Fergal Harkin to become Director of Football at Bolton Wanderers

Fergal Harkin says he wants to play a part in taking Bolton Wanderers back to the Premier League.

The Ballyliffin man, a former Finn Harps captain, will become Sporting Director at the club later this year.

Harkin is currently Sporting Director at Standard Liège in Belgium, but will leave that role at the end of the Belgian Pro League season to take up a new post with The Trotters.

Bolton are currently in a promotion play-off spot, sixth, in League One. They were last in the Premier League in the 2011-12 season.

“Bolton Wanderers is a club with tremendous potential and I am eager to play my part in helping the club achieve its goals and return to its rightful place in the upper echelons of English football,” Harkin said.

“I am thrilled and honoured to join Bolton Wanderers at such an exciting time in the club’s history. I have been deeply impressed by the club's ambition, the passion of the fans and the clear vision set out by the ownership.

“I am committed to building a strong and sustainable football infrastructure, from the academy to the first team, that will enable us to compete at the highest level and deliver consistent success for our supporters.”

In 2021, Harkin was strongly linked to a role at Celtic. At the time, he was the Football Partnerships and Pathways Manager at Manchester City.

He joined Standard Liège in 2022 after 12 years at Man City having previously worked with Nike in sales and marketing. Milford native Amber Barrett plays for the Standard Liège women's team.

As a player, Harkin, who played his schoolboys football at Clonmany Shamrocks, won the League of Ireland Premier Division with Bohemians in 2003 under Stephen Kenny having played on the Harps side that reached the FAI Cup final in 1999, losing to Bray Wanderers after a second replay. He had spent some time at Leicester City, snapped up while he was studying at Loughborough University.

On his new role at Bolton, he said: “I’m excited to get started, meet the players, staff and fans, and work together to create a bright future for Bolton Wanderers. Together, I believe we can achieve great things.”

As Sporting Director, Harkin will be responsible for overseeing all of Bolton Wanderers’ football operations, including player recruitment, academy development, scouting, sports science and performance analysis. 

He will work closely with Head Coach Steven Schumacher, the coaching staff and other key personnel to implement the club’s football strategy and achieve its ambitious goals both on and off the pitch.

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Bolton Wanderers Chairman Sharon Brittan said:“Fergal's experience, vision and deep understanding of the modern football landscape are exactly what we need to take the Club to the next level. His proven ability to identify, develop and recruit talent, coupled with his strategic approach to football operations, makes him the ideal candidate to lead our sporting vision.

“We are incredibly excited to welcome him to Bolton Wanderers and look forward to a long and successful partnership."