Young winger finds new club after Bolton Wanderers exit

Bolton Wanderers made the decision to cut ties with the midfielder at the end of last season after his contract expired.

Stanley, 21, has since been weighing up his options as a free agent and has found himself a new club now ahead of the new season.

The Trotters announced his departure earlier this summer on their retained list and left the club alongside fellow youngsters Mackenzie Chapman, Matty Grivosti, Lynford Sackey and Adam Senior.

Stanley’s move to Hereford is an opportunity for him to get some regular game time under his belt and show what he can do in the National League North.

The Mancunian was on the books at Birmingham City before linking up with Manchester United in 2018. He spent four years at Old Trafford and although he never made a senior appearance for the Premier League giants, he was once in their squad for the Europa League back in 2020.

He had a loan spell away from the Red Devils in America at Atlanta United’s second team to get some experience under his belt before he was allowed to leave permanently.

Stanley ended up staying in the North West after leaving United with Bolton snapping him up in June last year. However, he was mainly used in the Trotters’ B team and he was allowed to spend large parts of the last campaign out on loan away from the League One outfit at Bamber Bridge and FC United of Manchester in non-league.

He has now penned a short-term deal at Hereford and they are managed by former Birmingham City defender Paul Caddis these days.

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Bristol City have submitted a bid worth around £1million for Bolton Wanderers midfielder George Thomason, Bristol Live understands, in the wake of Alex Scott’s departure from Ashton Gate.

As reported by Bristol Live on Thursday, Thomason has emerged as a target as Nigel Pearson looks to reinforce that area of the field following the £25m sale of the 19-year-old to Bournemouth on Thursday.

The 22-year-old is not a playmaker or attacking midfielder in the same mould of the England Under-20 international, as Jason Knight looks set to assume that role for the majority of the season, but is a neat, technical player who provides added depth and versatility.

If successful, Thomason would provide depth and competition alongside Matty James, Joe Williams, Andy King and Kal Naismith. The move to sign him is also being instigated with an eye on the future given Williams, James and King are all out of contract at the end of the season, with the latter two also in their 30s.

Pearson has previously voiced concern over whether any of the money from the Scott sale would be reinvested in the squad, but this would indicate the Lansdowns will not allow the manager to be short of options.

Thomason is under contract until 2025 having signed a new deal last December so Bolton are in position to bargain with City but Trotters manager Ian Evatt admitted last week, with reference to clubs interested in signing his best assets that every player has a price.

“The club has a valuation on every player and provided clubs meet that valuation we will allow players to leave, provided that is what they want to do,” Evatt told Bolton News.

Thomason has made 73 appearances for Bolton since signing from non-league Longridge Town three years ago. Originally a left-back when in the Blackpool academy he was successfully converted into central midfield in his mid-teens and has flourished in the position.

A knee injury disrupted his 2022/23 season, limiting him to just 14 starts, but he returned towards the end of the campaign and made a substitute appearance in the League One play-off semi-final against Barnsley.