Ian Evatt
Manager
Ian Evatt began his career as a professional footballer with Derby County when he made his senior debut for The Rams in a home game against Ipswich Town in the Premier League in 2001.
A tall, central defender, Ian also played for Chesterfield, Queens Park Rangers and Blackpool during a playing career that saw him make over 600 first team appearances.
During his time at Blackpool, he featured in the club’s inaugural Premier League campaign and amassed over 200 games for the Seasiders during his spell there.
After calling time on his 17-year playing career at Chesterfield, where he had captained the Club to the League Two title in his second spell there, he was given the managerial reigns on caretaker basis following the departure of Jack Lester.
In the summer of 2018, he was appointed manager of Barrow and in his second season he returned the Club to the Football League for the first time in 48 years. His record at the Club was exceptional and in his 89 games as manager, he won 40 of them.
He won plaudits for the style of football Barrow played in winning promotion out of the National League and it was no surprise that he attracted the interest of many League clubs.
Bolton Wanderers came calling and on July 1, 2020, he was unveiled by the Club and charged with the task of getting them out of League Two and he guided Wanderers to automatic promotion at the first attempt, following a remarkable run of form.
Playing aesthetically pleasing football and rebuilding the Club’s reputation within the town, Wanderers have gone from strength to strength under his tutelage.
In their first season back in League One, Wanderers finished a respectable ninth in the table, whilst during the following season, the current campaign, he has led them to a place in the play-off semi-finals against Barnsley whilst also winning their first piece of national silverware since 1989 when they demolished League One champions Plymouth Argyle 4-0 in front of a packed Wembley Stadium to lift the Papa Johns Trophy in April.