WANDERERS go into this weekend’s game at Tranmere Rovers with just TWO senior outfield players in the squad.

Phil Parkinson is in desperate need of reinforcements for the trip to Prenton Park and has now seen centre-half Liam Edwards ruled out by an Achilles injury.

There are concerns over James Weir, who prior to his arrival at Bolton on the first day of the season had played just one competitive game in a year after returning from long-term injury. He has now played every minute of the opening three games.

Dennis Politic is also a doubt after aggravating a hip flexor problem in the midweek defeat at Rochdale in the Carabao Cup.

Jason Lowe and Luke Murphy are the last outfield players standing from last season’s squad, alongside keepers Remi Matthews and Ben Alnwick.

Nicky Spooner and Gavin McCann’s Under-18s, and a scattering of David Lee’s Under-23s have been able to step up for the last few weeks and ensure Wanderers were able to fulfil their fixtures but there are now serious concerns within the club that the physical toll is too heavy.

Bolton face another three-game week, with Tranmere followed by a home games against Doncaster Rovers and Ipswich Town.

The club are unable to register any more signings unless given expressed permission by the EFL.

Parkinson was able to bring in Josh Earl on loan from Preston North End and hand contracts to Weir and Harry Brockbank on the morning of the Wycombe game on August 3.

The EFL confirmed at the time that clubs who start a season in administration can apply to register players to enable them to fulfil fixtures. But Jack Hobbs, who agreed a deal with Wanderers at the start of the month, remains unregistered.

It may now fall upon the club’s administrators to lobby the league for new registrations, finances allowing, ahead of the Tranmere game – where more than 1,650 tickets have now been sold in the away end.

The likes of Billy Clarke, Craig Conway, Ben Pringle and Will Buckley have regularly trained at Lostock recently and there is just over a fortnight remaining until the close of the transfer window in Leagues One and Two.