Bolton Wanderers have announced that manager Ian Evatt has left the club by mutual consent following last night’s 2-1 defeat against Charlton Athletic.
The 43-year-old had found himself under increasing pressure in recent months, although that had ramped up since the turn of the year. The Trotters have recorded just one league victory in 2025 whilst losing three and drawing against relegation-threatened Cambridge United.
Although they sit just three points off the play-off places in ninth, the truth is that they have never looked like breaking into the top six. After a really poor start to the season, Evatt admitted that there had been some hangover amongst his squad following last season’s play-off final defeat against Oxford United.
Make Or Break Season
This season was seen as do or die for Bolton. Their narrow reverse at Wembley meant that promotion was seen as the minimum requirement. Although a play-off place is still attainable, they are 16 points behind second-placed Wrexham.
It’s been almost three months since Bolton recorded back-to-back victories, although they did progress to the EFL quarter final with a 1-0 victory over Lincoln City last week.
Time Up For Evatt
Rumours emerged immediately in the aftermath of last night’s loss that a decision was set to be made on Evatt’s future. Bolton had led at half time but collapsed in the second half as Charlton scored twice in the last 20 minutes to secure a 2-1 win.
Football Insider revealed this morning that he had been sacked, whilst local journalist Marc Iles confirmed that an emergency board meeting had been called last night.
The news was then confirmed by Bolton themselves, citing that the former Barrow boss had left the club by mutual consent. In a statement, chairman Sharon Brittan said:
“Ian arrived at a challenging time for Bolton Wanderers Football Club and his dedication to rebuilding both on and off the pitch has been commendable. He instilled a renewed sense of professionalism and purpose, and we are grateful for his significant contributions during his four and a half years at the helm.
“He has been a pleasure to work with and I personally thank him for his hard work and passion for this Club. He has created a tremendous legacy and will always be remembered for the successes he has brought. We wish him nothing but success in the future.
“The Board are committed to finding the right candidate to lead Bolton Wanderers forward.”
Writer’s View
This decision feels as if it has been a long time coming. You have to admire Bolton for giving Evatt every opportunity to turn things around, especially considering that he had achieved success during his tenure at the club. However, this feels like a natural end, and there is still plenty of time left this season for the next manager to turn things around.
