IAN Evatt has managed 49 wins from 106 games since taking charge at Wanderers, but where does he rank in the club’s post-war records?

10. Owen Coyle (33.3% from 126 games)

The Bolton News:

Owen Coyle was part of Wanderers’ Division One promotion winning side in 1995 and returned to the club as manager in 2010, opting to leave his role at Burnley.

The Scot kept the Whites in the Premier League and reached the FA Cup semi-final the following year, though his side suffered a convincing 5-0 defeat against Stoke at Wembley.

Coyle’s men were relegated from the top-flight in 2012 and he was sacked following a poor start in the Championship the following season.

9. Dougie Freedman (33.7% from 101 games)

The Bolton News:

Dougie Freedman was named as Coyle’s successor, leaving his position in the Crystal Palace hotseat to join Wanderers.

The former Nottingham Forest and Wolves forward had a big impact in the short term, leading the Whites to a late promotion push which ultimately ended in heartbreak on the final day.

However, Freedman’s first full season in charge didn’t go as well and his side finished 14th. He left the club in October 2014 after a disappointing start.

8. Phil Neal (37.6% from 351 games)

The Bolton News:

Phil Neal was appointed as player-manager at Wanderers in 1985 but his tenure didn’t get off to the best of starts, with his side relegated to the Fourth Division two years later.

But Neal led the Whites to promotion the following season and also won the Sherpa Van Trophy in 1989 after a memorable win against Torquay at Wembley.

The long-serving manager also came close to reaching the Second Division but Wanderers were beaten by Tranmere in the 1991 play-off final after narrowly missing out on automatic promotion. He was relieved of his duties at the end of the following season.

7. Bill Ridding (37.8% from 767 games)

The Bolton News:

Bill Ridding took charge in 1950, replacing Walter Rowley who stepped down due to illness, and is best known for leading the club to its most recent FA Cup trophy in 1958.

The Whites overcame Manchester United in the final at Wembley thanks to a brace from the legendary Nat Lofthouse.

Ridding also led the club to the FA Cup final in 1953 and a fourth-place finish in the top-flight but left the club in 1964 following relegation.

6. Ian Greaves (39.1% from 230 games)

The Bolton News:

Ian Greaves was an unlikely Bolton hero, having played against the club for Manchester United in the 1958 FA Cup final.

He stepped up from assistant manager to succeed Jimmy Armfield in 1974 and narrowly missed out on promotion to the top-flight in 1976 and 1977, also reaching a League Cup semi-final.

But Greaves’ men made it back to the First Division the following season after clinching the Second Division title. However, he was sacked in 1980 with the club heading for relegation.

5. Sam Allardyce (41.2% from 371 games)

The Bolton News:

Sam Allardyce had a spell with Wanderers as a player and returned to the club as manager in October 1999 following Colin Todd’s departure.

The Whites reached the semi-finals of both the FA Cup and League Cup and finished in the play-offs in his first season in charge, but they didn’t win promotion to the top-flight until 2001 following a memorable win against Preston at the Millennium Stadium.

Allardyce went on to establish the club in the Premier League and even earned European qualification, but he quit the club in 2007 following a disagreement with chairman Phil Gartside.

4. Colin Todd (43.2% from 183 games)

The Bolton News:

Colin Todd was appointed joint-manager at Wanderers alongside Roy McFarland in 1995 following Bruce Rioch’s departure.

But McFarland would last just 28 games before his sacking left Todd in sole charge. He was unable to prevent relegation but won promotion back to the top-flight in 1997 as Second Division champions.

However, the Whites were again relegated the following season and Todd was unable to win a second promotion, losing against Watford in the 1999 play-off final. He resigned early in the 1999/20 campaign.

3. Jimmy Armfield (44.4% from 180 games)

The Bolton News:

After calling time on his playing career, Jimmy Armfield took up the job at Burnden Park in 1971 following relegation to the Third Division for the first time in the club’s history.

The former England captain led the Whites to the league title in 1973 after missing out on promotion a year prior.

Armfield then managed a respectable 11th placed finish in the Second Division before taking up the position at Leeds in 1974.

2. Ian Evatt (46.2% from 106 games)

The Bolton News:

Evatt took charge at the UniBol in 2020 and led the club to promotion from League Two in his first season in charge following a remarkable run in the second half of the campaign.

This season, his side were one of the form teams in the league since the turn of the year but missed out on the play-offs after finishing ninth.

Evatt has high hopes for next term and is determined to continue Wanderers’ climb back up the divisions.

1. Bruce Rioch (48.3% from 172 games)

The Bolton News:

Bruce Rioch took charge at Wanderers in 1992 and led the club to promotion from Division Two in his first season, finishing as runners-up.

The Whites finished mid-table and racked up wins against Arsenal, Everton and Aston Villa in the FA Cup the following season.

But the 1994/95 campaign was a special one for Bolton supporters as Rioch’s men won promotion back to the top-flight via the play-offs and also reached the League Cup final. However, the play-off final would be his final game in charge before joining Arsenal.

*Managers who took charge of fewer than 30 games are not included