Where are they now?

The type of article normally done to fill a few spare inches of a local rag's sports pages when the summer months are dragging and nothing is happening in the transfer window!!

But I figured it'd lighten the mood!

So here we go...


Joey O'Brien

50 appearances, 2004-11

The inspiration for doing this article actually, Joey turned 30 today (happy birthday). A succession of injuries curtailed his progress at Bolton and it came as no real surprise that he was released at the end of his contract in 2011. He was taken on trial by West Ham that summer and managed to earn himself a contract. Still at the London club he has gone on to make 91 appearances scoring 3 goals. Having only made 3 appearances this season however, and with his contract up this summer, it looks likely O'Brien will be on the move again.

Andy O'Brien

75 appearances, 1 goal, 2007-11

Sticking with the O'Brien theme! One of the better signings made in the summer of 2007 by Sammy "The Better Sam" Lee, O'Brien was a first team regular under Lee's sucessor Megson and was generally one of the most consistent performers in a team starting on a downward spiral. Ended up out of favour when Coyle took the helm and loan spell at Leeds became a permanent move in January 2011. O'Brien's last playing spell ended in 2014 when his contract with Canadian MLS side Vancouver Whitecaps expired.

Mustapha Riga

18 appearances, 2008-11

Yeah I'd forgotten about him as well! Riga was signed on a free transfer by Megson as a replacement for the departing El-Hadji Diouf. Coming with a reputation as a pacey wide man with a few goals in him, having scored a respectable 28 goals in 104 appearances for Levante, Riga roundly failed to make an impact in his two and a half seasons at Bolton. Released in January 2011, Riga eventually signed for Cartagena in the Segunda División before finishing his career at Indian side Pune.

Ebi Smolarek

12 appearances, 2008-9

Signed on a season long loan with a view to a permanent deal, Smolarek looked to be a player in need of a fresh start after a move to Racing Santander hadn't worked out. A scoring record of 25 goals in 81 appearances for Borussia Dortmond suggested a player who knew where the back of the net was. However Smolarek never managed to adapt to the physical nature of English football and found his chances in the side limited. After leaving Racing Smolarek had spells at various clubs before retiring at the end of the 2012-13 season. Now coaching at Feyenoord's academy, Smolarek remains joint 10th on Poland's all time scorers list with 20 goals in 47 appearances for his country.

Idan Tal

16 appearances, 1 goal, 2006-7

Signed on a free transfer, 12 of Tal's 16 appearances for the club came from the bench and his lone goal came against Doncaster Rovers in the FA Cup. Returned to Israel at the end of the season and retired in 2013 after a short spell in charge of Hapoel Jerusalem.

Jaroslaw Fojut

4 appearances, 2004-9

One of many youngsters from our Premiership days who promised much but whose potential was never realised. Captain of our reserves at one stage, Fojut returned to his native Poland with Śląsk Wrocław in February 2009. A move to Scottish Premiership side Celtic in 2012 was scuppered when he suffered a cruciate ligament injury. After spending the 2013-14 season in Norway with Tromso Fojut moved to Dundee United for the 2014-15 season before once again returning to Poland where he now plays for Pogoń Szczecin.

Bruno N'Gotty

134 appearances, 5 goals, 2002-6

After an unfortunate start to life at Bolton, picking up two yellows and a red in his first 6 appearances, Bruno soon settled to life at Bolton and wanted to end his playing career there. However with then manager Sam Allardyce wanting to reduce the average age of the squad N'Gotty was release at the end of the 2006 campaign. Spells at Birmingham City and Leicester followed before Bruno retired to France at the end of the 2008 season. One appearance for French regional side l'AS Lattes followed in 2011 as a favour to a friend which seemed to give N'Gotty the playing bug again as he now plays for amateur side ES Perols and helps with the coaching of their youngsters.