Bolton Wanderers have sacked manager Ian Evatt following last night’s 2-1 defeat to Charlton Athletic and the Toughsheet Community Stadium, which has left them with just one win in their five games of the calendar year.
The news was first revealed by Marc Iles of the Bolton News, who said that the decision came after an emergency board meeting was held following last night’s game. Although Evatt did speak to the media after the game, this was not broadcast by the club.
Earlier this week he had been forced to apologise after using foul language while leaving the pitch at half time during Saturday’s 2-2 draw at Cambridge United, an incident which was put online by the visitors as part of their highlights package.
Individual and Club Honours
Evatt took over as Bolton manager in July 2020, having guided Barrow to the National League title and a return to the EFL for the first time in 48 years after the season was decided on a points-per-game basis.
Despite a poor start, Evatt won League Two Manager of the Month for November 2020, also winning the award for February and March 2021 as the Whites won the League Two title, securing a return to the third tier at the first time of asking.
In 2023, Bolton won the EFL Trophy beating Peterborough United 4-0 in the final at Wembley. That season Evatt became a minority shareholder in club owners Football Ventures Limited. Making him a minority owner in the club. Last season they finished third in League One, but lost the Play-Off Final to Oxford United.
Where did it go wrong for Evatt?
After suffering back-to-back relegations due to financial problems which threatened the very existence of the club and narrowly avoiding the same fate as fellow Greater Manchester side Bury, who were expelled from the EFL, the club will have no doubt hoped their rise back would be similarly quick.
However, that has not quite happened. They did manage to get immediate promotion out of League One, but they have found getting out of the third tier much trickier. In their first season back in 2021-22 they finished ninth, ten points off the play-offs.
It is the Play-Offs that have proved their Achilles heel for the last two years. In 2023 they finished fifth in the regular season but lost in the semi-finals to Barnsley. Last season they managed to beat the Tykes in the Play-Off semi finals and were favourites going into the final against Oxford, but were beaten 2-0.
How has this season gone so far?
After opening the season by beating Leyton Orient, Bolton were then held to a goalless draw by Wrexham before suffering three successive defeats which left them 21st in the table. However, that was followed by four wins in five, their best run of the season.
Since that run was ended by Birmingham City, Bolton have been unable to find any consistency, winning six and losing five. They have not had back-to-back wins since beating Peterborough United and Stevenage in October.
However, Evatt’s dismissal may not be purely down to results. In October he was charged with misconduct and given a touchline ban after an incident during a game with Shrewsbury Town which saw him have a heated exchange with Shrews goalkeeper Warren Feeney. These incidents have led to a difficult relationship with Bolton fans.
What’s next for Bolton?
Bolton are back in action on Saturday when they travel to Huddersfield Town, before rounding out January by hosting struggling Northampton Town on Tuesday.
February begins with a trip to Reading before home games against Crawley Town and Leyton Orient either side of a trip to Shrewsbury Town. With three of those six matches against teams currently in the bottom five, this is a great opportunity to pick up points.
Bolton are currently only three points off a play-off spot, so a top six finish and promotion is certainly still achievable this season, but Wanderers will need to find some consistency and put a run together if they are to force their way in.