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After all the words, Wanderers will finally do battle with Doncaster Rovers tonight with a stern warning from Keith Hill in the players’ ears.
The two clubs found themselves at odds earlier this season when Bolton postponed a game against the Yorkshiremen without prior warning – which landed them in hot water with the EFL.
When an independent disciplinary panel judged that a fine and suspended points penalty was sufficient, Rovers were at the forefront of clubs calling for the league to appeal.
A second panel then upheld the decision last month, much to Doncaster’s chagrin, meaning tonight’s game at the Keepmoat Stadium has an added touch of spice.
Hill has told his players they must sharpen up after a sloppy start to Saturday’s game at Coventry City – and anticipates that there might be an edge about the atmosphere.
“I don’t think it will affect my players but it might the supporters,” he told The Bolton News. “What has been said and what’s happened can’t be avoided. It’s how we deal with it.”
Wanderers’ administrators postponed the game in August citing concern for the welfare of their younger players – many aged 18 and under – who were being asked to play three games in 10 days.
Hill can see both sides of the argument and admits he would have liked to have seen the EFL better prepared to handle such a situation, rather than leave it in the hands of an independent panel.
“I feel sympathy for both sets of supporters and the players who at the time were too young to be continually playing,” he said.
“It’s hard to say (whether it was the right decision to postpone) because if I am sat there as an opposing manager the game should have been played. But in the seat I’m in now as Bolton Wanderers manager it should have been called off.
“It gives us an opportunity and we’re a different side now. We are going there to be competitive and we have to be against Doncaster. But I don’t think there will be bad blood staff to staff, or player to player, but it will be competitive, definitely.
“We want to try and support our supporters with a winning mentality and performance and hopefully that three-point feeling.”
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The two clubs found themselves at odds earlier this season when Bolton postponed a game against the Yorkshiremen without prior warning – which landed them in hot water with the EFL.
When an independent disciplinary panel judged that a fine and suspended points penalty was sufficient, Rovers were at the forefront of clubs calling for the league to appeal.
A second panel then upheld the decision last month, much to Doncaster’s chagrin, meaning tonight’s game at the Keepmoat Stadium has an added touch of spice.
Hill has told his players they must sharpen up after a sloppy start to Saturday’s game at Coventry City – and anticipates that there might be an edge about the atmosphere.
“I don’t think it will affect my players but it might the supporters,” he told The Bolton News. “What has been said and what’s happened can’t be avoided. It’s how we deal with it.”
Wanderers’ administrators postponed the game in August citing concern for the welfare of their younger players – many aged 18 and under – who were being asked to play three games in 10 days.
Hill can see both sides of the argument and admits he would have liked to have seen the EFL better prepared to handle such a situation, rather than leave it in the hands of an independent panel.
“I feel sympathy for both sets of supporters and the players who at the time were too young to be continually playing,” he said.
“It’s hard to say (whether it was the right decision to postpone) because if I am sat there as an opposing manager the game should have been played. But in the seat I’m in now as Bolton Wanderers manager it should have been called off.
“It gives us an opportunity and we’re a different side now. We are going there to be competitive and we have to be against Doncaster. But I don’t think there will be bad blood staff to staff, or player to player, but it will be competitive, definitely.
“We want to try and support our supporters with a winning mentality and performance and hopefully that three-point feeling.”
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