ANYTHING is possible with the new season just days away.

To use Ian Evatt’s vernacular Wanderers are “ambitious but not entitled” and his hungry squad will be hoping to better last term’s near miss in the play-offs to capture an automatic promotion spot by next May.

Predictions have been made and Bolton feature heavily among the experts’ tips for the top places in League One.

There is optimism in the air. But what are we looking forward to seeing this season? Here are 14 reasons to tune into the Whites’ 2023/24 campaign to whet your appetite for the big kick-off against Lincoln City.

1. Evo-lution part four: He got the club up – by hook, or by crook – in season one, stabilised in season two, pushed into the play-offs in season three and now has Championship football in his sights at the end of season four. Life is certainly never dull with Ian Evatt in charge.

Play-off disappointment at Barnsley last season highlighted some of the weaknesses in the Whites’ squad and while eight new signings will be looking to make their impact, Evatt will equally want his work on the training ground over the last six weeks to shine through too.

As usual, there is a dash of scepticism in the widespread hope. The absence of James Trafford, Kieran Lee and Conor Bradley from last season’s group has been rightly discussed as an issue Wanderers have to tackle, along with that slender goal return. Evatt likes nothing better than to prove a doubter wrong, so expect a few call-backs if things go according to plan.

Every summer during his time at the helm there has been a tactical tweak designed to take the standard of football and consistency of performance up a level. Can he do it again?

2. Defending champs: The EFL Trophy might not be top of the priority list this season but Wanderers have built a squad that should be able to compete on both fronts, if needed. That glorious April afternoon against Plymouth is still fresh in the mind. Would we say no to another visit, plus an extra £1million in the kitty? Absolutely not.

3. Front runner: Wanderers wanted more goals from their midfield – and Kyle Dempsey, George Thomason and Aaron Morley have obliged in pre-season with two apiece. Add to that Paris Maghoma’s arrival from Brentford and Evatt’s side might just have that extra attacking dimension they have been searching for this summer.

4. Raise the roof: More than 15,000 season tickets have been sold, following on from the 2022/23 campaign which broke all of Bolton’s attendance records for this level of football. Swathes of supporters, old and new, have come back to the club in the last few years and are now contributing to a genuinely partisan atmosphere. A real difference maker.

5. And if you don’t like it… In case you have been living under a rock for the last six months you will know that Bolton Wanderers’ new stadium sponsor has provoked some debate up and down the land. Westhoughton-based Toughsheet signed the largest sponsorship deal in the club’s history back in February and will officially have its name above the door for a competitive game for the first time on Saturday. Sad that Jeff Stelling won’t be able to make a wise-crack on Soccer Saturday but, hey-ho.

6. Derby day: Last season felt a little strange, given the lack of a true local rival in the division. Accrington and Fleetwood was all well and good but with due respect, they lack the fire that will accompany a trip to Wigan Athletic or Blackpool, heck, even Stockport County in the EFL Trophy!

It has been a while since Wanderers celebrated a win against one of their Lancastrian neighbours and the Latics are in town on August 19. Here’s hoping.

7. Time to shine: The EFL has finally taken action to combat some of the shameful timewasting tactics that had crept into the game over the past few years. Footballers have always exploited loopholes in the rules – and more are bound to follow – but a crackdown on some of the more obvious stalling techniques is sure to benefit Wanderers, whose game is built around possession. Only problem is, 10 minutes of added time in each half is going to play havoc with our deadlines!

8. Luke out: A couple of years ago Luke Mattheson was one of the hottest young talents in the EFL at Rochdale, prompting Wolves to pay more than £1million for his services. His move to Molineux may not have panned out as he had hoped but the youngster still has plenty of time to get himself going again at Wanderers, wisely stepping into the B Team to regain his fitness and form. Watch this space.

9. Screen idols: Once the full digital revamp at Wanderers has been completed with two big screens and split-level LED perimeter advertising, the look of the stadium will be quite different to the one which we have grown accustomed to over the last 26 years. Imagine if we got a decent replay too?

10. To be or not to B: After bedding itself down properly last season, Matt Craddock’s B Team now looks in a better position to fulfil its brief and start pushing its players towards the first team. Nelson Khumbeni is already knocking on the door; Conor Carty is ripping it up in Ireland and homegrown youngsters like Max Conway and Sam Inwood are getting good reviews. The cogs are turning in the machine once again.

11. New number one: Replacing James Trafford was never going to be an easy task, particularly given the attention his escapades for England Under-21s and a £19m move to Burnley have brought this summer. But in Nathan Baxter Wanderers have found a fella with an unshakable belief in his ability and a strong character which has been happy to bark orders at his defenders since day one.

The arrival of Joel Coleman as an experienced and able back-up, plus the emerging Luke Hutchinson should keep Baxter on his toes too, which makes Bolton’s goalkeeping ranks look in fine fettle.

12. End the jinx: Dion Charles has finally vanquished the well-aired statistic about Bolton players not scoring 20 goals in a season, and Michael Ricketts sends his best, by the way.

But would it be asking too much if Bolton could chalk up a couple of away wins in the next nine months to end a few long-standing jinxes too?

It has been 42 years and 15 visits to Derby since Wanderers last won a game, and 46 years since a Bolton team last went to Bloomfield Road, Blackpool, to win a league fixture. Just saying.

13. Watch him Go: Carlos Gomes was in the shop window with Fleetwood last season and has been a player on Ian Evatt’s radar since his days at Morecambe in League Two. Now officially signed up as a Wanderer, could he be the man who brings some X Factor to the Bolton attack? Nine goals in 37 games last season was a decent return – and he might replace some of the direct running lost from the front line when Dapo Afolayan moved on to pastures new in January.

14. None shall pass: Defensive resolve was the cornerstone of last season’s success but can Wanderers do it again with a new keeper and a rejigged defence without the injured George Johnston?

Evatt is pushing for more attacking punch but won’t want to see his team lose any stability at the back, so there is a big onus on Jack Iredale to stay available and for new boy Will Forrester to continue an impressive run of pre-season form.