Oldham Athletic have signed the experienced defender and Bolton Wanderers’ skipper David Wheater on a one year deal.
Wheater was out of contract at Bolton and was waiting on the prospect of another deal but with days left to the start of the season, and the Football Ventures takeover still not settled, he’s opted for pastures new and signed for the Latics.
The experienced campaigner had been with Bolton for eight and a half years. He made two hundred and thirty-eight appearances following his Β£2.3 million move from Middlesborough in 2011. He’d spent seven years on Teeside and made one hundred and forty outings for the Boro.
The thirty-two-year-old defender was named Bolton’s Player of the Season in 2016/17 and in the same campaign he was named in the League One Team of the Season as well being named PFA Fansβ Player of the Season.
Wheater played thirty-three games for the Wanderers in the Championship last season.
It is fair to say that many fans of Bolton were not happy at the news, but most understood his reasons for leaving with the future of the club still under discussion.
He left with many Trotters’ fans best wishes as the following selection of responses to the news on Twitter illustrates.
Sad day for bwfc . Heart and soul of the club had some ups and downs but probably was time for him to move on. Great servant. UP THE WHEATER
— Shaun Myers (@ShaunyMyers) August 1, 2019
Thanks Wheats for the great times. Sorry it's ended like this. Good luck for the future.
— Chrissie T (@xChrissieT) August 1, 2019
Good luck Wheats! Hope all goes well for you. Great servent for the Whites, hope to see you back some day in some role.
— Nick aitken π΄σ §σ ’σ ³σ £σ ΄σ Ώπ΄σ §σ ’σ ³σ £σ ΄σ Ώ (@Nickytam78) August 1, 2019
Best of luck Wheats.
Gutted you are not resigning for Bolton.
A Whites legend.
Oldham are now my second team. Go Latics
— Gavin Hudson (@gavinlhudson) August 1, 2019
Got a blinder on your hands with Wheats…Cracking fella and leader… he'll be missed #BWFC
— John Ainscow (@J_Bird67) August 1, 2019
https://twitter.com/NatOwens97/status/1156977490134478849?s=20
Brought a tear to my eye this, devastated
— Alfie Earith (@AlfieE_21) August 1, 2019
https://twitter.com/LynnDav94155274/status/1156979077057847296?s=20
All the best, skipper! You've got one hell of a player, Oldham Town!
— Belgrade Wanderer π°π² (@boltonian011) August 1, 2019
https://twitter.com/fowkes81/status/1156978118466396162?s=20
Sorry that your Club is in the mess it is at present but at least you are going to survive which is better than Bury’s position appears to be. It’s you the fans that I feel sorry for as it’s in no way your fault for the state the club is in. Good luck this season and even with points deduction I hope you have a decent season and avoid relegation.