STEVEN Schumacher has stoked the embers of last week’s thrilling win against Huddersfield Town and asked Wanderers fans to bring the noise once again this weekend for the visit of league leaders Cardiff City.
With a gate on course for 22,000 this Saturday lunchtime, the Bolton boss is keen to give his side every possible advantage in what he believes could be the toughest home test of the season.
Schumacher credited away fans with having played a major part in his side’s late comeback in West Yorkshire, where Sam Dalby and Amario Cozier-Duberry’s stoppage time goals secured a priceless three points.
But now he wants the volume turned up full for Cardiff’s visit as Wanderers try and protect their own undefeated record at home and pull themselves closer to the top six.
“It’s difficult for whoever you play against if you know that a set of fans never give up, and what’s what happened (at Huddersfield),” he told The Bolton News.
“The fans absolutely pulled us back into that game because the players knew they had to keep going to the very end. We got the result and rewarded that support.
“Let’s have it right, a result away from home was a long time coming. I am really pleased we got it, and I do think our performances have deserved more than we have got at times. But I was pleased for the fans who have given us that support and travelled up and down without seeing that end product, the result.
“We have got to make that happen all the time at home now, have that same attitude where the fans give us that advantage. We get that right and I know from experience it can be absolutely massive.”
Schumacher took Plymouth Argyle to the League One title in 2022/23 on the back of fearsome home form, including 20 victories, and he believes a large part of the success was down to the intimidating atmosphere created for games at Home Park.
“We know how to build that,” he said. “You want a stadium which is difficult for opponents to come and play their way.
“It is what we had at Argyle and it was a lot smaller stadium, granted, but when people went down there to play they knew it was going to be loud, they knew that it was going to be hostile. It helped us a lot that season.
“The (Wanderers) fans have been great with us, but we all know we need to start putting wins back-to-back together and there is a chance to do that on Saturday against Cardiff now, so it needs everyone pulling together to do that.”
The Fanzone will be open from 10am for the game, which kicks-off at 12.30pm, with the turnstiles open from 11am to help give supporters plenty of time to get to their seats.
Wanderers have asked that fans try to buy their tickets in advance to avoid queues on the day – but the sales so far point towards this being the second highest gate of the season, just behind the 25,565 which watched the 4-1 win against Wigan Athletic.
Cardiff will be backed by just under 2,000 fans in the away end.
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