Bolton Wanderers manager Ian Evatt has seemingly taken a subtle dig at League One promotion rivals Birmingham City after their summer of heavy spending.
The Blues are aiming to make their stay in League One a short one following their relegation from the Championship last season. They mean serious business, having spent well over £10 million thus far on strengthening their squad.
This includes the acquisition of last season’s League One Golden Boot winner Alfie May, whereas seven figures have been paid for the likes of Willum Willumsson, Christoph Klarer and Emil Hansson. Throw in players such as Marc Leonard and Ryan Allsop and manager Chris Davies has built a squad that will be the envy of other teams within the division.
Their summer spree shows no signs of let up just yet though. With just over a week until the start of the new campaign, the West Midlanders are said to still be in talks with Fulham over a potential £6 million deal to bring striker Jay Stansfield back to St Andrew’s.
It’s no surprise that Birmingham are the heavy favourites to win the title, although others still harbour promotion ambitions. One of those is Bolton, who fell at the final hurdle last season with a defeat in the play-off final.
The Trotters know the importance of the upcoming season. This will be their fourth campaign in the fourth tier and supporters are starting to get itchy feet. Nothing short of earning a place in the Championship will be deemed as acceptable by many, with manager Ian Evatt still desperate to get more players through the door.
Four have arrived so far, although they have paid a fee for just one – Klaidi Lolos from Crawley Town. The club are working hard on potential deal, with Evatt claiming that the money offered elsewhere has made it a difficult summer:
“Every player has a value, and this summer the board have given us everything we would require, they have been absolutely amazing,” he told The Bolton News.
“Our values and processes remain the same, even though we can spend more and have offered more – and I have told you we have offered some big transfer fees and contracts out there – unfortunately other clubs can still offer more.”
The 42-year-old then went on to criticise others, seemingly taking a dig at Birmingham.
“That is not just in the Championship, it is at our level as well. There are a couple of anomalies, and I don’t need to name names, but they have spent money I didn’t think I’d ever see spent in League One.
“You are up against that but if people are making a football decision, we are in a really strong place. This football club has rich history, an unbelievable fanbase, brilliant stadium, an aesthetically pleasing way of playing, an ideology players enjoy, there is a lot going for us.
“If that decision becomes financial, they are probably not the right player for us, that’s the way I see it. We want players here who want to be here for football reasons, to get this club back to where it belongs, not for financial benefit.
“We are always fair in the market, and we will offer what we think people deserve, or even at the top end of that. We won’t be held to ransom, though, and if it becomes a financial decision and not a footballing one, then they are probably not right for us.”
Writer’s View
It was only a matter of time before someone within the division commented on the financial might of others within the division. Whereas Evatt hasn’t explicitly named anyone, we all know who he is talking about.
Birmingham’s expenditure has made this season all the more important for them. Should they fail to earn promotion, they could be in serious bother financially. They have thrown everything but the kitchen sink at a chance of promotion, but it is unlikely to be plain sailing. League One is an exceptionally tough league and they will know that they have a target on their back every time they step out on the pitch.
As for Bolton, all they can do is hope to be the ‘best of the rest’. Should Birmingham secure the title as expected, that second automatic promotion spot is up for grabs, and they need to grasp it with both hands.
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