Bolton Wanderers boss Ian Evatt has called on his fans to build on the “intimidating” atmosphere and level of support on show during Tuesday night’s 5-0 battering of Oxford United.
The Trotters manager was full of praise not only for his players but the matchday support as both those on the pitch and up in the stands capitalised on Oxford’s capitulation, turning two goals inside half an hour into a hat-full by the 69th minute.
While the opening strike from Ogbeta (Bolton‘s 100th goal in all competitions) was a proper rifle with some nice build-up play too, there was plenty of good fortune about the second and third goals, with poor goalkeeper-defender communication and a big deflection helping turn a one-nil lead into three.
However, it was the rousing crowd that ended up spurring the home side to get another two, with the clever team play which led to the fourth from Aaron Collins the pick of the bunch, and Evatt clearly liked what he saw from the club as a whole.
Evatt told club media: “When they play like that… we are a difficult team to stop and I’m really proud of them tonight.”
Speaking to Bolton News, the former Blackpool centre-back said the conversation around creating a real cauldron whenever teams visit the Toughseet Stadium has been raised before and that their aim is to mirror “the most intense and intimidating atmospheres” seen in the Premier League.
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As he saw it: “The atmosphere I asked for before the game was exactly what I got out there… When the fans back the players like they did tonight it gives them confidence and belief and to play the way we want to play it does take trust, confidence and belief.
“This is a collective effort for everybody, and the fans are a huge part of that.”
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The 42-year-old went on to insist, “I think it is the players’ responsibility to get the fans off their seats, and that can be with a big tackle or even some cheerleading. There’s nothing wrong with that, we’re in it together.” Be it celebrating big moments or preying on the opposition’s mistakes, they certainly did that.
Having recently been charged for the fiery scenes following the recent derby day defeat to Wigan Athletic, in which members on both sides were involved in a tense bust-up on the pitch after the full-time whistle, Evatt, his men and the fans will be glad to be back feeling more positive.
Still sat third in League One and only a point behind Derby County who they play next on Saturday, 16 March, their promotion prospects are looking very strong and the fans are clearly helping build a feeling of momentum.
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And not just at home either, where they’re unbeaten in their last six; the Trotters have also already managed a sold-out away end ahead of their visit to Pride Park this weekend.
You can watch the full highlights from Bolton’s emphatic win over Oxford down below:
Featured Images — Bolton Wanderers (via Instagram)
Sport
Sale Sharks help make history at nearby North West college
Danny Jones
Local rugby club Sale Sharks have helped make history at a nearby college in the North West as they hosted their first-ever girls’ rugby union match last week.
Sir John Deane’s Sixth Form College based over in Northwich has a strong sporting curriculum and is continuing to expand its offerings year upon year, with more than 150 students now taking part in various clubs every week.
Established back in 1557, making it one of the oldest in the UK, the school boasts a rich heritage in English education and now, more than half a millennia later, it’s taken another big step for female sport specifically by introducing its brand-new girls’ rugby union side.
Sharing a strong relationship with various clubs around Cheshire as well as Sale Sharks Women and their pathway programme, in particular (on which many members are already enrolled) Sir John Deane’s fielded their first-ever squad in a fixture against Lancaster Royal Grammar School.
As per the Northwich and Winsford Guardian, Deane’s everyged victorious from their inaugural fixture, notching three tries thanks to scorers Eve Spears, Mollie Stamper and Daisy Carroll.
Taking place on the first-team pitch at Winnington Park Rugby Club in the village of Hartford – with whom the school enjoyed an “excellent community partnership” – the game itself was part of a wider ‘festival of rugby’ where student-players learned received first-class coaching and learned crucial skills.
Hoping to become the rising stars among a new generation of women’s rugby, which is seeing a growing interest nationwide, coach Paul Rees explained this important milestone for the college was about more than the result.
“The purpose of this fixture was to provide an opportunity for girls rugby,” Rees told the outlet, “to grow the game at the grassroots level and for Sir John Deane’s to showcase the variety of sports they provide, significantly for girls.”
“I feel privileged to have been a part of this prestigious and historical event which was fully supported by the PE department at college.”
A huge thank you to @SaleSharksWomen who spent the afternoon training with our Women's Rugby Team here at the College yesterday. It was fantastic to see such a big turnout with a mixture of experienced and new players to the game – well done to all involved! 🏉 pic.twitter.com/P5yyl3Ghko
The full-contact clash saw a total of 38 players lace up their boots for the historic school moment after having first got to grips with the task ahead back in October 2024.
Rees went on to credit the Greater Manchester outfit, specifically, for their continued support regarding the new team, who have proven a crucial outlet for those looking to enter girls rugby in the North West.
“Not only do they support the delivery of coaching [Matt Hulme], the coordination [Vicky Irwin] and link to provide the girls to represent regular Sale Sharks College fixtures”, says Rees, “this is invaluable to ensure all players are given the opportunity to represent Sale Sharks and their respected colleges.”
With the national focus as a whole being put on the upcoming Women’s Rugby World Cup, the importance of initiatives like this cannot be overstated.
Featured Images — Sir John Dean’s Sixth Form College (via Facebook/X)
Sport
Manchester United’s Old Trafford regeneration project backed by UK government
Danny Jones
Manchester United have officially received government backing for the redevelopment of their stadium and the wider regeneration of the surrounding Old Trafford area.
One of the first things that co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his INEOS Group made a priority after acquiring their minority stake in the club was to bring the home ground up to standard and it looks as though that rather large task is now moving in the right direction.
With Chancellor Rachel Reeves dubbing the Old Trafford Regeneration Project as “a shining example” of the Labour plans to promote economic growth, Man United now have the full blessing of the government ahead of the real work beginning.
Liaising with the Greater Manchester Combined Authority and Trafford Council specifically to bring plans to fruition, the Old Trafford area as we know is set to be transformed significantly, with a new ‘Wembley of the North’ being the key component of the project.
ℹ️ The Old Trafford Regeneration Project has been backed by the government.#MUFC
The backing of the government means that beyond the club simply paying to redevelop the stadium itself, this will allow for other aspects such as improved transport infrastructure, housing and new businesses to be created as part of Old Trafford’s regeneration.
It’s also worth noting that no public money is on the table at present, with Ratcliffe, the Glazers and co. expected to foot the bill for all facets.
Reacting to the official statement by the UK Treasury, CEO Omar Berrada said: “The delivery of a world-class stadium can be the catalyst for major regeneration of an area of Greater Manchester which requires new investment to thrive again.
“We cannot achieve that wider aim on our own, which is why we welcome the announcement by the Chancellor and the ongoing support of the Mayor of Greater Manchester and Trafford Council.
If we work together, there is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to create a landmark project around Old Trafford that the whole region can be proud of.”
This might not be Man United’s home forever. (Credit: The Manc Group)
As for the Mayor of Greater Manchester Mayor himself – who was appointed as a key figure on the Old Trafford Regeneration Taskforce – Andy Burnham went on to add: “With our devolved powers we’re mobilising the whole Greater Manchester system to lock in growth for the next decade and reap the rewards for our city-region and UK plc.
“We look forward to working with the Government on moving freight away from the site around Old Trafford to new locations to open up capacity for our rail network and unlock massive regeneration potential”, he continued, insisting that it will lead to “benefits across the whole of the North.”
Although it still remains unconfirmed whether or not the existing Old Trafford structure will be renovated – which would see an increased capacity of around 87,000 – or whether an entirely new 100k-seater stadium will be built instead, though the most recent fan survey seemed to favour the latter.
Danny Jones -
13th March 2024 
