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It is an “exciting” time at Wanderers as the club prepares to launch its new ‘B’ team for next season, says Ian Evatt.
The Whites opted to make the change in a bid to bridge the gap between youth team football and the first-team picture.
The club created a reserve side last summer with the aim of offering younger players the chance to play in the Central League alongside senior names in need of additional game time.
However, the side has mainly featured players from the Under-18s squad in recent months as a result of Wanderers’ injury crisis earlier in the season.
But Evatt is relishing the change and insists there is lots of hard work has been going in behind the scenes as the club searches for young talent.
The Bolton chief says they are planning to look at players who have recently been released by Category One clubs as a starting point.
“(There have been) lots of conversations and developments,” he told The Bolton News.
“We have arranged a host of trial fixtures for players being released by big Category One teams – Chelsea, Man City, Man United, Liverpool, all the big London clubs.
“We will see if there is anyone who takes our fancy and if we can cherry-pick some of those and get them into that ‘B’ team squad.
“Obviously, we are down the line recruiting the ‘B’ team manager so there are lots of things happening. It is exciting really.”
Ahead of this afternoon’s trip to Cheltenham, Evatt reckons his side have become more streetwise on the road in recent months.
The Bolton chief is expecting a tough test against the Robins but wants his side be “strictly business” as they aim to finish the campaign strongly.
He added: “The Burton game still leaves a bitter taste because that is the second half of the season, but I think we have learned to cope with different conditions better.
“Our understanding of what it takes to win away from home is better and three defeats in 20-odd games is very good.
“But we have got one more away game to go and one more home game, and we want to do our very best to win both of those games.
“It is going to be a very tough game on Saturday – they are very good at home. They play the pitch very well. It is a tight pitch, a tight stadium.
“Obviously, they have had a really good season. It is the last home game, carnival atmosphere and we are going to have to cope with all these things and make sure we go there, strictly business and try and get the three points.
“If we can perform to our levels then there is no reason why we can’t.”
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