Hill signs Bolton player on three month loan

Keith Hill has strengthened his options with the loan signing of Bolton Wanderers midfielder Chris Basham. The 19-year-old has agreed a three month loan deal and will go straight into the squad travelling to Lincoln on Saturday.

Basham, from Hebburn, was released by Newcastle United less than three years ago for being too small. He was spotted by Bolton talent scouts while playing for Durham County and impressed their reserve manager and academy director while on trial and was offered a two year contract.

After being released from NUFC having played for their youth teams from the age of nine, Basham enrolled on a National Diploma in Sport Performance and Excellence at Gateshead College where he was a key member of the college's men's football team as well as representing his county.

Last summer Basham made his Bolton debut in a pre-season friendly against Burnley at Turf Moor and has been a regular in the Bolton reserve side therafter, including a game just last Monday against Liverpool.

He was allowed out on loan to Conference side Stafford Rangers in November 2006 under a work experience scheme and played three games for them.

Dale manager Keith Hill is delighted with his signing saying: "He is utility player who prefers to be in central midfield. He is a player that we have watched for a long time and one that we admire. He is 19 and comes from good stock. He has been given a long term contract at Bolton and they believe in him.

"He has possibly gone a little stale in the reserves and may need new motivation. We are hopefully going to give him that. We have watched him and wanted to bring him in for a while but we never felt until now that the situation was right. He will be a good acquisition for the club. It adds to the competition for places and I am sure that he will live up to challenge."