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Matt Craddock reckons heading out on loan in non-league has had a big impact on Wanderers prospect Arran Pettifer.
The midfielder has had the chance to get minutes under his belt at Atherton Colls in the Northern Premier League top flight over the past few months.
He is currently playing alongside team-mate Mackenzie Chapman, who is also on loan at the Skuna Stadium.
Pettifer has also impressed in the Central League, and B Team boss Craddock is pleased with his development.
“Arran is a really good kid,” he told The Bolton News. “We sent him out on loan to mature and to grow up as a man, and he has come back like a young man.
“His level of professionalism is very good, as are all the other lads. Tweeds (Matt Tweedley) is the same.
“They have that level of professionalism that you get from playing men’s football where three points matters. I am pleased for their development this year.”
Pettifer also managed to get on the scoresheet in the 2-1 defeat at Preston North End Reserves in the Central League last month.
Wesley Frimpong has played as a left wing-back during the past couple of fixtures, and Craddock hailed the youngster’s versatility.
He is pleased with the number of scholars who have featured this season and hopes it will pay off in the long-term.
Craddock added: “Our project this year, we go through different phases. At the moment we have got a lot of our players out on loan.
“Max Conway would normally be playing on the left but he is out on loan. We have Sam Inwood, who has had a little bit of a breakthrough with the first team. Unfortunately, he picked up an injury so he was unavailable.
“Wes is a young lad who has a lot of potential and can play in a number of positions. He has done a really good job for us at left-back and that was one of the things that was a shining light.
“We have also got young Daeshon Lawrence who has come through the Academy. He played the last 10 or 15 minutes (against Preston). We have started scholars and brought more on.
“It is a difficult task sometimes when players are out on loan, but it is the right thing for them and we adapt underneath it. What it does is it provided really good opportunities for young players to come and have a go.”
Wanderers currently sit fifth in the Central League table, having won three of their nine fixtures since the start of the campaign. Their next scheduled league match is a trip to Accrington Stanley Reserves on Tuesday, March 28 (2pm kick-off). They will also face Burnley in a friendly at their Gawthorpe training ground on Friday afternoon (1pm) and Stockport County on Tuesday night (7pm) at Edgeley Park.
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