In this feature, we’re going to profile those players who played for Wanderers and represented their country on the international stage. There have been many players from all over the world who have achieved this feat, and today we’re going to focus on those represented the United States.
Stuart Holden
Born in Scotland, Holden spent his early childhood in the UK before a move to the United States. A talented midfield player who will always be remembered by Wanderers fans for that late winner against Blackburn Rovers, the 34 year-old was unlucky with injuries that limited his game time during four and-a-half years with the club.
Playing college football as a teenager, Holden was brought to England by Sunderland in 2005 and spent just six months with the club before his release. Returning to the United States, he signed for Houston Dynamo in 2006 and enjoyed three seasons in the MLS before signing for Bolton in 2009.
Capped 25 times by the United States national team at senior level after playing at Under 20s and Under 23s level, he featured in the 2010 World Cup in South Africa – coming on as a substitute in their opening game against England, a 1-1 draw with his nation going onto top group.
He played 38 times for Wanderers in total, and his last competitive outing for the club came in a draw at Cardiff City in April 2013.
Tim Ream
Currently playing his football in the Sky Bet Championship with Fulham, the experienced defender spent three and-a-half impressive years at Bolton following a £2.5 Million from New York Red Bulls in January 2012.
Winning the club’s Player of the Year award in two consecutive seasons (2013/14 and 2014/15), Ream made a total of 126 appearances for the club before signing for Fulham in August 2015. Making his international debut for the United States against South Africa in November 2010, he has since gone onto earn 40 caps – scoring his only international goal in a fixture against Puerto Rico in May 2016.
Antonee Robinson
Coming through the youth ranks at Everton, he spent the 2017/18 on loan at Bolton Wanderers and was a figure of consistency at left-back as Phil Parkinson’s side secured a dramatic survival to avoid relegation from the Championship on the final day of the campaign with victory against Nottingham Forest.
Making 34 appearances for The Whites he went onto join Wigan Athletic on loan before securing a permanent switch to the DW Stadium in July 2019 for a fee of £2 Million.
Despite being born in England, Robinson qualified to play for the United States through his American father and earned his first cap in May 2018 playing the full match in a 3-0 win against Bolivia. He has since earned seven caps for the national team at senior level.
Juergen Sommer
Making his one and only appearances for Wanderers in a 1-1 FA Cup draw against Blackburn Rovers in February 2001, the New York-born goalkeeper had spent time at the Reebok Stadium on loan from New England Revolution.
Capped 10 times by the United States national team between 1994 and 1998, he was part of the squads that played at World Cups in the United States and France respectively in 1994 and 1998.
Starting his professional career in England with Luton Town, he made a century of appearances for The Hatters before a stint in the Premier League with Queens Park Rangers.
Johann Smith
Coming through the academy ranks at Bolton, Smith made three appearances for the club during the 2006/07 season with one of those appearances in the Premier League against Manchester United.
Born in Hartford, Connecticut, Smith spent time on loan in England with Carlisle United, Darlington and Stockport County before a move to Canada with Toronto FC in 2008. Travelling around the globe to ply his trade, he spent time in Croatia, Sweden, Finland and Australia before a return to Canada with FC Edmonton in 2015.
At 33 years of age, Smith is yet to represent the United States at senior level but earned five caps for the Under-20s team earlier in his career with injury preventing him from representing his country at that level at the Under-20s FIFA World Cup in 2007.