Eoin Doyle admits Antoni Sarcevic's Bolton Wanderers depature was 'very sudden' and that the former captain's move to Stockport was something like he has never seen before but hopes he will get a good reception in the FA Cup replay.
The former Wanderers skipper was not involved against his old side in the FA Cup first round yesterday.
League One Wanderers hosted the National League side at the University of Bolton Stadium.
READ MORE: Bolton Wanderers player ratings vs Stockport County - Afolayan impressive and Isgrove good
Backed by some 5,000 away supporters, the visitors took a shock lead when Scott Quigley put them in front, but Wanderers rallied and got back on level terms when Doyle equalised and then went ahead thanks to Elias Kachunga.
But County equalised in first half stoppage time when Ben Whitfield slotted home, with the tie being taken to a replay at Edgeley Park and the game likely to be played on Tuesday, November 16.
Sarcevic made the move to County in a surprise move last month and was injured for yesterday's encounter, though Doyle claims there might have been an agreement that he might not have played against Wanderers anyway.
And Doyle, who is good friends with Sarcevic, hopes that the former Bolton captain gets a good reception from the travelling Wanderers supporters should he play against his old side in the replay.
Doyle said: “He is a good friend of mine. I think there was an agreement that he wasn’t going to play, I don’t know, but I wish him all the best, definitely.
“It will be great to get a bit of banter. I hope he does play because it would be good for him.
“I hope he’d get a good reception as well because he did well for this club. He led us from day one and captained the club through some tough times – it was hard in that first few months but he got through it with us all.
“It was very quick, very sudden. And with the window being closed it was something I have never seen before. But football is a mad old sport and they say a week is a long time in this sport. But life goes on, we move on.
“It is a young squad here and George gets that opportunity – I think he will be a big player for us, going forward."
Doyle dragged Wanderers back into the encounter, turning home Lloyd Isgrove's cross in the first half before Kachunga put Bolton ahead.
It has been a difficult time of late for Doyle in front of goal and for Wanderers generally in October, but the Irishman has now scored in back-to-back encounters and is pleased with what he has seen from Bolton in the past few games.
He said: “I think we did well first half but maybe a bit lethargic second half. We weren’t our usual selves but they did a good job, they were organised and made it difficult. A replay it is, I’m looking forward to it.
“It was brilliant, the run from Izzy, Dapo’s pass. Me and Izzy have got a bit of a history in those situations, so he put it on a plate for me.
“Second half there was a great ball in to my head but it came in very slow and if it was Baka he would have finished it no problem, he is stronger in the air, but I put what I could on it but it was a good save.
“It (the last six weeks) was a bit like the first half of last season, not ideal. But there were some games early on where we should have won and didn’t get the results. That knocked our confidence a bit.
“Tuesday we turned it on at Rochdale and today we were dominant for good spells. Just mistakes for the two goals."
