Favourites to become new Bolton manager with Ian Evatt sacked after defeat to Charlton

Fans turn their attention to the favourites to become new Bolton manager with Ian Evatt sacked after the 2-1 defeat to Charlton.

Evatt departs after four-and-a-half years, during that time, he led the team to promotion from League Two to League One in his first season, finishing 3rd, won the EFL Trophy in 2022/23, and secured a place in the League One playoffs in the last two seasons.

Bolton have struggled to recover from losing in the 2024 playoff final to Oxford United, dropping to 9th in the League One table, 38 points from 26 games played, have won just 2 of their last 9 league games, and are 3 points from the playoff places.

Expectations haven’t been met, with the team struggling to maintain consistent form and facing criticism from fans and analysts alike.

This decision comes after a period where the team’s results have been falling short of the promotion ambitions set by the club.

The club’s board, including chairwoman Sharon Brittan, had publicly supported Evatt until very recently, but the pressure from poor performances and fan discontent seems to have led to this managerial change.

Marc Iles tweeted on Wednesday morning: “Stand by your beds. If you actually managed to make it to bed… was told last night there had been an emergency board meeting – and the lack of club media interviews obviously suggests one outcome. No confirmation from Wanderers as yet but looks like the end of Ian Evatt’s four and a half year tenure. #bwfc”

Ian Evatt’s four-and-a-half year reign at Bolton Wanderers has come to an end after last night’s 2-1 defeat against Charlton Athletic. https://t.co/yJ3trGCTNT #bwfc

— Marc Iles (@MarcIles) January 22, 2025

Bolton Wanderers Football Club today announces that First Team Manager Ian Evatt has left the Club by mutual consent.

We would like to express our gratitude to Ian for his professionalism, commitment and creating a legacy during his time at the Club.#bwfc

— Bolton Wanderers (@OfficialBWFC) January 22, 2025

FAVOURITES TO BECOME NEW BOLTON MANAGER:

BetVictor – 10am (23rd January)
Steven Schumacher – 1/1
Leam Richardson – 5/1
Gary O’Neil – 5/1
Sam Allardyce – 6/1
Des Buckingham – 6/1
David Wagner – 8/1
Ritchie Wellens – 8/1
Ryan Lowe – 10/1
Dean Holden – 10/1
Claus-Dieter Wollitz – 12/1
Wayne Rooney – 14/1
Gary Caldwell – 16/1
Neil Harris – 16/1
Dave Challinor – 16/1

CLUB STATEMENT:

Ian Evatt said after defeat to Charlton, per The Bolton News: “We just didn’t defend two balls into the box.We haven’t defended our goal well enough all season. I can’t really pick faults with the way we played tonight.

“I thought we were back to our best for large parts. A slight change in system just really caused them problems, created loads. Some really good play, some really good purposeful possession.

“Tonight wasn’t the issue. Tonight was the story of the season really. The performance was probably better than most of the season, if not all of it. But we’ve come out the wrong side of the result and that’s bitterly disappointing.

“The frustrating part tonight for me is that we’ve probably seen the best of us for a large part and found a way to lose, which has happened too often this season.

“It can’t obviously continue. As I said, I’m immensely proud of when we play like that, what we are as a team and who we are as a team.

“We look at them and they’ve got the win, but very direct, very simplistic. I’m not sure I’d want to watch that every week. But we play a brand that is really difficult to execute and at times we haven’t done it well enough.

“At times we have. Tonight, I thought we did it well enough and deserve to win the game.

“You can see it in the cold light of day today. You can see my method of play and what I want to do. But too often we’ve lost out on the moments.

👎“we’ve found a way to concede really poor goals”

😔“I’m almost distraught with how we’ve managed to lose that game”

Ian Evatt speaking to @derekclarksport following the loss at home to Charlton Athletic.#WanderersLive #bwfc pic.twitter.com/7bhQ1wo3mV

— Bolton FM Sport (@BOLTONFMSPORT) January 21, 2025

“If you don’t defend your goal and defend your box well enough in this league, you get punished. Saturday we’ve been punished again tonight. Killing you at the moment on defensive mistakes, how do you change that? Speak about it, learn from it, work on it.

“But the goals are coming out of nothing. The first goal is a really, really poor goal again to give away when we defended the box so well. They’re a really physical team, a really big team and tonight we weren’t.

“All of our physical players are really wounded and not ready to play. So, we had to do it a different way and we did it our way for large parts. But again, we found a way to concede really poor goals.

“It just sums it up, a huge deflection at the end. I think it’s foul but we didn’t get it. Again, that’s been pretty much the story of the season.

“We’ve not won the moments. We’ve not defended our box well enough at key stages and key moments. I guess you’re asking to score maybe two goals just to make sure you’re safe? Yes, we should score more.

“Especially given the amount of quality play we’ve had. We have to score really good goals. Our goals and the way we move the ball and pass the ball, when it’s like that, really high quality.

“We deserved more for it but we didn’t get it. But you have to earn what you get and we didn’t earn it by defending our box in two moments.”

On his ‘f*** off’ comment caught on a video posted by Bolton’s weekend opponents Cambridge: “I’ve said what I’ve got to say on that. I didn’t mean to cause anybody offence.

“I didn’t mean to upset anybody. It wasn’t aimed at anybody in particular. Just born out of frustration of what I’ve seen.

“I just want this football club to do well. I want this football club to win. It hurts me when we don’t. That’s it really.”

Ian Evatt apologises after Cambridge post video of him shouting ‘f*** off’ in angry outburst

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

Ian Evatt speaks of his regret over confrontation with Shrewsbury’s Morgan Feeney

Fans gave their reaction amid the favourites to become new Bolton manager with Ian Evatt sacked after defeat to Charlton…

@Wheevers101: Des Buckingham or Steven Schumacher please and thank you #bwfc

@danielscott__: BREAK THE BANK FOR ROB EDWARDS #BWFC

@GarethHulme: Personally I’d like Schumacher or see if Gary O’Neill would be keen. big Sam till end of season or certainly in DoF role would appeal. All the first team staff should be gone #bwfc

@PaulBwfc10: it’s fair to say that Evatt has been amazing for us, the last 12 months has been awful but we should still be thankful for what he has done, Onto the next, hopefully someone is brought in quite quickly to try and salvage this season, Gary o Neil or Rob Edwards for me #bwfc

@IanEcc01: Get Schumacher on the phone #BWFC

@OneSizeFitz89: Schumacher manager. Big Sam on the board &/or sporting director. #BWFC

@BwfcGoals: Steven Schumacher is the obvious answer by the way #bwfc

@KyleChr27168364: Whats des up to? Can he get back to back play off promotions? Or is it Schumacher to take the reins? #bwfc

@AdamFrankland1: There’s nothing quite like the #BWFC timeline. Shouts like Gary O’Neill, as in the man that was managing in the Premier League 4 weeks ago 😵‍💫

@TrottersBlog: I wouldn’t rush an appointment just to ensure any manager can make signings this month. This needs to be the right move, with a full and thorough search undertaken to find the right guy. If that means searching abroad – so be it. #bwfc

@Wil1J: Overdue but only a positive move. Long overstayed his welcome. Would never back down or concede that he was wrong and was arrogant with it throughout. Spent a lot of money and didn’t get us very far at all. Club was crying out for fresh ideas. About time we got them. #bwfc

@scotty_smit: Its bittersweet. We’ve not been the same since play off final. I bought into what he was trying to achieve and I genuinely believe he wanted the best for us, just couldn’t get us over the line. The past 5 years have been a bang, that day at Wembley will stay with me forever #BWFC

@DavidNa89777097: Absolutely buzzing but at the same time don’t understand it from the board why let him bring in 2 players and then sack him leaving the manager coming in with no time to bring players to suite his style of play awful timing and it’s bite them on the arse #bwfc

@H34th3r87: Thanks for the memories Ian, there were undoubtedly some great ones, the cup win at Wembley being one of the best days of my life, but it’s definitely time. Wembley last year was a disaster and not got going again since 👎🏻 #BWFC

@__Matty10: Really hope we’ve got a manager lined up now so they can get a few of their own players in. That was my main concern with sacking Evatt now was that we wouldn’t be able to sign anyone and improve the squad which massively needs it in certain areas. #bwfc

@CBanyTweets: Evatt did a good job overall however this season has been terrible so far. You have to question the boards timing and allowing him to make signing this January but glad it’s finally done. Desperately wanted him to succeed but stubbornness cost him IMO. Onwards and upwards #bwfc

@howfenbwfc: Correct decision but poor timing, not really giving the new manager much time to do much in this window. He should’ve been removed at the end of last season. I’m looking forward to being excited to go to a game again!!! #bwfc

@Johnson_1_: Should have been done earlier but the Boards loyalty will be attractive to prospective candidates. I wish Ian well, he needs time to rest, learn from this & go again. The fans need to back the new guy to the hilt because this seasons not over & we have some very good players imo

@reece_scholes: As much as I’ve slagged the bloke off, I actually hope he’s remembered for being the bloke who brought the good times back to the club. It was never going to work after the final though, that was the chance. In my opinion he should’ve gone before, but I’m not in charge #bwfc

@JakebwfcHurst: Ultimately it’s the right decision but you have to question the board here, why let him half a window & make signings if there was even a sniff of this happening #bwfc

His last moment on the pitch ffs pic.twitter.com/L2Cqiplghf

— Foxy (@WilliamFoxBWFC) January 22, 2025

#bwfc get him in pic.twitter.com/MqhBbPlFHB

— Mark (@markyatesbwfc) January 22, 2025

Disgusting #cafc @EFL pic.twitter.com/mGIyL3TOFr

— JakeCAFC (@CafcJake) January 21, 2025