Lawrie Wilson

Lawrie Robert Wilson (born 11 September 1987) is an English footballer who currently plays for Bolton Wanderers.
Wilson started his career at Charlton Athletic, and played regularly for the club's Under-18 side and reserve team until he was released in 2006. He joined Colchester United ahead of the 2006–07 season, but did not make any first-team appearances during his one-year stay with the club. During his time at Colchester he was loaned out to Conference South side Welling United, making a handful of appearances during his one-month loan spell.
Wilson signed for Hertfordshire side Stevenage in August 2007, and featured regularly for the club for two seasons, playing in the club's successful FA Trophy campaign in May 2009. However, he suffered a dislocated ankle and broken leg in three places in August 2009, ruling him out for eight months, but returned to first-team action in April 2010 as Stevenage won promotion to the Football League for the first time in the club's history. Wilson played a key part during the club's 2010–11 campaign, helping Stevenage earn promotion to League One. In July 2012, Wilson rejoined Charlton for an undisclosed fee. On 5 August 2015 he signed for Bolton Wanderers on a two-year deal.

Early career

Wilson began his career as a trainee with Charlton Athletic, and was a regular in the club's Under-18 team, where he played in defence. He progressed through the club's youth system, and featured in Charlton's reserve side throughout the club's 2005–06 campaign, making a total of 16 appearances for the reserve side as a second-year scholar. However, he failed to make any first-team appearances and was subsequently allowed to search for a new club. In February 2006, he played for Luton Town's reserve side in a match against Stevenage Borough reserves at Kenilworth Road, although no transfer materialised. He was officially released by Charlton in April 2006. A month later, Wilson went on trial at League Two side Shrewsbury Town, and played the whole match in Shrewsbury's 2–1 pre-season friendly home win against Rotherham United, although he was unsuccessful in his attempt to earn a professional contract with the club. In August 2006, Wilson signed a one-year deal with Colchester United. Similarly to his time at Charlton, Wilson featured regularly for the club's reserve side throughout the 2006–07 season, but failed to make any first-team appearances, making the substitute's bench once in a 1–0 loss to MK Dons in the League Cup. He was loaned out to Conference South side Welling United in December 2006. He made his debut for Welling in the club's 1–0 win away at Cambridge City, but was sent-off after just 27 minutes for violent conduct. He returned to first-team action in Welling's 0–0 draw against Basingstoke Town in the FA Trophy, and also played the whole match in Welling's 2–1 away win against Thurrock. Wilson played his last game for Welling in the club's 2–0 win at home to Fisher Athletic in early January 2007. He played a total of four times for Welling during his one-month loan spell at the club. On returning to his parent club, Wilson was released at the end of the 2006–07 season, and failed to make a first-team appearance for the club. Ahead of the 2007–08 season, Wilson spent pre-season trialling at Brentford and Stockport County respectively, training with Stockport for a number of weeks and playing in several pre-season friendlies, but was ultimately not offered a contract.

In August 2007, Wilson signed for Stevenage on a one-year contract. He made his Stevenage debut just a day after signing for the club, coming on as an 86th-minute substitute in Stevenage's 3–0 win against Weymouth. Wilson played in a total of 27 games during his first season at Stevenage, with the majority of his appearances coming in the second half of 2007–08 season. The following season under the new management of Graham Westley, Wilson featured regularly in both the full back position and at right midfield. In August 2008, Wilson scored his first ever professional goal in Stevenage's 3–1 away win at Barrow, taking advantage of a goalkeeping error in the 75th minute of the match to seal Stevenage's first win of the 2008–09 campaign. He made assists in games against Burton Albion and Forest Green Rovers respectively. He was also sent-off for the first time in Stevenage colours in the club's 3–1 home defeat to Histon in November 2008, picking up the red card for "offensive language". Wilson returned to the first team at the start of December and remained in the first-team until the end of the season, assisting goals in important wins against Woking and Cambridge United as Stevenage finished in the final play-off spot. He subsequently played in both of Stevenage's Conference Premier play-off games against Cambridge United in April 2009, as the club lost 4–3 on aggregate. Wilson's versatility also came into use during the club's successful FA Trophy campaign during the same season, as he played in four different positions in six of Stevenage's FA Trophy fixtures. He was deployed at left midfield in Stevenage's 2–0 win against York City in the Final at Wembley Stadium.

Wilson started in Stevenage's first game of the 2009–10 season in a 1–1 draw against Tamworth, adopting a much more attacking midfield role on the right wing. In the following game, Wilson's through pass assisted Andy Drury's goal against Hayes & Yeading, and Wilson continued his impressive start to the season by assisting Chris Beardsley's goal against Ebbsfleet United. In the same game, Wilson scored his first goal of the season, latching onto Ronnie Henry's ball before lashing the ball past the goalkeeper to give Stevenage a three-goal lead. Two weeks later, in Stevenage's 2–1 victory against Rushden & Diamonds, Wilson suffered a "career threatening injury" following a tackle from Michael Corcoran, which resulted in Wilson suffering a dislocated ankle and broken leg in three places. Wilson had a "successful operation" the following day and was expected to miss the rest of the 2009–10 season. Wilson returned earlier than expected, playing in a reserve match against Ipswich Town in March 2010, and he made his return to the first-team a week later against Luton Town, coming on as a 65th-minute substitute. Two days later, Wilson started his first game in just over eight months against AFC Wimbledon. He scored Stevenage's second goal, scoring on the half volley from Joel Byrom's chipped pass in Stevenage's 3–0 win at Kingsmeadow. He also played in the club's 2–0 win against Kidderminster Harriers at Aggborough in April 2010 – the game that secured Stevenage's place in the Football League for the first time in the club's history. Wilson played a total of 13 matches during the season, scoring twice. At the end of the season, it was announced that Wilson had signed a contract that keeps him at the club until July 2011.

Wilson played in Stevenage's first fixture of the 2010–11 season, playing 72 minutes in the club's 2–2 draw with Macclesfield Town. In September 2010, he was sent-off in a game against Cheltenham Town at Whaddon Road, receiving a red card for two bookable offences. He subsequently missed Stevenage's 0–0 draw against Torquay United as a result of the suspension. Shortly after, he signed a new contract with the club, keeping him at Stevenage until 2012. He returned to the first-team in Stevenage's win against Lincoln City, and provided two assists in Stevenage's 4–1 win away at Hereford United three days later. Wilson's fine form continued, as he was on hand to assist both of Stevenage's goals in a 2–1 win over Burton Albion – firstly being fouled in the area to earn Stevenage a penalty, and secondly crossing the ball into the box for Chris Holroyd to volley home. He scored his first goal of the 2010–11 season in Stevenage's 2–2 draw against Accrington Stanley in February 2011. A month later, Wilson scored both of Stevenage's goals in a 2–1 home win against Lincoln City, his second goal coming from 25 yards out after a neat interchange with John Mousinho. He scored his fourth goal of the season on 9 April 2011, netting an injury-time equaliser in a 2–2 draw at Stockport County. Wilson scored his fifth goal of the season on 25 April 2011, scoring the only goal of the game in Stevenage's 1–0 home win against Port Vale. He scored five goals in 50 appearances during the club's 2010–11 campaign, a season that witnessed Stevenage earn promotion to League One for the first time in their history.

Wilson was part of the starting eleven in Stevenage's first ever League One fixture at the start of the 2011–12 season, playing the whole game as the club drew 0–0 at home to Exeter City. In Stevenage's next game, Wilson provided the assist for Stacy Long's goal in a 4–3 extra-time defeat to Peterborough United in the League Cup. He also assisted Craig Reid in the club's 3–1 away win at Bournemouth on 16 August 2011. Three days later, on 19 August, Wilson signed a contract extension at the club. He added to his two previous assists by assisting Craig Reid's first goal in the club's 4–2 home win against Rochdale on 3 September. Wilson scored his first goal of the 2011–12 season in a 5–1 home win over Sheffield Wednesday, scoring Stevenage's fourth goal of the match just before half-time. In the same game, Wilson provided the run and pass to assist Darius Charles' second-half goal, Stevenage's fifth of the game. He added a second goal to his goal tally in Stevenage's Football League Trophy penalty loss against League Two side AFC Wimbledon — opening the scoring after seven minutes after Brett Johnson's clearance cannoned off of Wilson's leg and beat the stranded Seb Brown in the AFC Wimbledon goal. His fine form for the season continued, and he was pivotal in Stevenage's 2–1 home win against Sheffield United, assisting Mark Roberts' goal, before winning a penalty late-on, which was duly converted by Scott Laird. He also set-up Chris Beardsley's 38th-minute strike, to open the scoring, in an eventual 2–1 win against Tranmere Rovers at Broadhall Way. In the club's last game of 2011, on 31 December, Wilson scored the only goal of the game as Stevenage defeated Wycombe Wanderers 1–0 at Adams Park. The goal came in the 82nd minute of the match, with Wilson powerfully beating Nikki Bull from close-range following Luke Freeman's precise cross. He was also on hand to score two of Stevenage's five goals in a 5–1 victory against Rochdale at Spotland on 14 January 2012. Both of Wilson's goals came in the second-half; the first came shortly after the interval, when he ran onto Chris Beardsley's rolled pass to fire the ball into the net, with his second coming after he ran onto Mark Roberts' clearance to calmly beat Péter Kurucz in the Rochdale goal. Wilson scored one further goal during the campaign, scoring a diving header in injury-time in a 1–0 win over Oldham Athletic at Broadhall Way. It took Wilson's goal tally to six for the season, with the player being ever-present during the campaign, playing in all 56 of the club's games, as Stevenage narrowly lost in the play-off semi-finals. During Wilson's five years at Stevenage, he made 191 appearances in all competitions, scoring 15 goals.

In the summer of 2012, Wilson was strongly linked to Peterborough United, as well as Charlton Athletic. Stevenage confirmed that they had received two bids for the player, both of which from Championship clubs. In July 2012, Wilson signed for Charlton, the club he began his football career with, for an undisclosed fee. He made his debut for Charlton in the club's opening game of the 2012–13 season, a 1–1 draw with Leyton Orient in the League Cup at The Valley on 14 August 2012, which Charlton went on to lose 4–3 on penalties after extra-time. During the match, Wilson gave away a penalty after fouling David Mooney, although Mooney missed the subsequent spot-kick. He scored his first goal for Charlton in October 2012, during his tenth league appearance, scoring from close range to restore parity in a 1–1 draw with Wolverhampton Wanderers at Molineux. After a month out of first-team action, Wilson returned for Charlton's 2–2 home draw with Brighton & Hove Albion on 8 December 2012, and scored the first goal of the match courtesy of a glancing header from Dale Stephens' cross. It turned out to be Wilson's last goal of the season, a campaign in which he made 32 appearances as Charlton finished in ninth position in the Championship, just three points behind the final play-off place.

On 5 August 2015, Wilson signed for Bolton Wanderers on a two-year deal.

Loan to Peterborough United

On 2 January 2016, Wilson signed on loan for League One side Peterborough United. He said that re-uniting with former manager Graham Westley was a factor in the move. Wilson played just 4 times for Peterborough, starting as a substitute in their game with Sheffield United, and made his final appearance in the 2-2 draw with West Bromwich Albion in the FA Cup.

In August 2009, Wilson was called up to play for the England C team, who represent England at non-league level, in a game against Hungary C in Budapest. However, he was forced to pull out of the team after suffering a dislocated ankle and broken leg just three days later.

Wilson attended the private co-educational Millfield Preparatory School in Glastonbury, Somerset.

Stevenage

• FA Trophy: 2008–09
• Conference Premier: 2009–10
• Football League Two play-offs: 2010–11

As of 5 January 2016