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Eoin Doyle will continue to help Wanderers – even though he has left the building.
The 33-year-old striker departed for St Pat’s Athletic last week to finish his career in Ireland but has agreed to act as Bolton’s official scout on the Emerald Isle.
Doyle will be keeping in regular touch with Ian Evatt to discuss some of the best young players in the Irish league.
“Even though Eoin has left, he will still play some part in this football club,” the manager explained. “He will be working closely with me and keeping an eye on the talent that the Irish league has in abundance, and that will help us to hopefully get the best of it.
“For now, we thank him for everything he has done. He was a fantastic player for us. We wish him and his family well for the future.”
Doyle was signed from Swindon Town in the summer of 2020 with a remit to fire Bolton back into League One.
His return of 19 goals last season was the highest managed by a Whites player in two decades but despite adding another eight goals this season, Doyle’s form had been patchy since promotion.
Evatt says Doyle’s decision to move back to Ireland suited all parties, giving the player a chance to finish his playing career at home in Dublin, and the club a chance to evolve with younger players at the fore.
“He is very, very honest and we have had open and honest discussions, we both felt it was the right time for him to move back home – and that was always his aim to finish his career there – and secondly for the evolution of the team to take place,” Evatt explained.
“We recruited a team with a salary cap to get us out of League Two and with the help of a very good January window we accomplished that. Doyler was a huge part of that, and what we have done this season.
“But all things come to an end and football moves on quickly. You don’t and can’t stand still.
“Every decision I take is to help this football club and we both felt moving on and evolving the team was the right thing. That is what we intend to do.
“People will always look more into things and see more than there actually is. Eoin is a wonderful person and a big part of what we achieved in the last 18 months but it was time to move on and we’ve done it in the best possible terms – in fact, Eoin will still be doing some work for us.
“That is how it is. We need to build and develop a squad that is capable of getting us into the Championship and surviving there.”
Dion Charles – recruited for £320,000 from Accrington Stanley last week, would seem to be a natural successor.
The 26-year-old managed 20 goals at this level last season but Evatt says he is still in the market for more players to boost his forward ranks.
“We brought Dion in to score goals, he has scored them at this level and he is still a relatively young player who came into the professional game slightly later than the normal journey,” he said.
“We feel the attributes he can bring to us can really help us. We have seen things already in training that can really help us, his speed and pace in behind will give us a different dynamic, an alternative threat to the opposition which will mean more space for our other players.
“But we know we need more. We’re probably two light at least in that area of the pitch and we are working really hard to bring the right ones in. We think we have found the right ones – we’re hopeful – but I know for sure that when we exit this window we will be stronger, and that is what it is all about.”
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