Bolton boss is backing Armstrong

NEWCASTLE United striker Adam Armstrong’s loan spell at Bolton has belatedly kicked into gear – and now fellow Wanderers striker Gary Madine is backing him to win over his doubters at the Macron Stadium.

After emerging as one of Newcastle’s most promising talents as a teenager, Armstrong’s first Championship loan spell with Barnsley was hit and miss and prompted Rafa Benitez to offer him back out to second tier clubs on a sixmonth loan.

Newly-promoted Bolton, operating under stringent transfer regulations, signed him until January and have promptly used him mostly in an unfamiliar left-wing slot, which has been a challenge for the ex-England under-20 forward.

But he scored his first league goal in a 2-1 win over Norwich and Madine has seen enough Adam Armstrong of his “brilliant finishing” to be confident that he’s going to be a success in the Championship.

Madine told the Bolton News: “Adam is a brilliant player.

“He is a great finisher and maybe not everyone has seen that yet. But we do see it every day in training.

“He hadn’t scored for a few games but he’s got off the mark now in the league so I think he’ll push on from there.

“He doesn’t let it get him down. His finishing is amazing in training and up there with the best I have seen.

“He is doing a selfless task playing on the left wing when he is a centre forward.

“He is doing a great job for the team.”

United must now decide their next move with the Academy graduate.

Armstrong has plenty of admirers and would not be short on suitors in League One and the Championship who would play him in a more familiar striker role if Bolton do not decide to exercise their loan option and keep him. But Madine would like to see the loan extended: “I am hoping so. I know the gaffer will probably want him to and I know Adam will want to stay as well. Because we have a good bond as a team. I hope he stays. I am sure he will.”