Ian Evatt

[bluebird90]

A lot of Bolton fans seem certain they’ll be going back up. I think Salford and Tranmere will be the two to beat and they will pick up any of the better players that Bolton would like to be in for - Eion Doyle for example.

To me, Bolton are the Sunderland of league 2. Bigger crowds, bigger wages but getting it wrong time and again. You look at the managers that Sunderland have had and despite doing well at previous clubs they just haven’t turned the downwards spiral around - Moyes, Greyson, Coleman, Ross and most recently Parkinson have all come and failed. I can see a similar pattern emerging.

There is also an aspect of some players coming down who feel they’ve ‘been there’ and a manager coming up who in his current capacity hasn’t ‘been there’. In other words, they’ve played at a higher level than he’s managed at. That can cause problems with respect if not handled the right way. In addition, for now at least, to Bolton fans he’s only the ‘non league manager’ coming to our big club.

[Bombadel]

Is anyone else sitting here looking at all this and smelling a bit of a rat. I have a niggling suspicion that this has been well and truly on the cards for quite some time. Little things like IE coming off twitter a few months back, comments about 'those players will go down in local folklore - not WE will go down in folklore etc and looking back on it just a bit of the demeanour of the man when interviewed on NW tonight once promotion was finally announced. Obviously we move on and look to the future but I think this move has been orchestrated some time ago. Its a shame as IE could have had Wilkie-esque status and I for one had genuine optimism about how we would have fared with him at the helm in L2. I still think we will be fine but such a shame that IE has tarnished his reputation and seemingly wasn't the guy we thought he was.

Dont think the Twitter thing was related to this, it was the week after he'd been on Football focus, saying we had more to lose than Liverpool, as IE has pointed out in a past interview, hes a Man united fan, maybe he just got a lot of sh1t for that comment from twitter trolls, who knows

[BoltonInPeace]

@vialli 9

I don't dispute that we are on a downward spiral but to put things in context, we were taken over part way into last season after having an absolute charlatan as our chairman.

So we had -12 points and 6 games where we were playing our under 18s (and lost most 5-0) because the takeover was on "standby" because our previous owner was playing brinksmanship tactics with the club. When our current owners first showed interest in buying the club, we were in the championship, and it got dragged out until we were relegated and the League 1 season had already started.

Even with all those things against us, we still managed to assemble a decent squad with 1 day left in the transfer window, attracting names such as Liam Bridcutt from the Championship. We actually looked like we could stay up until a demoralising 7-1 defeat to Accrington and then everything fell apart.

Anyway, this is now our first REAL season with the new owners, who seem to be good people, how deep their pockets are no one is sure, but paying 200k to Barrow is a good indication that we're not totally broke.

No disrespect to Barrow, but now that the club is back in more stable hands, I would argue that we're looking to bounce back and perhaps our downward spiral is coming to an end (hopefully), and so a move to Bolton is a more attractive proposition than staying with Barrow, I'm sure we can agree to disagree on that if you want though.

As to whether we own the Stadium, I have no idea (I think we have some repayment plan with the owner's family who owned us when the stadium was built - not the charlatan), but since our takeover we have made all of our payments in full, as well as settling with clubs that our previous chairman didn't pay. We have a tainted reputation from the last few years but we are on the mend it seems.

I don't want to harp on about Bolton as I'm sure none of you want to read about that, but I think it's important to note that we're not the same club as we were one or two years ago.

[ade383]

@vialli 9

I don't dispute that we are on a downward spiral but to put things in context, we were taken over part way into last season after having an absolute charlatan as our chairman.

So we had -12 points and 6 games where we were playing our under 18s because the takeover was on "standby" because our previous owner was playing brinksmanship tactics with the club.

Even with all those things against us, we still managed to assemble a decent squad with 1 day left in the transfer window, attracting names such as Liam Bridcutt from the Championship. We actually looked like we could stay up until a demoralising 7-1 defeat to Accrington and then everything fell apart.

Anyway, this is now our first REAL season with the new owners, who seem to be good people, how deep their pockets are no one is sure, but paying 200k to Barrow is a good indication that we're not totally broke.

No disrespect to Barrow, but now that the club is back in more stable hands, I would argue that we're looking to bounce back and perhaps our downward spiral is coming to an end (hopefully), and so a move to Bolton is a more attractive proposition than staying with Barrow, I'm sure we can agree to disagree on that if you want though.

As to whether we own the Stadium, I have no idea (I think we have some repayment plan with the owner's family who owned us when the stadium was built - not the charlatan), but since our takeover we have made all of our payments in full, as well as settling with clubs that our previous chairman didn't pay. We have a tainted reputation from the last few years but we are on the mend it seems.

I don't want to harp on about Bolton as I'm sure none of you want to read about that, but I think it's important to note that we're not the same club as we were one or two years ago.

I wholeheartedly agree with you..... your not the same club as you were one or two years ago.... your a league two club now not a league one

[walney rock]

Apologies that it seems to be that we're taking your manager, hopefully you can get someone in that can keep your momentum going. It sounds like you had a rough time up until he came in.

I know for a lot of you, it will be a bitter taste losing Evatt and I wouldn't be surprised if he does well at Bolton and moves onto the next job that offers more money or reputation or ambition. That's football unfortunately, loyalty isn't at the top of the list for most anymore, which I think is understandable. It doesn't make it any less disappointing though. Be thankful that he's brought you success however and hope that you can build on that.

I'm looking forward to a toxic clash home and away with you whenever this next season starts! Always good to have something to spice up the atmosphere.

We had a similar thing with Burnley when we bought out Owen Coyle from them, they ended up getting relegated and Coyle did well with us for a little while until it went massively tits up and now Burnley are lightyears ahead of us, despite us being an established PL club before them. Judas flag at the Reebok in the away end and all when he initially joined!

Don't take the Bolton News comments as representative of our fan base, most Bolton fans are excited by Evatt. The Bolton News comments are the least informed opinions of our entire fanbase!

Good luck for the future. Hopefully Evatt can replicate the success he achieved with you at Bolton.

Will hardly be toxic against you lot we'll have bigger games for all that lol

[BoltonInPeace]

@ade383 - not my point, but very perceptive of you!
@walney rock - I'd be surprised if there wasn't some toxicity directed towards Evatt/Bolton when we meet in the league (assuming the deal happens), nothing wrong with that, it's all part of the fun.

I'll leave you be for now though, I have nothing against your fans/club and wish you well.
Evatt is a big gamble for Bolton but it's nice to see you hold him in high regard, it bodes well for us and hopefully you can put the compensation to good use.

Best of luck for the new season whenever that may be.

[cuffy]

@ade383 - not my point, but very perceptive of you!
@walney rock - I'd be surprised if there wasn't some toxicity directed towards Evatt/Bolton when we meet in the league (assuming the deal happens), nothing wrong with that, it's all part of the fun.

I'll leave you be for now though, I have nothing against your fans/club and wish you well.
Evatt is a big gamble for Bolton but it's nice to see you hold him in high regard, it bodes well for us and hopefully you can put the compensation to good use.

Best of luck for the new season whenever that may be.

Your team like our team are mere stepping stones in Evatts management career he won’t be satisfied until he has got the England job.

Hope when the time comes it feels all underhand like it does to me today.

[barrowfan]

And at least you will know that you've made another agent very happy!

[Hadrian]

I think its time for a statement from the club!

Saying what exactly at this stage?

[Play with my balls]

Although Bolton are in a bad place at the moment it is still a big job and also a big challenge for Ian Evatt if he chooses to take it. Although Barrow and Bolton are in the same league now they are miles apart in their fan bases, and just look at their stadium! If I’m honest with myself then I’d probably take the Bolton job too if I was in Evatt’s shoes - seems too good an opportunity to miss. Pretty sure there will be a lot of other Barrow fans that if they were honest with themselves would think the same.

Evatt has turned down other opportunities from league clubs in the past so he has been fairly loyal, sounds like this one is just too tempting for him. As sad as I will be to see him go, if he does go to Bolton I really hope he does well and gets them back to the Championship as a minimum.

No hard feelings here anyway now I’ve had time to reflect (although I was annoyed earlier in the week). Let’s just hope we can get a decent manager in ourselves and maybe even push for the playoffs too!

[chipmunx]

I think its time for a statement from the club!

Saying what exactly at this stage?

exactly... there will be no statement from Barrow until Bolton have confirmed Evatt as manager....

[GazzaT]

I think we deserve to know we are searching for a new manager before another team officially announce Evatt as their new manager.

[jaycarter]

Although Bolton are in a bad place at the moment it is still a big job and also a big challenge for Ian Evatt if he chooses to take it. Although Barrow and Bolton are in the same league now they are miles apart in their fan bases, and just look at their stadium! If I’m honest with myself then I’d probably take the Bolton job too if I was in Evatt’s shoes - seems too good an opportunity to miss. Pretty sure there will be a lot of other Barrow fans that if they were honest with themselves would think the same.

Evatt has turned down other opportunities from league clubs in the past so he has been fairly loyal, sounds like this one is just too tempting for him. As sad as I will be to see him go, if he does go to Bolton I really hope he does well and gets them back to the Championship as a minimum.

No hard feelings here anyway now I’ve had time to reflect (although I was annoyed earlier in the week). Let’s just hope we can get a decent manager in ourselves and maybe even push for the playoffs too!

What league Clubs has he turned down, he has only ever as I know turned one National League club down and that was afc Fylde another club he talked to without the Directors allegedly knowing, they then increased his salary and he stayed, he will be good for you if he gets the players he wants but I believe in the long run he would have been better staying at Barrow as he has a squad of players here he has moulded into his methods and they all adopted it, eventually we all knew he would leave for better things but not a club in the same division, we know you have a fantastic stadium and good facilities and you are nearer to where he lives, but now we are in the league again with all that comes with it in grants Etc., we hope over time to improve our ground, funds that were not available to us before.

[Moribund]

I think we deserve to know we are searching for a new manager before another team officially announce Evatt as their new manager.

So we announce we're looking for a new manager while we still have a manager? What is the point?

[Shaun]

Good luck to our Mighty Bluebirds, good luck to Bolton. On we all all go.

Life's not that difficult really , is it.