Bolton Wanderers have announced a second Deadline Day purchase, with Cyrus Christie joining the Lancashire side as a free agent.
The 32-year-old has dropped down to League One in order to continue his career in the EFL. Swansea City and Hull City stints have recently handed Christie plenty of game time over the past three years. The former Derby County man, who featured 119 times for the Rams after a loan spell with Coventry City handed him 118, has now joined up with Steven Schumacher’s side.
Marcus Forss was Bolton’s first Deadline Day signing today and joins Christie as new recruits in Lancashire. The former Ireland international emphasised his experience through a thorough, well-spoken interview with the club.
A lengthy and in-depth insight into Christie’s move to Bolton explains the 32-year-old’s ambitions under Schumacher in the third tier:
“Being a free agent there’s no real rush to get certain things done. You can wait ‘til the market’s finished but Bolton showed the intent.
“They showed that they really wanted me and I think as any footballer, in any person, in any job, that’s always something that you want. You want to know that they really want you.
“With a free agent you get a lot of offers. Sometimes they maybe try to undervalue what you can bring and chance it, so it’s been great that the staff here really wanted me. I had a conversation with the manager and Fergal and they explained the whole project and what they want to achieve and what I can bring to the team and, for me, that was great to hear.”
Readying an experienced-lead role in the team, Christie is eager to impress in a youthful League One side:
“It’s a long season. There’s nine months left and however many games it goes around, it takes time. You can lose one game and then win two in one week and it’s a completely different picture, how the table looks.
“The fans will obviously be massive for us this season in helping us push. It is a young team, so they’re going to need as much backing and as much confidence as possible.”
Writer’s View
This is an important piece of business for Bolton. It is great that attacking impetus on youthful players has been prioritised, but they have also got the recruitment correct in the experienced additions. Christie has a wealth of seasons in the EFL and could be a perfect leader in the Bolton back line.
