Joel Randall believes the time is right to join Wanderers’ bid to try and reach the next level after becoming the Whites’ first new signing of 2025, writes Pete Oliver.
Randall has made the switch from League One rivals Peterborough United after agreeing a three-and-a-half-year deal at the Toughsheet Community Stadium.
Like Wanderers, the attacking midfielder has reached the League One play-offs for the past two seasons with the Posh – as well as winning the EFL Trophy at Wembley.
And the 25-year-old – who will wear squad number 31 – hopes it can be third time lucky at the start of his Wanderers’ journey as he brings his creative and goalscoring talents to Ian Evatt’s squad.
“I think this pitch and this ground really suits the way I play and I can't wait to get out there,” said Randall, who has scored 19 times in the last 18 months with Peterborough after moving to London Road from Exeter in August, 2021.
“I think I've come at a really good time. I can see it's building here. Obviously the last two seasons in the play-offs were unlucky for Bolton and maybe that's taken its toll a little bit this season.
“But I think the squad is there, the manager’s there and it's a really good place and I think we're ready to push on for the rest of this season now.
“It was a tough couple of years at Peterborough at the start, but I feel like I've got a good base behind me now. I feel like I've really improved this last couple of years and this is the place where I want to show what I've learned and bring to the table and hopefully continue the improvement here, because it's such a great club.
“You can see in that Peterborough team I have provided and scored goals. It's free-flowing at times and that's what I will try and bring here with the rest of the team. It's a talented bunch of lads and hopefully it will be a good match.”
Randall, who also scored 10 times for Exeter in his final season at St James’ Park, comes from good footballing stock, with his father, Adrian, making over 300 EFL appearances for Aldershot, York City, Burnley and Bury.
And Salisbury-born Joel is happy to be following in his footsteps up the country after Wanderers paid a substantial fee to make him their first January window recruit.
“He said I would love it up here so I’m taking his advice,” Randall told Wanderers TV after completing the final details of his move on Thursday morning. “I've got family close by so it kind of feels like home a little bit.
“The warmth from everyone here yesterday and today has been really nice so I really like the vibe. It's a really exciting next chapter.
“I'm so delighted to be here and just doing everything today and walking around the place it's brilliant and I can't wait to get started.”