League One news: Ex-Sunderland goalkeeper won't be dropped by Bolton despite mistake

Born in Middlesbrough, Dixon began his career at Sunderland as a youth teamer, spending two loan spells at Workington plus temporary transfers to Boston United, Hartlepool United and Gateshead before moving to Barrow permanently.

Wanderers announced the signing of Dixon on a two-year deal from Barrow last season. The 28-year-old made 195 appearances for Barrow in his five years at the club, including 46 in Sky Bet League Two during the 2020-21 campaign.

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Playing against his former club Barrow in the Papa John’s Trophy, though, Dixon made an error in a 3-2 loss. The stopper hasn’t played in the league this season but has remained Bolton’s cup goalkeeper.

Dixon is out of contract in the summer and has been pushed out of the starting XI for league games by Manchester City loanee James Trafford. Bolton boss Ian Evatt, though, has refused to throw his goalkeeper under the bus.

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“Joel will be disappointed with it and I know he’s better than that,” Bolton manager Evatt told The Bolton News. “He has been training really well and, for whatever reason at the moment, every mistake he seems to make in games, it seems to go in.

“But we think he’s a really good goalkeeper, we’ll support him. There will be nobody more disappointed than Joel Dixon with that goal, but the most important thing is the team managed to rally and get us through to the next round.”