By Mark Heys
February 7 2008

League Two side Rochdale have completed the signing of Bolton Wanderers midfielder Chris Basham on a three month loan deal after Dale manager Keith Hill had the player watched in recent times.

Basham is currently a regular in the Wanderers reserve team and was last season part of the squad which lifted the FA Premier Reserve League title, their first honour at that level in twelve years.

The 19-year old former Newcastle United schoolboy joined Bolton in 2005 from Durham City and has also had a spell out on loan with Stafford Rangers during his time at the Reebok Stadium.

Rochdale manager Keith Hill was delighted to have secured the services of Basham and is likely to hand him his debut in Saturday's clash against Lincoln City.

"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." said Bolton-born Hill when questioned about his new recruit

"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 a new motivation.

"It adds to the competition for places and I am sure that he will live up to challenge" added the former Blackburn and Plymouth defender who has recently been named as the League Two manager of the month.

Wanderers manager Gary Megson and previous boss Sammy Lee have both endorsed sending out some of the club's younger players to help them improve their game, with Leslie Thompson, Mark Ellis, Jaroslaw Fojut and Johann Smith just some of the names who have been given the chance of temporary moves elsewhere this year.