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Reputations will count for nothing at Harrogate on Saturday, as Ian Evatt is only too aware.
Last season, Evatt had predicted his unfancied Barrow team would be competing at the top end of the National League but walked away from Wetherby Road with a morale-denting 3-0 defeat just a few days into the new season.
A year later, Evatt is making similar confident noises about his Bolton Wanderers team, albeit ones that are not yet backed up by points on the board.
What happened at Barrow gives the Whites head coach hope that the same can happen again once his style of football is fully imprinted on a new-look squad.
“A lot has been said about the comparison with Barrow – and it looks like there may be one,” he told The Bolton News. “We had seven points after nine games last year and then went a long time unbeaten. This team is capable of doing the same things.
“I expect us to turn it around sooner rather than later.
“I have seen aggression this week and if we take that into Saturday, coupled with the bravery on the ball that I wanted to see improved from last week, then I think we’ll get the right result.”
Whether the tale of Barrow or Harrogate has more footballing romance is up for debate – but Evatt knows the headline writers will have a field day if his team is humbled on Saturday.
The former Premier League men and four-time FA Cup winners have had their fair share of critics of late but the man in charge is calling for his players to fight back.
“I did the Harrogate play-off semi-final for BT Sport and the first thing Simon (Weaver) said after the game was that they want to go and play Bolton Wanderers,” he said.
“That’s everyone’s target because we’re the biggest club in the league. We keep saying the same thing – we’re a scalp for everyone. Sooner or later, Bolton Wanderers are going to come out swinging.
“We’ve taken a few punches on the chin so far but we’ll take them like men and I expect us to come out fighting on Saturday.”
Harrogate boss Simon Weaver senses an opportunity to create another piece of history.
“The Bolton game is a huge one for us,” he told the Harrogate Advertiser. “They’re a massive club, with history, a big fanbase and a fantastic stadium, but they haven’t had the best starts and they’ll be desperate to put that right this weekend.
“We can’t allow them to do that. We have to be on the front foot, making life difficult for them and all-energy with and without the ball.
“We’ve made a positive start to the season and we have to be relentless in trying to build on that. I know there is plenty more still to come.”
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Last season, Evatt had predicted his unfancied Barrow team would be competing at the top end of the National League but walked away from Wetherby Road with a morale-denting 3-0 defeat just a few days into the new season.
A year later, Evatt is making similar confident noises about his Bolton Wanderers team, albeit ones that are not yet backed up by points on the board.
What happened at Barrow gives the Whites head coach hope that the same can happen again once his style of football is fully imprinted on a new-look squad.
“A lot has been said about the comparison with Barrow – and it looks like there may be one,” he told The Bolton News. “We had seven points after nine games last year and then went a long time unbeaten. This team is capable of doing the same things.
“I expect us to turn it around sooner rather than later.
“I have seen aggression this week and if we take that into Saturday, coupled with the bravery on the ball that I wanted to see improved from last week, then I think we’ll get the right result.”
Whether the tale of Barrow or Harrogate has more footballing romance is up for debate – but Evatt knows the headline writers will have a field day if his team is humbled on Saturday.
The former Premier League men and four-time FA Cup winners have had their fair share of critics of late but the man in charge is calling for his players to fight back.
“I did the Harrogate play-off semi-final for BT Sport and the first thing Simon (Weaver) said after the game was that they want to go and play Bolton Wanderers,” he said.
“That’s everyone’s target because we’re the biggest club in the league. We keep saying the same thing – we’re a scalp for everyone. Sooner or later, Bolton Wanderers are going to come out swinging.
“We’ve taken a few punches on the chin so far but we’ll take them like men and I expect us to come out fighting on Saturday.”
Harrogate boss Simon Weaver senses an opportunity to create another piece of history.
“The Bolton game is a huge one for us,” he told the Harrogate Advertiser. “They’re a massive club, with history, a big fanbase and a fantastic stadium, but they haven’t had the best starts and they’ll be desperate to put that right this weekend.
“We can’t allow them to do that. We have to be on the front foot, making life difficult for them and all-energy with and without the ball.
“We’ve made a positive start to the season and we have to be relentless in trying to build on that. I know there is plenty more still to come.”
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