end of his contract at Craven Cottage and did spend some time on trial with Rotherham United in the summer.

He could come straight into the reckoning at Hartlepool United in the Papa John's Trophy, subject to clearance.

“He isn’t a young player, so to speak, he has been with Fulham’s Under-23s for a while and is physically ready for first team football,” Evatt explained.

“He is a loan but also someone who might be looking to the future for something more permanent.

“Marlon is athletically fantastic, lightning fast, has that profile and can do the sprinting you need to do for us as a full-back.

“He can handle the ball and is used to playing in a similar system at Fulham.

“He ticks a lot of boxes. We have had Gethin out for a while and we know how much we have missed him. Younger players who have taken his place have done their best, fantastically well, and even Liam (Gordon) has been in there.

“It has been an issue for us since Izzy (Lloyd Isgrove) got injured and even then it was a makeshift move. We needed cover and Gethin is recovering all the time, doing great, but it takes some of the pressure off him and enables us to have something really competitive, giving us the same sort of profile as we get on the left with Declan John.”

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BoltonTillIDie wrote:Fossey is coming to the end of his contract at Craven Cottage and did spend some time on trial with Rotherham United in the summer.
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Not according to the official Fulham site he's not???

FOSSEY EXTENDS STAY

Academy full-back Marlon Fossey has signed a new two-year deal, keeping him at the Club until June 2023.

The 22-year-old enjoyed a successful loan spell at League One side Shrewsbury Town for the first half of last season, before returning to Fulham after picking up an injury.

He ended his campaign positively, putting in a great shift in our Under-23s' final game of the season, which saw them defeat West Bromwich Albion 1-0 at the Cottage.

The American was delighted after hearing the news.

"I'm really appreciative that they have confidence in me and I'm grateful that I'm going to be around people and players for the next two years that I've learnt a hell of a lot from. I aim to work as hard as I can to better myself as a player."

Following a frustrating season full of injury, Marlon is hoping to get plenty more minutes under his belt over the next year.

"It was difficult because no footballer wants to spend the majority of the season on the sidelines. I learnt a lot from it in terms of how to look after my body better and function better. I'm going to do everything within my power to make sure I put my body in a good position to play a full season."

If more consistent game-time can be achieved, the pacey yet powerful defender has his sights set on senior football at Fulham.

"Every young player has the aim of playing for the First Team, and I'm going to put myself in the best position to get to that point as soon as possible."

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There's no date on the article but the link itself shows it as being from 2021, which fits in with the 'two years' until 'June 2023' timeframe?

Yes! Our interview with him just confirms he's just signed a new deal with them.

Great, another player who has hardly kicked a ball in recent months.

I'm half expecting McGinlay & Walker to be our front pairing next time out.

Hope he comes through for us.