Former Ireland international Stephen Ireland has signed for championship side Bolton Wanderers.
Ireland was released by Stoke City at the end of last season after five injury plagued seasons at the Britannia Stadium where he played just 70 games in all competitions.
The 32-year-old trained with championship side Bolton Wanderers during the summer but failed to earn a contract to start the season but has since been called upon by the club with Phil Parkinson’s side languishing towards the bottom of the championship.
Botlon confirmed the news with a post on their official Twitter account.
Bolton Wanderers are pleased to announce that they have signed Stephen Ireland on a short-term contract.
👉🏻 https://t.co/cHoe9yWBYt
#BWFC 🐘🏰— Bolton Wanderers (@OfficialBWFC) October 9, 2018
Parkinson said of Ireland: “Although he’s got a bit to do in terms of match fitness, we’ve got a lot of games coming up and I’m sure he will make a positive contribution.”
Ireland looks to return to football after playing just five times for Stoke last season. His career has been hampered by injuries and earlier this year he sat down with The Telegraph’s John Percy earlier this year and offered a gruesome account of the injury, with some particularly startling imagery.
“I remember what happened as clear as day. It was a very relaxed session and in the last 15 seconds I was going for the tackle and nudged the ball off line and he [Teixeira] judged it wrong.
“He kicked through with his heel on my shinbone. I heard it snap and knew instantly it was broken. I was hopping on my right leg and looked down at my left leg – the ankle and foot was like jelly, swinging.
“The thing that will stay with me for the rest of my life was lying on the floor and looking up at Phil Bardsley. He was standing over me, he grabbed his head with both hands and screamed ‘Oh my God’ dead loud. I knew from his reaction I was in trouble. It just felt like my time, part of my story and to see if I was ready for the challenge.”
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