Bolton Wanderers fans column: What's in store for 2024?

Doing it the hard way,

By Tony Thompson

LOOKING down that fixture list in the second half of the season it is hard not to focus on the last day, and a trip to Peterborough United and think it will be a big game.

We all got a bit giddy at the start of the season when the big budgets of Sheffield Wednesday and Ipswich Town got promoted and we were left looking at a division where there were no massive spenders.

I think we have since found out that it won’t be as easy as some predicted. Portsmouth have been a model of consistency and look extremely strong at home, Derby County are starting to get their act together under Paul Warne, who knows his way out of this division, and the Posh boys are probably the most impressive team I have seen play against Bolton so far.

Can I see it all going to the final day? Yes, of course I can. This is Bolton Wanderers and if any club knows how to ring their supporters for every single ounce of emotion, it is them.

I can’t pretend I am not worried. Ian Evatt, Sharon Brittan, the tea lady and the guys who sell the programme have all said they want automatic promotion and nothing less this season, and that gives you a very, very small margin for error. If, for whatever reason, they don’t make the top two then I just wonder what effect another round of the play-offs would have?

A few people have already compared the current situation to the one Phil Neal had in the early nineties, pre-Bruce Rioch. He just couldn’t get over the line and I would hate the same thing to happen to the current manager, who I happen to like.

It definitely feels like there are some people waiting for their chance to gloat on failure but that is another story… Let’s keep things positive for the time being.

At the time of writing we have just made Leyton Orient look like Barcelona in the second half but managed to hold on for three points. What did I say about squeezing every last bit of drama they can?

I do agree with the manager in what he says about managing setbacks, though. A friend of mine supports Sheffield Wednesday and to listen to him some weeks, you would think they had been on the verge of relegation last season.

The way they went up with that ridiculous win against Peterborough shows that anything can happen in this crazy game, so the recent defeats against Portsmouth and Bristol Rovers have to be put into some context across the season as a whole.

Do I think we will be celebrating in May? Yes, I do. The optimist in me even thinks we can go back to Wembley and lift the Papa Johns/Bristol Street Motors Trophy again. It’s always the hope that kills you, though, and Bolton will probably do it the hard way. They have for 50 years of my lifetime, I doubt they are going to stop now!

Can Bolton Wanderers achieve their goal of automatic promotion this season? Liam believes it will be a tight-run thing (Image: camerasport)

Looking ahead to 2024,

By Liam Hatton

NOW we have finished off the remainder of the Quality Street tin, stuffed ourselves with Christmas food and ushered in the New Year, let’s talk about what 2024 could potentially bring us as Bolton Wanderers fans.

The ideal aim would be promotion, because that has to be the ultimate goal, right? Based off the current league position it has to be a possibility as we have a game in hand on the team directly above and below us and could return to the top of the table with all things being equal.

That minor slip against Portsmouth and Bristol Rovers was rectified somewhat with four festive wins, the first and last of which against Leyton Orient and Burton Albion were more nail-biting and close than they had any business to be, but a win is a win.

So that leaves us looking into the New Year, with the games continuing to come thick and fast. I truly cannot call how the season will end and it would be foolish of me to stand here and make some bold prediction, especially when teams like Derby, Peterborough and Barnsley are threatening to disrupt proceedings with their decent form as of late.

All I will say is Bolton have a chance. Not just a chance, but a rather fine one at that. You get the feeling the race for promotion could go down to the wire and whilst this campaign is not deemed as talented with the top teams compared to last year, in many ways it is more difficult due to the number of teams vying for those automatic slots.

Will Bolton look to strengthen in January? I am not so sure, purely because I do not know where they could strengthen. Evatt likely will not spend on players unless some were to depart, but you get the feeling that the gaffer is by large and part happy with his current squad, something he has effectively said himself.

There may be a clamour for a wing back on either side from the fanbase, and some may want another striker (which won’t happen), but outside of that the midfield is stacked so there is unlikely to be any incomings in that regard.

Gethin Jones leaving for international duty with Australia may force Evatt to look at the loan market for a centre back, especially with Will Forrester coming into the team which would leave Bolton with no senior backup in that position. A lack of depth in that position reared its head last year when MJ Williams was forced to play in defence, so that could be a shout.

Outside of that, it appears to be business as usual for Bolton. It has been a solid first half to the season and you cannot make too many complaints.