We have profiled three players who have played for both Bolton Wanderers and Walsall.
Erhun Oztumer
An attacking midfielder, Oztumer started out in the youth ranks at Charlton Athletic and after initially leaving the club as a sixteen-year-old to sign for non-league Fisher Athletic, he moved to Turkey to sign for Manisaspor.
Remaining in Turkey for four years and having further spells with Sivasspor and Anadolu Uskudar, he returned to England to sign for Dulwich Hamlet in 2012. Enhancing his reputation during his time with the club, he earned a move into the professional game with Peterborough United in June 2014 and stayed with the club for two years.
Making 57 appearances (7 goals) for the Posh, he signed for Walsall in the summer of 2016 and became the club’s star player during two years at the Banks’s Stadium. Racking up 95 appearances (32 goals) for the Saddlers, he signed for Bolton Wanderers in July 2018. Spending just a single season with the Wanderers, he made 19 appearances (1 goal) before signing for boyhood club, Charlton Athletic. He is currently on loan to Bristol Rovers from the Addicks.
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Gary O’Neil
The 2018/19 Bolton Wanderers Player of the Year, O’Neil is now the Under-23s Assistant Manager at Liverpool.
The Beckenham-born former midfielder came through the ranks at Portsmouth and made his debut for the club in January 2000 before going onto make a total of 192 appearances (17 goals). Spending time on loan with Walsall during his time under contract with Pompey, O’Neil made 7 appearances for the club during the early stages of the 2003/04 season.
Completing a £5 Million move to Middlesbrough in August 2007, he spent three-and-a-half years in the North East and made 120 appearances (9 goalS) for the club before signing for West Ham United in January 2011.
Following a spell with the Hammers, as well as QPR, Norwich City, and Bristol City, he signed for Bolton Wanderers in July 2018. One of the star performers during a season (2018/19) that would end in relegation from the Championship, O’Neil made 31 appearances (3 goals) for the club. His final career appearance came in a 1-0 Bolton defeat at Nottingham Forest on the final day of the campaign.
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Hayden White
Beginning his professional career with Bolton Wanderers in June 2013 after leaving Sheffield Wednesday, White could line-up for the Saddlers against one of his former clubs this afternoon.
Making his senior debut for Wanderers in a 2-1 defeat at QPR in January 2014, White would go onto make five appearances for the club. During his three years under contract at the University of Bolton Stadium, he had loan stints with Carlisle United, Bury, Notts County, and Blackpool, before a permanent move to Peterborough United in July 2016.