OFFICIAL - Jack Iredale signs three year contract

We're delighted to announce the signing of defender Jack Iredale on a three-year deal.

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Wanderers are delighted to confirm defender Jack Iredale as their first new signing of the summer in a rapid move into the transfer market.

Iredale has agreed a three-year deal with the Whites as manager Ian Evatt kicks off his squad strengthening plans.

The left-back, 26, joins Wanderers after reaching the end of his contract with Cambridge United – where he has spent the past two seasons – and will link up with Evatt’s squad when they return for the start of pre-season training on 17 June.

Wanderers have wasted no time in starting their close-season business as they look to build on the momentum of a superb end to last season, which saw Evatt’s men sign off with four successive wins and a record of just three defeats in their final 22 games.

And Iredale will significantly strengthen a squad which is looking to kick on from their ninth-place finish after impressing with the U’s in League One last term.

The Greenock-born defender made 35 league starts after previously playing a key role in Cambridge’s promotion success in 2020/21 when the U’s went up alongside Wanderers.

And after making the switch to the University of Bolton Stadium, Iredale aims to keep progressing by looking to aid another promotion challenge with the Whites next season.

“That’s why I’ve joined the club. I’m ambitious as well. I want to do well for this club and I want to do well like the club wants to do well,” he said.

“There are some big teams in the division but Bolton is up there with the biggest of them, so it’s a real honour and privilege to be able to play for this club and I can’t wait to get started.

“I really enjoyed my two years at Cambridge, last season with promotion at the same time as Bolton, and then this season a really strong season in League One.

“But I felt it was time to take another step and I’m really excited that it’s with Bolton. I’ve played against Bolton a good couple of times over the last few years so I know how tough it can be to play against them. That’s why I’m so excited to play for them.

“By all accounts, especially since January, the form was really, really strong, which is another reason why I’ve chosen to come here and help continue with that momentum and hopefully do something special next season.

“Training with good players is only going to make you a better player. To join a squad with really good players is very exciting.”

After growing up in Australia – a country he has represented at youth level – Iredale returned to Scotland to sign for Greenock Morton in 2017 before spending a season with Carlisle United in 2019/20, where he was a team-mate of Wanderers’ vice-captain Gethin Jones.

He then joined Cambridge in August, 2020 and made a total of 89 appearances – scoring five times – during his time at the Abbey Stadium.

Iredale was offered a new contract by Cambridge but having made the switch to Wanderers will now provide extra experience and proven competition for places, primarily for the left-back role but with an option to play more centrally and as a wing-back.

“This is a great start to what we want to do this summer in terms of adding to the squad and thanks again to Sharon and the board for allowing us to move so quickly,” said Evatt.

“Jack is a player we’ve been keen on for a while and a proven performer at League One level, who we believe can also operate higher.

“He will provide genuine competition for places, which is something we want in all positions as we will look to keep moving the team and the club forward.

“He is a talented defender and technically very good who will add to what we already have and we look forward to working with him next season and beyond.”

Looks to be a good signing and can play anywhere on the left. Just need Fossey signed up and it will be a good start to the summer.

Norpig wrote:Looks to be a good signing and can play anywhere on the left. Just need Fossey signed up and it will be a good start to the summer.

Looks from the YouTube clip I've added that he takes a long throw in.

Wonder if that's going to be an attacking feature of ours next season?

Good all rounder (best at LB but he has competition) and a great addition.

Sluffy wrote:

Looks from the YouTube clip I've added that he takes a long throw in.

Wonder if that's going to be an attacking feature of ours next season?

If Baka and Dadi or on at the time I don't see why it shouldn't be used occasionally.

wanderlust wrote:

Sluffy wrote:

Looks from the YouTube clip I've added that he takes a long throw in.

Wonder if that's going to be an attacking feature of ours next season?

If Baka and Dadi or on at the time I don't see why it shouldn't be used occasionally.

Wow I would never have thought of that...



The point I was musing over is that Evatt up to recently has had a mantra of playing the ball to feet and playing so from any part of the ground (hence so many times being caught out in defence rather than whacking the ball upfield!).

In the second half of last season he finally amended his master plan to 'go long' on occasions and get the ball up the pitch, so much so that Trafford even got an occasional assist or two.

I wouldn't think Iredale was signed for his long throw but rather that was a bonus attribute he has.

I was wondering if Evatt would be stubborn and instruct throws go to players as they do now or utilise this new option he has acquired with Iredale?

I guess we will find out soon enough once the season kicks off.

That's why I said "occasionally" i.e. to mix it up a bit. Also useful to be able to lob it up to halfway if you have a throw in near your own goal line.

wanderlust wrote:That's why I said "occasionally" i.e. to mix it up a bit. Also useful to be able to lob it up to halfway if you have a throw in near your own goal line.

Sluffy wrote:Wonder if that's going to be an attacking feature of ours next season?

Feature
noun

A distinctive attribute or aspect of something.


Occasionally
adverb

At infrequent or irregular intervals; now and then.


Hardly an attacking FEATURE if you only do it INFREQUENTLY is it?

Sluffy wrote:





Feature
noun

A distinctive attribute or aspect of something.


Occasionally
adverb

At infrequent or irregular intervals; now and then.


Hardly an attacking FEATURE if you only do it INFREQUENTLY is it?

That is my point exactly.

You asked if it should be a feature.

I responded by saying that IMO it should be used occasionally - i.e. not a feature.

Do you feel the need to intentionally misinterpret everything I write in order to have a dig at me or are you just reading it through a cloud of prejudice and thereby failing to understand?

I suspect it's a bit of both.

wanderlust wrote:

Sluffy wrote:





Feature
noun

A distinctive attribute or aspect of something.


Occasionally
adverb

At infrequent or irregular intervals; now and then.


Hardly an attacking FEATURE if you only do it INFREQUENTLY is it?

That is my point exactly.

You asked if it should be a feature.

I responded by saying that IMO it should be used occasionally - i.e. not a feature.

Do you feel the need to intentionally misinterpret everything I write in order to have a dig at me or are you just reading it through a cloud of prejudice and thereby failing to understand?

I suspect it's a bit of both.

Thank you for your clarification.

So it SHOULDN'T be a feature UNLESS Bakayoko and Bodvarsson are playing where it SHOULD but only occasionally and presumably(?) even if they are not on the pitch it SHOULD  still be a 'feature' but only 'occasionally' from throw ins from the defensive half only!

Good that's now cleared up albeit it is about as clear as mud.

Quick unrelated to tonight tweet...

An impressive left back came off the market today, Jack Iredale has signed for Bolton. Given i'd already started some work on him, i'd figured I would share it rather than let it go to waste. Scratch that name off the recruitment plan![You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

— Owls Analytics (@AnalyticsOwls) [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Sluffy wrote:

Thank you for your clarification.

So it SHOULDN'T be a feature UNLESS Bakayoko and Bodvarsson are playing where it SHOULD but only occasionally and presumably(?) even if they are not on the pitch it SHOULD  still be a 'feature' but only 'occasionally' from throw ins from the defensive half only!

Good that's now cleared up albeit it is about as clear as mud.

You've still not grasped it have you?
It should never by "a feature" as per your definition of a feature.
It could be occasionally used when we've got tall buggers on who can challenge for a high ball lobbed into the box. IMO
And it could be used to relieve pressure in a defensive situation.

Is that simple enough for you?

wanderlust wrote:

Sluffy wrote:

Thank you for your clarification.

So it SHOULDN'T be a feature UNLESS Bakayoko and Bodvarsson are playing where it SHOULD but only occasionally and presumably(?) even if they are not on the pitch it SHOULD  still be a 'feature' but only 'occasionally' from throw ins from the defensive half only!

Good that's now cleared up albeit it is about as clear as mud.

You've still not grasped it have you?
It should never by "a feature" as per your definition of a feature.
It could be occasionally used when we've got tall buggers on who can challenge for a high ball lobbed into the box. IMO
And it could be used to relieve pressure in a defensive situation.

Is that simple enough for you?

Thank you.

We are all extremely fortunate to have someone who knows such an in depth knowledge of this that he can only state the bleeding obvious!

The last time I can remember where we had a long throw in specialist was probably when we had Jay Jay Okocha and Allardyce made great use of his skill even though we were not blessed with 'tall buggers' in our side at the time - Kevin Davies being just six foot exactly, Djorkaeff standing just 5 foot 7 inches (according to wiki anyway).

I much rather see what use Evatt will make of Iredale's skill in this respect than whatever baloney you may think, thank you very much.

Disappointed to see Jack go, I thought he was a real trier but unfortunately another player who was never really given an opportunity in his best position of left back, Evatt trying to turn him into either a wing back or central defender, neither of which played to his strengths. We never made use of his long throw ability either because that just didnt suit IEs style. Good luck to Jack at Hibs it could turn out to be a really good move for him at his time of life and Edinburgh, the land of my father, is a beautiful place to live.