WEMBLEY WAY? NO THANK YOU!

BOLTON Wanderers defender Jack Iredale might have found it "really tough" to miss out on the chance of reaching Wembley in the play-offs last season but he's in no mood to achieve that career first this May!

- Dave Flett

Iredale, 27, was sidelined with meniscus damage for the second half of the 2022-23 campaign, meaning he could only watch on as Wanderers lost their League One play-off semi-final against Barnsley.

He'd previously missed out on their EFL Trophy triumph against Plymouth at Wembley because of the same injury.

But, with Bolton just one point outside of the automatic promotion places ahead of this weekend with two games in hand on second-placed Derby and three on leaders Portsmouth, the 6ft Australian is hoping to avoid an extension to the season this time around and put that dream of treading the hallowed turf on hold for at least another year.

"Growing up overseas, Wembley is such a massive, iconic stadium, so to have that chance to try and get there taken away by injury was really tough," Iredale reflected. "Everyone tried to make me feel a part of the play-offs but, when you're not putting your boots and strip on, that's not easy.