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Bolton chairman Sharon Brittan speaks on Ian Evatt’s future with the club in statement

Bolton Wanderers chairman Sharon Brittan speaks on Ian Evatt’s future with the club in a lengthy pre-Christmas statement.

Brittan has expressed support for Evatt, indicating that she believes he is the right person to lead the team and still believes they are firmly in the race for promotion this season.

Wanderers ended up being booed off in their game against Wigan at the weekend, losing 2-0, and currently sit 8th in the League One table, with 30 points from 18 games played, are 1 point from the playoff places, and have games in hand over sides around them.

CHAIRMAN’S STATEMENT:

As we approach the festive season, I want to take this opportunity to wish each and every one of you a wonderful Christmas and a peaceful New Year. Christmas is a time for togetherness, and on behalf of everyone at Bolton Wanderers, I want to thank our incredible fans for your loyal support throughout the year.

Whether we’ve shared a chat in person, exchanged emails or welcomed some of you into the boardroom, your continued passion and dedication has been truly heartwarming. The exchanges with so many of you, where you kindly take the time to share your personal journeys with the club (both highs and lows!) over so many years, are wonderful to hear and confirm that we are indeed a traditional, community football club.

We support each other and create special moments which live in our memories and are experienced with generations of our families which epitomise the power of football and why we love it so much and why it creates such an emotional journey.

As Chairman of Bolton Wanderers, I would also like to take this moment to reaffirm my loyal support – and that of the entire club – for our manager, Ian Evatt, his staff and the players, and to highlight the strength of the journey we are all on together.

I met with Ian and his staff and all the players last week and they are a special group of people who are fully committed to this football club and understand the task in hand this season; that we need to progress again. I think both loyalty and continuity bring long-term success and that is our model which I do believe is different from others. It definitely brings frustrations at times but getting to the top is never easy.

Looking at the bigger picture, since Ian took charge in July 2020, this club has made consistent progress, season by season. The foundations he has built – both on and off the pitch – have been instrumental in driving us towards our ambitions.

From winning promotion out of League Two at the first attempt to back-to-back appearances at Wembley, including lifting the club’s first silverware in over 30 years, and successive League One play-off campaigns, Ian’s contributions have been immeasurable. I am immensely proud of the legacy we are building together.

None of us want to lose games. That sentiment is shared by me, the Board, Ian, and the team. After every match – whether we win, draw or lose – there is deep reflection and analysis as we continually work to improve. As a Board, we are not afraid to ask tough questions and challenge appropriately to ensure that we’re all playing our part to move this club forward.

While some results this season have been unfavourable, we remain very much in contention for promotion. I truly believe in the progress we are making and remain confident in Ian’s leadership. His passion and vision for this club, along with the wider team of talented people at Bolton Wanderers, drive our shared commitment to take this club to the next level.

When times are challenging, we must come together as a club, a community and a town – as we always do. Our collective focus must remain on achieving our ultimate goal: winning promotion to the Championship. Ian has the full trust of both the Board and investors and we are doing everything possible across the club and within the first-team to achieve that success.

To our supporters, I trust in you as much as I ask you to trust in me and my belief in what we are doing together with our manager and team. Your incredible support has been, and will continue to be, vital to everything we do. Together, we can push forward, overcome challenges and achieve the success we all want for Bolton Wanderers. This journey of ours is unique and, in my opinion, is a marathon not a sprint.​​

Thank you for your continued backing and dedication to the club.

Let’s continue to move forward as One Club, One Community, One Town.

Sharon Brittan,
​​Chairman, Bolton Wanderers Football Club

Here’s how fans reacted as Bolton chairman Sharon Brittan speaks on Ian Evatt’s future with the club in a lengthy statement…

@MichaelYates89: Can’t say I’m surprised, I’d have been more shocked if he’d been sacked

@Ad4md3s4vag3: Well if she’s backing him tell the cunt to come clap the fans after the game then and not scurrying away down the tunnel

@Novaish73: Finally a statement! It’s the wrong call sadly 🤨

@paulgreenhalgh1: Promotion from the bottom tier of English football (didn’t even win it) and 2 play off failures aren’t successes Sharon that’s the bare minimum expectation. That absolutely demonstrates how you and this stubborn egomaniac are detached now from what is acceptable

@Sam_Owen99: Thought about it and the overhaul of a manager and a squad is too big mid season. A whole group of senior players need to leave, a new system put in place with a new manager. It needs at least a summer to do. This seasons hopes though are written off.

@GuyGibsonBWFC: Bottled it Sharon. You’ve got this one wrong. No way back for Evatt. SACK HIM #bwfc

@BwfcFans: you’ve fully bottled it

@drac_uk: Sorry Sharon, don’t buy it. This isn’t to do with form or he would have gone. It’s going to get ugly

@OneSizeFitz89: Wow. The board are bottle jobs as wells the manager & players. EVATT OUT! #BWFC

@harveybwfc: Games gone

@Tevans1994: She’s had a shocker here. We lose to Wycombe on Friday, with a Birmingham win too, then we’re 15 points off automatics. Which was openly said was the aim at the start of the season. Not good enough. #BWFC

@Wil1J: Sigh. Sounds like he might at least go if we don’t “progress” this year but practically guaranteeing him the rest of the season is giving it far too long. Clearly prepared to die on that hill. Fear we’ll see huge attendance drop off’s now. May aswell write this season off. #bwfc

@wilsonbwfc: Statement is actually laughable! Failed with autos last season, then again in the playoffs. Going backwards this season but gets the vote of confidence. Weak leadership from top to bottom. She’ll be worried when tickets sales take a huge dip with another season in league 1 #BWFC

@Gibbs21Jack: Bottled it

@HPennington16: ffs i got excited then

@PhiliconYT: At least we got something back from Sharon. Let’s face it, we are not going up this season. After this season, Evatt has to leave. Simple. She is definitely backing him for the rest of the season. #bwfc

@Sharpy1991: She’s doubled down on her support for him. To say we are still very much in contention for promotion is a crazy thing to say, has she been watching the games?

@coop_joe: Just get rid

@JohnYboyee: The phrase ‘consistent progress’ is a funny one. Although it’s right to support IE, there has to be a line where common sense kicks in. It’s obvious to many that IE is struggling mentally, so please look after him and his family, and do the right thing, before it ends in tears.

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