Emile Heskey issues exciting Ian Evatt, Bolton Wanderers prediction | OneFootball

Emile Heskey has issued his verdict on Bolton's promotion chances in 2024/25

Former Bolton Wanderers striker Emile Heskey has been speaking about his former club's chances of promotion this upcoming season.

After years of decline under previous ownership regimes, recent years have seen a momentum shift occur at the Toughsheet Community Stadum, mainly coinciding with the appointment of Ian Evatt when the Whites prepared for a campaign in League Two four years ago.

Bolton embarked on yet another largely successful campaign last term, going one better than the 2022/23 season and reversing their play-off semi-final fortunes against Barnsley this time around, before Evatt's men ultimately froze at the worst possible time and were well beaten 2-0 by Oxford United at Wembley Stadium.

Transfer activity has already taken place in the two-and-a-half weeks since the official opening of the summer window, with the former Blackpool centre-back hoping to lead his team to a "third-time lucky" campaign.

Despite the disappointment suffered in the play-off campaign, Bolton remain one of the most prominent clubs in the third tier, despite the strong competition now coming from sides both freshly-relegated and newly-promoted.

Therefore, Heskey, who made 49 appearances for the club between December 2014 and May 2016, believes that Evatt is still the right man to take the club back to the Championship for the first time since 2016, as well as it being a necessity in some ways.

"Absolutely. This needs to be the year that Bolton go up!," Heskey declared to FLW via 888Sport.

"Looking at Ian Evatt, he has done a great job at Bolton. He has got them playing attractive football and you look at the position he inherited the club at, he has turned the Club around and now in a position to really press on and get promoted this year," the former England striker continued.

He concluded: "Yes, the pressure will be on, but they play good football which can win them games. It’s a huge club, the local area thrives on the club doing well and Evatt can be the man to get Bolton back to the Championship."

Bolton are undisputedly one of many sides who will carry a great amount of expectation in League One when you combine a number of factors, none more so than club stature.

However, it's also their performances at this level in the past three years that will make other sides wary of the threat posed by a number of high-quality performers within their ranks, who will be desperate to guide the club into the second tier.

But, they will continue to face stern competition in the promotion and play-off race from Barnsley for yet another season, as well as the likes of Rotherham United, who have made a plethora of shrewd additions to their squad following relegation, along with Huddersfield Town.

Furthermore, Charlton Athletic will be expected to have a strong season by many outsiders given Nathan Jones' pedigree at this level and the Addicks' impeccable form since the Welshman took charge at the Valley, whilst Birmingham City and Wrexham's heightened ambitions have been well-documented for some time.

Bolton Wanderers must continue their savvy transfer business

In reference to the aforementioned Birmingham, Bolton won't be able to compete with the reported £20m war chest at Chris Davies' disposal in the West Midlands, so it's imperative that Wanderers continue their policy of making shrewd additions where required.

Three of those have already come through the door in the form of Luke Southwood, Chris Forino and Klaidi Lolos, whilst a pursuit of Peterborough's energetic midfielder Joel Randall would be a major boost for one promotion-chasing side and a huge dent to the other if successful.