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Links to Part I / II / III
Bolton Sprinters have made it to the promised land of the Premier League at only the second time of asking. Using only players of Caribbean ancestry, player / chairman Usain Bolt and manager John Barnes will aim for Premier League survival after a fantastic season in the Championship and unexpected League Cup win. Can they beat the drop?
John Barnes aims to plug key holes in his squad after a disappointing finish to the Championship season and the uncertain future of star striker, Jurgen Locadia. The Sprinters are predicted to finish in 15th position on their return to the Premier League but avoiding relegation will be their main aim. Bolton mainstays Darren Pratley, Jermaine Beckford and Tim Ream all leave the club on free transfers. Barnes immediately listed Gillian Justiana due to his lack of discipline and returns to Holland, signing for Heracles for £600k. Bolton tie down Liam Moore and Jay Emmanuel-Thomas to long term contracts, while Harry Novillo's wage demands are extortionate and is sold to Aston Villa for £4 million. This is excellent piece of business for a player signed on a free transfer and missed most of last season due to injury. Keen to get first team football, Jamal Blackman heads out on loan to fellow Premier League side, Huddersfield. Haiti goalkeeper, Johny Placide comes in on loan to provide competition for Eloy Room.
Jurgen Locadia requests a new contract but wants over £60k per week, three times higher than the next highest payed player. Considering he is almost certainly set to declare for Holland, not Curaçao, Bolton reject the request and offer him to clubs. Arsenal and Feyenoord both meet the asking price but Locadia chooses Spurs for £10 million and 25% future sell on fee. Locadia's departure is the only outgoing transfer that requires an immediate replacement. Barnes aims for a like for like change, bringing in a strong target man to accommodate the runs from Bolt, Lingard and J.E.T. and identifies either Watford's Troy Deeney or Hoffenheim's Anthony Modeste.
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Both men have similar attributes but Deeney is the preferred option. He is cheaper and requests lower wages. Bolton's first enquiry fails after Deeney's agent requests a huge sum last minute, leaving Barnes to pull out. Deeney sensationally sacks his agent after the deal falls through and Bolton's second offer is accepted. Bolton snatch Dexter Blackstock from Nottingham Forest for £500k; the Antiguan international will hopefully fill the second choice striker spot left by Beckford.
Other incoming transfers include Lewis Baker and Jean-Alain Fanchone both returning on loan from Chelsea and Udinese, while Leandro Bacuna, purchased in January, but loaned back to Aston Villa will also join up with the squad. Junior Stanislas, recently declared for St. Lucia, joins from Burnley, while Barbados international, James Perch joins from local rivals Wigan. Perch can provide cover across all positions in defence, making him a great utility man, if perhaps out of depth in the Premier League. Bolton look to France, brining in Garry Bocaly (Martinique) and Wylan Cyprien (Guadeloupe) to shore up key gaps at right back and central midfield. Late in the window, Patrick van Aanholt is transfer listed by Swansea and brought in to compete with Fanchone. Van Aanholt is eligible to play for Curaçao. Barnes boosts his U21 squad, bringing in Jamaica hopefuls Tafari Moore, Kean Bryan, Shayon Harrison and Mahlondo Martin from Arsenal, Man City, Tottenham and Watford respectively, while Junior Joachim (Guadeloupe) joins from Nancy.
After a clean sweep in pre-season, Bolton start their European adventure, drawing Serbian side Vojvodina in the Europa League. What might have been billed as a close tie ends in an 8-2 aggregate victory in favour of the Sprinters, with Deeney getting a brace in both legs. Bolton draw Jablonec in the Playoffs and are in great form again, winning 7-1 on aggregate. The Premier League fixtures are not so kind, handing Bolton tough opening fixtures against Chelsea, Spurs, Aston Villa and Everton. After being thrashed 1-4 to Chelsea, Deeney opens his Premier League account in a 1-2 loss to Spurs. Another loss follows, 0-2 to Aston Villa before Barnes wins his first Premier League match, 1-0 away at Everton. Jesse Lingard is the man of the moment, scoring in the 80th minute after a fumble from Joel Robles.
Bolton are handed a very winnable Europa League group, drawn alongside Maribor, Braga and Steaua. Keen to focus on the league, Barnes starts a second string team in most matches, with Placide in goal. Bolton are still able to breeze through the group, only dropping points to Steaua away and Maribor once already qualified. Barnes does the same in the League Cup, victorious in entertaining 5-4 win over Yeovil. A brace from Trotter, Babin, Stanislas and an own goal secure the victory.
Back in the league, Bolton disappoint, losing to Cardiff before scraping past Brighton, Liam Trotter scoring the decisive penalty. Form improves with an excellent 6-1 win over Southampton, 5-0 up after 25 minutes, with Deeney scoring an incredible 4 goals. Bolton lose to Newcastle in a scoreline that flatters the Magpies.
On the international scene, Danny Rose is called up to the Jamaica squad, definitely one to watch in future. Unfortunately, Nathaniel Clyne chooses to play for England instead of Grenada ruling out a potential transfer. Patrick van Aanholt chooses to play for Curaçao, joining Eloy Room in the national team. Frustratingly, Babin and Bocaly both get injured on Martinique duty. What makes things worse is Martinique only play friendlies.
Bolton lose to Man City, before bowing out of the League Cup, losing to Southampton, in their third match in 5 days. Bolton play well against Southampton, despite Perch being sent off after 30 minutes, while Placide picks up MOTM. League form improves with an unexpected 2-0 win over Arsenal, Bolt and Lingard scoring the decisive goals, before a 3-2 win at West Brom after going 0-2 down. Liverpool, in poor form, sit in 17th position but take the lead thanks to Coutinho before Luis Enrique scythes down Bolt in the box and gets sent off. Lingard scores the penalty, before Liam Moore and another goal from Lingard; a rocket from outside the area, secures a famous 3-2 victory.
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Despite losing to Norwich, Bolton sit in 6th position, way above expectations. Wins against Leicester, Huddersfield and West Ham follow as Barnes' team continue to push on. Jesse Lingard's excellent form warrants a new contract, making him the highest earner at the club. Perhaps, Jurgen Locadia's demands weren't too excessive. Locadia has now committed to Holland but has only played 4 times for Spurs. Jamal Blackman isn't getting game time at Huddersfield and is recalled, immediately going back out on loan to Sheffield Wednesday. Trinidad & Tobago captain, Khaleem Hyland refuses to sign a new contract with Genk, so is snapped him up for £875k before the January window opens. The transfer means the team is overstocked in central midfield so Gregor Breinburg joins FC Twente on loan until the end of the season, with a £2 million option to buy.
Bolton are handed ties with Grasshoppers in the Europa League and Man Utd in the FA Cup, before facing United again on Boxing Day. Bolton are humbled in a 0-4 thrashing before losing against Chelsea and Spurs in the league. The FA Cup tie with Man Utd sees Bolton knocked out, late goals from Rooney and van Persie secure the victory.
Troy Deeney's form is acceptable but both Blackstock and Joachim are nowhere near Premier League quality. Both are moved on and Bolton bring in Gregoire Defrel, eligible for Guadeloupe, from Parma, sending Jay Spearing the other way. Rare wins against Aston Villa and Cardiff are the only bright spots in a horrible run of form, that sees Bolton slip to 10th in the League. Bolton struggle to get past Grasshoppers in the first leg of the Europa League, drawing 2-2. In the return leg, Bolton concede early after Placide fumbles before Michael Hector equalises. A rocket from Lewis Baker in the second half puts Bolton ahead and they eventually run out 5-3 winners in a nervy match. Baker tears his hamstring and is out for the season, while Defrel also injures himself for two weeks. Defrel's form is worrying and the Frenchmen is still yet to score for Bolton.
By the time Bolton face Arsenal, they sit in 13th position but earn a respectable draw, despite looking like the better team. League wins over Q.P.R. and West Brom ensure that relegation is unlikely, well before the season closes. In the Europa League, Bolton face Ukrainian side Metalist Kharkiv, who have a man sent off inside 10 minutes. Bolton try to kill the game, racing ahead, scoring 2 away goals, thanks to Bolt and Lingard before conceding 2 in the last 10 minutes. Goals from Deeney and J.E.T. ensure a comfortable home victory, sending Bolton into the Quarter Finals.
MLS side Philadelphia Union inexplicably waiver (?) Jamaica goalkeeper Andre Blake who Bolton snap up on a free transfer. Aside from Hyland, Blake was one of the players Barnes wanted to build his team around. With Placide having impressed while on loan, Blackman returning at the end of the season and Room still performing, Bolton have an embarrassment of riches in goal.
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A number of players are called up for their international teams, including Jay Emmanuel Thomas, securing his international future for St. Lucia. Wylan Cyprien is called up to the France U21 squad, while Liam Moore is joined in the England U21 team by Jamal Blackman. Potential Barbados international, Tom Ince, is capped by England, ruling him out for the future.
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In the Europa League, Bolton are drawn against Wolfsburg. The Sprinters disappoint at home, losing 3-2, conceding the decisive goal in the 92nd minute. Things are made worse, when both Leandro Bacuna and Khaleem Hyland are suspended for the second leg, picking up yellow cards. In the second leg, Barnes switches tactics, relying on all out attack, rather than his normal counter attacking style, in an attempt to outscore the German side. It doesn't pay off and Bolton slump to a 1-1 draw, unable to make any meaningful attacks.
Bolton's end of season form is dreadful, losing 5 out of 7 of the last league games and by the end of the season have only earned 16 points since Boxing Day. The matches against Leicester and Huddersfield are especially frustrating with both teams in the relegation zone. Despite Man Utd manager, Jurgen Klopp, saying they will crush Bolton, Barnes' men pick up a commendable 2-2 draw, which ends United's title hopes. West Ham need a win to survive in the Premier League and smash Bolton in the final game of season in a dreadful display.
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Despite an excellent start to the season, Bolton's form since Christmas has been appalling and without strengthening the team, relegation could be a real possibility next season. Despite a respectable 13th placed finish, Bolton should have finished comfortably in the top half. With the distraction of the Europa League group stages in the early part of the season, it may have been expected that is when Bolton struggled but the opposite was true.
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Ultimately, recruitment was not good enough this season. Deeney did a respectable job replacing Locadia (The Dutchman only played 10 times for Spurs, failing to score) and Wylan Cyprien looks a good option for the future. All other signings struggled with Blackstock, Stanislas, Perch, Hyland and Defrel all looking massively out of their depths. Defrel did not manage a single goal since his move from Parma in January. Full backs Bocaly and van Aanholt had their moments of form but otherwise struggled.
It's possible that Bolton have been 'found out' tactically. Barnes may look to mix things up next season instead of relying on a system built around a target man. A backup / starting striker is an absolute must.
Points
See Part 1 for points system
League Goal or assist for Usain Bolt - 17 points
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Bolt was not so impressive this season, struggling to adjust to the step up in competition, which was reflected in his goals and assists. His place in the starting line up is not a certainty for next season. Below are some additional stats for players in the League. As you can see, outside the front 4, the drop off in output was massive.
| Player | Goals | Assists |
| Troy Deeney | 14 | 5 |
| Jesse Lingard | 9 | 9 |
| Jay Emmanuel-Thomas | 7 | 10 |
| Leandro Bacuna | 2 | 2 |
| Liam Trotter | 1 | 2 |
Contracted player declares Caribbean nationality - 10 points (27) - Both Patrick van Aanholt and Jay Emmanuel-Thomas decided to declare themselves eligible for Curaçao and St. Lucia.
Best Eleven selection (Caribbean national only) - 43 (70) - Room, Bocaly, van Aanholt, J.E.T, Bolt, Trotter and Deeney each earned 5 points, while subs Placide, Perch, Stanislas, and Blackstock each earned 2. Leon Bailey, while declared for Jamaica, has not yet received a full cap and therefore does not earn points.
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Contracted player scores at International Competition (World Cup/Gold Cup) - 5 points (75) Jamaica are invited to the Copa America but are drawn alongside Brazil, Uruguay and Haiti. Usain Bolt scores once in the 1-5 defeat to Brazil but Jamaica do not escape the groups.
Each nation makes 10 league appearances in one season - 30 points (105) The signings of Perch (Barbados) and Blackstock (Antigua & Barbuda) may not have been fantastic on the pitch but do help to up the points total here. Otherwise, Curaçao, Martinique and St. Lucia were all represented, while a number of Jamaica players played the required number of games. Hyland's signing ensured Trinidad and Tobago were also represented once again.
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Total Points - 105
We did it! Over 100 points was always an aim and while there may be some cynicism over the signings of Perch and Blackstock to 'up the quota,' we did truly hope both men would work out. Hopefully, some better signings will make themselves available soon! A mid-table finish to consolidate in the league would be ideal.
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