10 of Bolton’s starting XI were trialists and it was the most pre-season thing ever
“We all dream of a team of trialists, a team of trialists, a team of trialists!”
High-profile transfers are usually the order of the day for Premier League sides in summer, but look a little lower down the leagues and you’ll find that trialists are the pre-season fashion.
In an attempt to find the next Jamie Vardy, clubs will offer trialists the chance to impress them in pre-season games such as Bolton’s against Marine FC.
Bolton won promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2016/17 season, and ahead of their return to the country’s second division, the team sheet had a theme…
Yes, the only contracted player in the starting XI was goalkeeper Jake Turner, while all 10 outfield starters played under the name Trialist.
Three more trialists on the bench too – is Bolton’s squad a little light this year?
Unless of course, we’ve all been naive and it is in fact a hugely talented family of brothers…
A few people wondered whether or not Trialist might be an acceptable guess for first goalscorer, but it was always unlikely to be the case.
Keep your eyes out for Trialist next season, apparently he gets everywhere.
