The signing of former St. Louis U. and New York Red Bulls defender Tim Ream with the Bolton Wanderers in the English Premier League on Thursday, Jan. 26, ended several weeks of rumors that Ream would move to Bolton.

The move is significant for at least two reasons: Another American player has shown himself worthy enough to play in the best soccer league in the world, and Ream became the first St. Louisan to play in the EPL when he started in the central defense against Chelsea Feb. 25. He is the second St. Louis U. player to appear in an EPL game. The other, Brian McBride, is a Chicago native who played for Fulham from 2004-08. Ream is from St. Dominic High School in O’Fallon, Mo. Ream made his Bolton debut on Saturday, Feb. 18, playing in all of Bolton’s 2-0 FA Cup victory over Millwall.

(After this story was first posted on Jan. 13, one reader asked if Frank Simek, who was born in the St. Louis area, might be the first St. Louisan to play in the EPL. Simek and his family moved to England when he was a youngster and he came up through Arsenal’s youth system. But Simek appeared only once for Arsenal, in a Carling Cup match in 2003. His career since then has been with English teams in the second and third divisions.)

Ream apparently left a lasting impression with Bolton during a tryout last month. Needing to replace defender Gary Cahill, who signed with Chelsea on Jan. 16, Bolton sought Ream to bolster its roster.

“Tim Ream is a fantastic player and one I like, as do a number of clubs,” Bolton manager Owen Coyle told the Telegraph in England.

There was much speculation about whether or not this will be a good move for Ream, who had an up-and-down sophomore season in 2011 with Major League Soccer’s Red Bulls and the U.S. National Team. Some in the media wrote that Ream would have issues adapting to the fierce pace of the EPL; others noted that Bolton stands a good chance of relegation to the second division next season.

(For those unfamiliar with professional soccer as it is played in almost all other countries outside the United States, the bottom-finishers are sent to the lower division and top teams in the lower division move up to the higher division the next season. In the English Premier League, the last three finishers are relegated to the second-division Championship. In the U.S., this would be akin to the Houston Astros going to AAA baseball in 2012 as a result of their last-place finish in the NL’s Central Division in 2011.)

St. Louis native Brad Davis of the Houston Dyanmo, one of the top players in MLS, said an opportunity for an American to play in the EPL is too good to pass up. “You can’t blame him for wanting to go over and give it a try and put himself in that environment and try and get better,” Davis said while in St. Louis for the Hermann Trophy awards Jan. 6. “One of the things about being a young guy is you’ve got to try. You get the opportunity and turn it down, who knows when the next one is going to come around.”

Ream’s strengths, say those who know him, are especially suited to what would be an overwhelming transition for many otherwise talented players. “Tim was brought up to be a modest person, not to show off, and to appreciate the things that he achieves,” said Greg Koeller, Ream’s coach at St. Dominic. “He believes in himself, not just for sport, but for life. That is why he is quite capable of taking what could be a bewildering experience in stride and appear quite unflappable. This is why he has shown growing assurance in the middle of the New York Red Bull backline and will adapt to the frenzied pace of the EPL and the more cerebral international game. Tim will be a fantastic player to watch in any professional league.

“It was clear from my first introduction that he was a special talent.  Besides the superb touch, vision, and instinct, he brought tactical order through his very calculating mind, authentic soccer intelligence, and focused concentration. Tim was a consummate team player willing to sacrifice for the good of the group. His modest demeanor is one of an understated warrior. His game is built on solid work ethic, discipline, stamina, and commitment. His skill is sublime. Tim is smooth and calm. There is an economy of effort to his actions. (He has) gifted qualities that are very rare indeed.”

Adds Davis: “The biggest thing that everyone notices (about Ream) is he’s very calm with the ball, a very good passer out of the back. He’s composed. He isn’t one of those guys who’s just going to go and break up a play and knock the ball down the field. He’s going to try to keep it for his team.”

Even if the move to Bolton doesn’t work out, either because the Wanderers are relegated or Ream isn’t equal to the task, he’s young enough at age 24 to incorporate lessons learned and come back to the United States as a better player.

“You hope a guy like that is willing to learn, keep a good head on his shoulders and be humble, because he’s got the talent and the ability to go places and be a big part not just of the EPL and MLS, but a big part of our national team,” Davis said. “Hopefully he continues to grow and has the will to want to learn and get better.”