How Bolton Wanderers fans are reacting to big Ian Evatt, Blackpool news - “We owe him a lot” | OneFootball

Former Bolton Wanderers manager Ian Evatt was recently announced as Blackpool FC's new boss

Ian Evatt has returned to League One management, having been appointed as the new head coach of Blackpool - a club he plied his trade for as a player.

The 43-year-old had been out of work since leaving Bolton Wanderers in January 2025, but is now back in League One with the Tangerines.

Evatt spent seven years with Blackpool during his playing days, making 254 appearances and scoring 10 goals, during a time period which saw the Lancashire outfit secure promotion to the Premier League in 2010.

Starting his coaching career with Barrow, the Seasiders’ new boss led the Cumbrian side to the National League title in 2020, which led to him getting recognition from clubs further up the EFL.

This resulted in Evatt being hired as Bolton boss, an appointment which featured a lot of peaks and troughs, as the former defender took Wanderers up out of League Two before establishing them as a competitive third-tier outfit, pushing for promotion to the Championship.

Evatt guided the Trotters to successive League One play-off campaigns but couldn’t get over the line, and in the end, his outspoken nature alienated a large portion of Bolton’s supporters beyond repair.

Alas, his almost five years in charge of the club came to an end earlier this year, without the ex-centre-back realising his second-tier goal.

Bolton Wanderers supporters react to Ian Evatt’s Blackpool appointment

Amid news of his appointment as Blackpool manager, Bolton supporters have reacted in numerous different ways.

Some fans decided to reflect upon Evatt’s time in charge of the Trotters positively, highlighting the good things he did for the club during that period.

One particular supporter raised that Evatt "progressed" the first-team consistently over the years, even if that second promotion wasn't achieved.

Another fan is of the belief that Bolton owe Evatt a lot for what he did for the club, even if he didn't get them back into the Championship, wbich was evidently the aim.

However, some of the Trotters’ faithful weren’t so quick to praise their former manager. Instead, they forecast what may go wrong for him at Bloomfield Road based on his time in charge of Bolton.

This supporter in particular is seemingly not too keen on Evatt, believing that he will be a "disaster" in charge of Blackpool, who currently sit rock bottom of the League One standings.

Stubborn tactics were perhaps one of the reasons Evatt lost his job at the Toughsheet Community Stadium as he exclusively stuck to a back three system, as well as playing out from the back being a non-negotiable - it has been pointed out that this may need to change in his new venture.

One Bolton supporter decided to state their opinion on Evatt’s time in charge of the Trotters, but also suggested a way his Blackpool appointment could benefit them in the future, with a prediction made that he could come back to try and sign some current and former Wanderers players of his.

Ian Evatt has an opportunity to prove the doubters wrong with Blackpool FC

Due to his strenuous relationship with Bolton supporters, a lot of Evatt’s good work with the Trotters sometimes goes unnoticed.

The 43-year-old managed to guide Wanderers from a League Two outfit to the brink of the Championship, and was unlucky not to secure promotion via the play-offs on at least one occasion.

Having taken some time out of the game to reflect on what he could’ve done better with Bolton, Evatt now has the opportunity to showcase his managerial prowess once more with Blackpool FC.

If he can take the Tangerines out of the relegation zone and up into League One’s mid-table, it would be an incredible achievement and highlight just how capable Bolton’s former boss is in the dugout.