Bolton Wanderers plotting raid of rivals Wigan Athletic for ex-Trotters player | OneFootball

Bolton Wanderers are keen on taking Wigan Athletic goalkeeper Andy Lonergan on in a coach role.

Bolton Wanderers are keen to bring Wigan Athletic's Andy Lonergan back to the club as a full-time goalkeeping coach.

The veteran shot-stopper has enjoyed a lengthy career in English football, spanning from 2000 all the way through to the present day.

Although he hasn't played a league match since 2019, Lonergan is currently on the books at the Brick Community Stadium, working in a player-coach role under Ryan Lowe.

However, Alan Nixon has reported via his Patreon page that Lonergan's former employers Bolton are keen to tempt him away from their neighbours, where he is being eyed up to become their goalie coach on a permanent basis.

Wigan Athletic's Andy Lonergan wanted by former club Bolton Wanderers

The 41-year-old has been on the books at some of England's most prestigious clubs during his 25-year playing career, such as Liverpool, Everton, and Leeds United. All in all, Lonergan has had 16 different clubs throughout his lengthy career, having started at Preston North End.

The Preston-born keeper joined his current club, Wigan, in June 2024, accepting a player-coach role.

He primarily works behind the scenes with both of the Latics' young goalkeepers, Sam Tickle and Tom Watson, but is also registered as a player just in case the club find themselves short of fit shot-stoppers.

However, with Sunday's reports from Nixon, Lonergan could be on his way to a full-time role at one of his previous clubs.

The report suggests that Bolton are trying to tempt the veteran goalkeeper into a return to the club in a full-time goalkeeping coach role, which has been filled on the interim since February by Andy Fairman, after Matt Gilks left and subsequently joined league rivals Barnsley.

With the former England youth international's professional playing days seemingly well behind him, the offer of a full-time coaching gig could reportedly be the key factor in tempting Lonergan to make the switch to the Trotters, plus a return to familiar ground could also be enticing.

Bolton Wanderers switch could be a smart move for Andy Lonergan's next career

As mentioned, it seems unlikely that the 41-year-old will be getting any more consistent minutes in the EFL, which is to be expected given his age and the time that's passed since he last made a professional appearance.

With that in mind, a return to the Toughsheet Community Stadium in a coaching role could be the best move for Lonergan's post-playing career.

The veteran keeper has an encyclopedia's worth of experience and knowledge between the sticks, as his playing career has spanned over 25-years, which saw him rack up over 400 senior appearances and play for 16 different clubs.

Having been on the books at some of England's finest clubs in recent years, this just adds another level of recent experience to Lonergan's already impressive CV. The Englishman has recently worked under one of the best managers in modern Premier League history, and a world-class goalkeeper in Alisson Becker.

With Lonergan now looking at making the first steps into his non-playing career, a move back to Bolton would be a great option for both parties, as the former Liverpool man could get his first foot on the ladder in his post-playing career. The opportunity to get a full-time gig in an environment that he already knows will be a tempting offer for the current Wigan man.