Ian Evatt has been in the headlines this week as questions surrounding his future continue to loom over Bolton Wanderers.
Despite taking The Trotters to the League One play-off final, narrowly losing to Oxford United, the start to this season has fallen short of the pre-season hopes of another promotion push. The Bolton News reported that Evatt’s short-term future at the club is safe and will be in the dugout against Reading, but with some backroom staff changes expected.
We thought we should take a look at where it all started for the 42-year-old in Lancashire, looking at his first squad in an EFL Cup loss to Bradford City on the 5th of September, 2020.
In goal was Billy Crellin, one of ten players making his debut for Wanderers on the day. He played for Bolton whilst on loan from Fleetwood Town. That season was his only at the club, being sold to Everton in 2022. He is now at Accrington Stanley, deputising for Michael Kelly.
George Taft was the first of three centre-backs in the starting lineup, in what was one of five games he played in White. Bought from Cambridge United on a two-year deal, he was sent to Scunthorpe United before that was made permanent. Taft now plays for Mickleover Sports in the Northern Premier League.
Alex Baptiste joined after two difficult stints at Luton Town and Doncaster Rovers. He was the only player not to make their debut in the game, having previously played for Bolton. Unlike Taft, he stuck around in Lancashire and made 60 appearances before heading to Irish side Waterford on a free transfer. At 38, he is currently a free agent.
The final defender alongside them was Ricardo Almeida Santos, one of two players left from the squad that day to still be at the club. He has made 183 appearances for The Trotters since joining that summer from Barnet and is now the club’s captain.
On the left-hand side was Liam Gordon, who was singed from Dagenham and Redbridge. He was loaned back to the London side halfway through that season before returning for a full season in League One for Wanderers. Walsall signed him on a free transfer and he remains there today.
One of Evatt’s former players at Barrow, Tom White was loaned in at Bolton from Blackburn Rovers. His half-season loan spell at the club saw him appear 14 times before returning to Ewood Park. He would go back to The Bluebirds for three seasons permanently and is now at Morecambe.
Montserrat international Brandon Comley joined from Colchester United on a free transfer. He would last over a year at Wanderers with 15 appearances under his belt before being released. The midfielder joined Dagenham for a short-term deal and is now alongside Gordon at Walsall.
Gethin Jones was signed on a free transfer from Carlisle United and made the first of his 161 appearances against Bradford. He remains at Bolton alongside Ricardo Santos but is yet to feature this season.
Captaining the side was Antoni Sarcevic, who went on to score the only goal for The Trotters to level the contest. He was signed by National League Stockport County the following season and helped them to back-to-back promotions. He now plays for Bolton’s opponents on that day in City.
Another player who has represented both sides was Eoin Doyle. Having been moved on to Swindon Town by The Bantams, Doyle joined Wanderers after being the reigning top scorer in League Two. He scored 19 goals in the league and stuck around for two seasons before heading back to Ireland.
Nathan Delfouneso was the second striker that day. Like Sarcevic, he went on to represent Bradford during the tail end of his time in Lancashire. He then moved on to Accrington Stanley and is now a free agent having most recently played for AFC Fylde.
The only substitute on the day was Ali Crawford, who Evatt re-signed as his first action in charge of Bolton. After 38 appearances he was loaned out to Tranmere Rovers before ending up in Scotland. He now plays for Greenock Morton in the Scottish Championship.
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