10 Players You Didn't Know Bolton Nearly Signed
The Trotters have never been afraid to punch above their weight in the transfer market.
Bolton Wanderers currently lie 43rd in the English Football League pyramid. It has been a sad descent for a club who Sam Allardyce had punching above their weight at the top end of the Premier League for most of the 00s, even enjoying a couple of European nights at the Reebok Stadium, and tasting a day out at a Carling Cup final in 2004. An admiral aspect of Bolton Wanderers under Allardyce was that they never wilted or backed down under a challenge. This backbone and grit that the former Limerick City boss had instilled within the side ran right through the club, from their on-pitch showings against the Premier League's elite, to their dealings in the transfer market, where they tried to acquire the best players possible. It didn't matter how big their profile was, or how many medals they had acquired throughout their career - Bolton felt no shame in throwing their hat into the ring amongst the top sides in Europe as they vied for the signatures of some of the most decorated players Europe has ever seen. There have been former Galacticos, World Cup winners and even a boy dubbed 'the next Lionel Messi' who have been the subject of approaches from the Trotters in recent years, as they attempted to consolidate themselves as one of the big boys. Take a look at the ten players who almost signed for Bolton Wanderers - there are quite a few shockers.