City fans hope Mills exit doesn't come to haunt them.

Of all Sven Goran-Eriksson's summer signings last season, Matt Mills' transfer from Reading promised the most, but in the end delivered very little.

Bought for a Football League record £5 million, Mills was regarded as one of the best defenders in the Championship. He scored in the Championship playoff final the previous season but was unable to help the Royals to promotion, losing to Swansea.

Eriksson gave Mills the captain's armband and things were looking good as two wins from the first two games of the season against Coventry and then Rotherham United in the first round of the League Cup. However, the first home game of the season against Mills' old club Reading brought a poor performance. Maybe it was due to the pressure of coming up against old faces that caused it, but Mills didn't look like a £5 million defender.

Performances improved as Mills and Sol Bamba became a regular centre back pairing as City went on a seven match unbeaten run going into mid October. However, an away game at Birmingham, televised by the BBC, saw Mills pick up his first red card for a two-footed tackle on Morgaro Gomis.

Eriksson was sacked a week later and replaced by Nigel Pearson. Mills kept his place and the captaincy, but saw red again at Pearson's old club Hull City, giving away a penalty for a professional foul on Aaron McLean.


The departure of Bamba to the African Nations cup saw Mills partner Sean St Ledger in the heart of defence during the turn of the year, and things looked to be on the up. He scored his only goal of his City career in the 2-0 win at Southampton and City were still in the hunt for a playoff place.


However, it proved to be a false dawn. After Leicester's 3-2 defeat at Watford, for which Mills was one of a number to be blamed after one of the poorest performances of the season, it was alleged that Mills and Pearson had a bust-up.

Rumours had linked Mills with a loan move to fellow Championship teams Leeds and West Ham. A move didn't materalise, instead being stripped of the captaincy and training with the youth team. A transfer in the summer was inevitable, with relegated Bolton Wanderers making a move, paying £2 million for his services.

Bolton will no doubt be in the mix for a return to the Premier League this season and there is no doubt that Mills is still one of the best defenders outside the Premier League. City fans will be hoping that the decision to sell him to a potential promotion rival won't prove costly come the end of the season.