With the acknowledgment that this has now become an issue it deserves a thread of its own.

For me the biggest problem IE has now with Crellin/the goalkeeper position  (and it can be argued that he has added fuel to this one) is that of how he handles it from a personal perspective. As fans all we want to see is a keeper in goal who is confident, not making too many errors and showing progress.  Let’s be honest the majority of us don’t give a stuff if Crellin is dropped and how this affects him mentally as long as Bolton win.

Of course IE wants this too, but he also has the delicate situation of handling how BC is as a person, what’s best for him, regardless of whether  he still sees him as a keeper who has a bwfc future. It’s a balancing act. 

Because of IE outburst post Cambridge we’re in the unusual position, as fans, of knowing some of the managers true feelings about his keeper. We know he has doubts about him, he is well aware of the errors that he is making, but we also know he still has faith in his ability to become a good keeper at a professional level. 

So with this in mind what does he do this week? As a fan playing football manager on the computer, looking at his performances and stats I’m saying drop him Tuesday give Alexander/Gilks a go. 

But putting myself in IEs shoes I’m not sure that course of action is correct, especially if he still sees BC as having a bwfc future. It’s a risk, but if he wants to demonstrate  the faith he has in him, provide him with a confidence boost to bring the best out of him, he selects him Tuesday but IMO tells him regardless of how he plays he’ll be rested and out of the limelight for 10 days while he gives Alexander a chance in the cup game. That way he’s keeping all options open, including looking at free transfers/making room in the squad for a keeper back up.

The one liners; drop him, sack him, send him back to Fleetwood, shouldn’t put on a bwfc shirt again are easy soundbites. How he manages this situation and when he chooses to drop him/rest him/motivate him/find another keeper, will not only make a difference to a young players mental state/motivation but will also influence how this position affects our season. 

Has Peter Shilton been spotted in the hotel yet?

Does Keith Brannigan still live in Bolton ?

Is it gonna be biscuit wrists, poppadom wrists or prawn cocktail wrists. Decisions decisions. 

Havercake wrists

See it's not just his mistakes, but his distribution is god awful too. he's just an all round poor player.

See, its shit like this that shows a failure to grasp where the lad is currently at

he is plenty good enough with the ball but as his performance and confidence has gone down hill, so has his kicking

its all linked

12 minutes ago, Mr Grey said:

Just seen Casper down't canal, swigging pop, smoking pot n flying a bird round on a piece of string.

The piece of string ensures he doesn't drop it

Did he end up falling over into the canal?

Fred Barber would give Crellin a hard time in training and toughen him up. 

He's done a great job with Jussi's son. He's just a top coach unlike Gilks.

41 minutes ago, passmosster said:

Fred Barber would give Crellin a hard time in training and toughen him up. 

He's done a great job with Jussi's son. He's just a top coach unlike Gilks.

It was probably Gilks that recommended Crellin to Evatt after Gilk's time at Fleetwood and Evatt bought it and now its gone tits up! Be interesting to see what Evatt does next.

17 minutes ago, Blondi said:

It was probably Gilks that recommended Crellin to Evatt after Gilk's time at Fleetwood and Evatt bought it and now its gone tits up! Be interesting to see what Evatt does next.

Based on the evidence to date, it will be nothing.  We're the mugs getting our hopes up every game.

According to Bolton news Evatt poised to make a decision on him .!

Surely the only decision he has to make is, is Gilks fit enough to play.

I’d be just as jittery with Alexander as I would Crellin

Just put the feelers out for an out of contact keeper. 

1 minute ago, MickyD said:

Just put the feelers out for an out of contact keeper. 

So, out of form, lacking I'm confidence Crellin, now knows we are looking for his replacement, who will probably need a month to get fit.

This is going to be fun....

Send the bugger back

4 minutes ago, Ratwhite said:

So, out of form, lacking I'm confidence Crellin, now knows we are looking for his replacement, who will probably need a month to get fit.

This is going to be fun....

I don't think "putting the feelers out" means announcing something in all the papers.  I'm sure a football club like Bolton and their staff will know how and where to look. 

14 minutes ago, MickyD said:

 I'm sure a football club like Bolton and their staff will know how and where to look. 

National League North?

Just now, Traf said:

National League North?

Job centre

1 hour ago, Ratwhite said:

So, out of form, lacking I'm confidence Crellin, now knows we are looking for his replacement, who will probably need a month to get fit.

This is going to be fun....

Stick him on the bleep test 🙄

I'd take a half fit Andy Lonergan over a fully fit Billy Crellin as things stand.

The problem is that Evatt has backed himself into a corner over Crellin because he can’t replace him with Alexander the way he’s ignored him so far and he can’t realistically trust Gilks to be properly ready. It wouldn’t surprise me for him to retain Crellin on Friday but with his own credibility now firmly on the line, any more mistakes could be fatal for both.

Stick Gilks in goal on Friday, a couple of cans of red bull pre match, he'll be fine.

As young kids go Alexander deemed to cope better with the step up last season than Crellin has done this season 

If not Gilkes 

Or an out of contract professional Goalkeeper 

Crellin should be sent back to Fleetwood immediately 

2 hours ago, birch-chorley said:

As young kids go Alexander deemed to cope better with the step up last season than Crellin has done this season 

If not Gilkes 

Or an out of contract professional Goalkeeper 

Crellin should be sent back to Fleetwood immediately 

Dear Mr Barton,

We recently got this keeper from EBAY. On opening the package it wasn’t immediately obvious that it wasn’t fit for purpose. In relatively few uses, it has become more and more obvious that you’ve sent something that:

A - Isn’t as described.

B - Isn’t fit for purpose.

This goes against EBAY rules and we would like you to send a return label.

I understand that I may need to pay for the return and accept this.

Failure to respond to this will result in me escalating the issue via PayPal.

yours,

Ian Evatt