Jonathan Grounds has officially left to join Bolton Wanderers on loan for the rest of the season.
The defender was not part of the club’s first team plans following the arrival of Kristian Pedersen from Union Berlin earlier this summer.
Fans on Twitter were not particularly pleased that the defender was allowed to leave for a rival Championship club:
Stupid move from us, decent LB, sent to a fellow champ side
— alex (@AlexRusseii) 13 August 2018
Gutted. A lot of known it all fans slate Groundsy but he’s been class for us! Good luck! KRO.
— Jordan4 (@CJagainandagain) 13 August 2018
Should never have been frozen out. Most consistent player for last 2 seasons
— Brummieblue (@JOMIROKRO) 13 August 2018
Think we should of kept him
— Craig Woodall (@Bluenosewoodall) 13 August 2018
Mistake
— Jake Elliot (@jakeelliot12) 13 August 2018
I’m willing to give Pedersen a chance, but at the moment he looks like an accident waiting to happen. I’d have preferred to have kept Grounds.
— Andy Tilley (@TilleyBCFC) 13 August 2018
Strengthen teams around us. Good idea Blues.
— BCFC News (@bcfcnews__) 13 August 2018
Others believe his departure was the right decision:
We should insert a clause where they are forced to play him against us in our two games.
— bongo (@BongoHChrist) 13 August 2018
Was good backup that was always loyal to the club through tough times but gives more chance for @MrWesleyHarding to come back into the side
— Sam Sharma (@_sam1875) 13 August 2018
Grounds’ wages were likely a major contributory factor for why Garry Monk allowed him to leave. Our no.3 is 30 years of age but has another two years left on his current deal.
Hopefully, Bolton are paying a good percentage of his salary for the remainder of the campaign, and in turn, that may help us have the restrictions placed on us by the EFL lifted.
The left-back was a solid performer for the most part, but unlike the fans above, I don’t think his departure to the University of Bolton stadium will markedly strengthen the Trotters.