Bolton Wanderers manager Ian Evatt has told The Bolton News that the League One title race will be highly competitive this season, with no single team likely to dominate the league.
Despite a challenging start to the campaign for Bolton, former Barrow boss Evatt remains optimistic about his team’s chances, suggesting that no side is likely to surpass the 90-point mark in what he expects to be a tightly contested division.
Evatt reflected on his previous experiences, reminding fans that early results do not determine the outcome of the season. “Last season we won the first three games 3-0, 3-0 and 3-1, but we didn’t get promoted,” he said. “Everyone will say we should have done, I accept that, but I think it shows that it doesn’t make or break your season.”
Bolton currently sits 18th in the League One table after losing two of their first four matches, a start that has frustrated fans. However, Evatt urged supporters to remain calm, pointing to his first season in charge of the club as an example of how early struggles can be overcome. “Everyone will remind me of my first season here when we ended up getting promoted. We lost the first five, didn’t we? And we’re doing a bit better than that right now,” he said.
Evatt is confident that improvements will come as the squad regains fitness, with several key players set to return from injury in the coming weeks. He also highlighted the need for more time on the training ground to fine-tune the tactical adjustments made over the summer.
“We have to find the right balance,” Evatt explained. “I still see us creating chances… but we are just not finishing them off.”
Despite the frustrating start, Evatt remains positive about Bolton’s prospects, insisting that the team will improve. “We just have to believe that our best is yet to come and, for me, that is exciting,” he said.
Looking ahead to Bolton’s upcoming match against Huddersfield Town, Evatt is optimistic that the return of “four or five” players from injury will bolster the squad. He also believes that with more time on the training ground, his team will settle into the tactical shifts introduced in the summer.
“We are frustrated, everyone is frustrated… We are trying really hard and we want to be good. We want to be consistently good,” Evatt added.
The 2024/25 season has so far been a mixed bag for Bolton. After a strong pre-season and high expectations, their sluggish start has raised concerns among supporters. But with Evatt’s track record of turning things around and his confidence in the squad’s ability to improve, Bolton fans will be hopeful that their team can climb the table and contend for promotion as the season progresses.
Writer’s View
Bolton absolutely should have been promoted last season, but they stumbled at the final hurdle. They look far and away as the second-best side in the division, but sometimes, you just need to be clinical. Derby were, Bolton were not.
That was close, and Evatt’s assertion this year will be closer does feel accurate. There are seven or eight clubs that have started well, Bolton not being one of them. Assuming there’s some settling over the next few weeks, the contenders should be whittled down to four or five, but the Trotters, and Rotherham, are two not currently there who will expect to climb the table.
It makes for a really interesting autumnal period.
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