Bolton Wanderers Under-23s won the U23 Professional Development League 2017/18 after beating Nottingham Forest in the Final at The City Ground this evening.
Wanderers had the perfect start to the tie, with striker Stephen McKenna opening the scoring on six minutes, with Jeff King playing a through ball for McKenna to tuck past keeper Luke Bossin.
Just before the break, Wanderers made it two with Romanian winger Dennis Politic firing home from just inside the penalty area to extend Bolton’s lead.
Forest pulled one back late in the second half through Danny Preston, but it wasn’t enough as David Lee’s side were crowned champions.
After the match, David Lee caught up with bwfc.co.uk and discussed the following topics…
On the feeling of winning the Professional Development League…
It means a hell of a lot because there’s been a lot of hard graft this season - from the staff, the players, the whole club and to see the celebrations at the end of the ninety minutes was incredible.
It’s not just on tonight’s performance, it’s been a hard-grafting season. The development of the players has been clear to see.
They have worked their socks off tonight as they have done all year. You aren’t always going to play well but they’ve stuck in.
The character, desire, commitment and willingness of the players to want to keep going through times and periods when things aren’t going for you has been there to see.
That was the icing on the cake tonight, winning the league last week then winning the cup tonight. I can’t ask any more of them and personally I'm very pleased.
On a great achievement given the start of the season…
Obviously, the aim is to develop the players and we have done that. When you develop them, the performances and results come.
The players have confidence and have been learning all along so when it gets to these tight stages or late in games, these lads have character so the progression is clear to see.
On developing players for the first team…
Connor Hall didn’t play tonight but he’s a prime example of this.
Jack Earing and one or two others have been involved with this first team this year and I think some of them could be given the opportunity.