Finally The Real Truth On Why Randell Williams Leaved Bolton Wanderers “Emerged” And Is So Sad That…

Why did Randell Williams leave Bolton for Leyton Orient?

A VAGUE social media post provided a sign that everything was not right at Wanderers for Randell Williams but should they beware a player scorned when he returns in Leyton Orient colours this weekend?

Thursday, January 16, and a few days on from a desperate display at Rotherham United, Ian Evatt had been speaking to the local press to preview Bolton’s next League One match at home to Cambridge United when Williams’ show of discontent hit the public domain.

A simple picture of the player with a black arrow pointing out of the screen with the words ‘coming soon’ seemed to suggest he was on his way at the Toughsheet Stadum. But apparently this was news to the then-Bolton boss.

A week on and Bolton had brought in another left sided player, Alex Murphy from Newcastle United, and Williams had been shuffled even further down the pack. Evatt had also changed his stance, admitting it was “possible” that the former Exeter City man could leave in the winter window. Little did he know at the time that he would be first out of the door.

Williams sealed his move to Leyton Orient on deadline day, his fate having been rubber-stamped well before a managerial replacement was named. Indeed, he had worked alone at non-league Ashton United with personal fitness trainers as Wanderers faced Reading in Steven Schumacher first game in charge.

It had been a rapid fall from grace for the Lambeth-born wide man, who had stated five of the previous nine games before a poor show at Rotherham in which he was subbed after an hour.

His ability to play in either wing-back role had seemed useful since recovering from the foot injury which had ruled him out on the eve of the play-off final – an unfortunate slip with serious consequences, which tore the muscle in his in-step, forcing Evatt to name the out-of-form Nat Ogbeta at Wembley.

The summer signing of Szabi Schon meant he never regained the left wing-back berth he had held quite consistently at the end of the previous season. Murphy had also been added an extra defensive option, also able to cover for George Johnston on the left side of the back three. Coupled with Josh Dacres-Cogley’s mechanical robustness on the right, and it was clear to see that game-time would be at a premium.

Nevertheless, the speed at which he became surplus to requirement once his controversial post was aired raises a question: Did it hint that a move was already on its way, or did it guarantee that he would be moved on?

Williams signed off with a professional message to the supporters, posting on his Instagram account: “Thank you to the fans, coaches, teammates, and everyone involved with Bolton Wanderers Football Club for your incredible support and the memories we’ve created over the last two years.

“I’ve always given my all for this club, and it’s been an honour to be a part of it. I’ll forever be grateful for the experiences and moments we shared. Wishing nothing but the best for the future — now it’s time for me to move on to my next chapter.”

But there have been snippets of interviews given at Leyton Orient over the last few weeks which hint at just a little displeasure with how it all finished up.

Speaking to the official website last week, Williams said of settling in: “I am used to it by now, I have played for a few clubs. The boys and staff have been excellent with me and it’s just been a case of learning what the gaffer wants from me and setting into the team as quickly as possible.

“It’s important as a player to go and play for a manager that really wants you. He plays wingers and I haven’t played winger for a while. It’s a position where I probably want to play.

“The identity of the club, where they are at, and the philosophy that the gaffer plays really drew me towards it, but again, it’s always great to be appreciated and to play for a club that wants you. It gives you that extra spark to play for the badge that little bit more.”

Williams played all of his 81 games for Bolton as a wing-back but had started his career with Exeter and Wycombe playing in midfield, primarily as an attacking winger.

His athleticism had attracted Wanderers in his League Two days but they lost out to Hull City when he left Exeter on a free transfer in the summer of 2021, picking him up 18 months later after a serious knee injury had limited his progress in the Championship.

Evatt’s attack-first policy forgave some of the player’s defensive deficiencies and Williams did chip in with some reasonable numbers, scoring six goals and providing nine assists in his time with the club.

The signing of Murphy, however, was a first concession from the club that they needed an alternative against some of the stronger sides in League One. Dacres-Cogley and Gethin Jones both have backgrounds as full-backs but neither Williams nor Schon could be labelled as particularly defensively minded players, even if the Hungary international is showing improvement on that front in his first season in English football.

With his contract up in the summer, Williams probably knew the writing was on the wall for him at Bolton and the chance to move back towards his native London and play in his preferred position at Leyton Orient came along at a good time for both parties.

Ironically, Steven Schumacher has already experimented with the aforementioned wing-backs in a more advanced inverted role, which would arguably have played to Williams’ strengths.

Leyton Orient played a 4-2-3-1 in victory against Wrexham on Tuesday night and it remains to be seen whether the Bolton boss will match-up – perhaps using Murphy/Osei-Tutu down the left and Dacres-Cogley/Schon on the right in a similar way he did at home to Crawley in an effort to expose some of the defensive limitations in what is a team in a rich vein for form which has taken more points than anyone else in the EFL during 2025 so far.