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Wanderers may be a couple of steps away from Wembley – but they still plan to come suited and booted to their Papa Johns Trophy quarter-final tie with Portsmouth tomorrow night.
Ian Evatt’s side have been rolling up to games in their smartest gear for a few months, in what at the time was an effort to improve their preparation, particularly away from home.
It was hoped a more focused, professional dress code would help sharpen minds – and results in the meantime have been impressive. One defeat in 11 games have helped embed Wanderers in the top six but they also have grand designs on lifting another trophy this season.
“I like the suits. We’re smart, we’re all the same, I love it,” grinned Aaron Morley after Saturday’s 0-0 draw with league leaders Plymouth Argyle.
“You do get a few moaners after the game when you have just done 90 minutes and have to put a suit on, but I think they are great.”
Whether the suit helps or not, Morley feels he has rediscovered his best form after returning to the starting line-up at the very start of Bolton’s own upturn.
This week sees a double header of league and cup football against Pompey, with both games played at the University of Bolton Stadium.
Morley has sampled Wembley before – but only as a substitute, when Keith Hill’s Rochdale side earned a replay against Tottenham in 2018 when they used the national stadium as a temporary home.
“I didn’t manage to get on the pitch, so hopefully this time we get there and I get a chance,” Morley said.
“I feel I am back to my best. It kind of helped me being out of the team, made me focus on football even more. I just want to carry on doing that now and keeping the shirt.
“We’re two games away from Wembley in the Papa Johns, so hopefully we can do the job on them Tuesday and then on Saturday as well.”
Morley is fast becoming a fans’ favourite at Wanderers and took a leading role in Saturday’s encouraging performance against Plymouth.
Though disappointed that the Whites could not find a winning goal, the midfielder feels they are capable of being more clinical than they have often showed this season.
“I think we created loads of chances. It is just the final pass, the final shot we need to get right. Hopefully that will come,” he said.
“We dominated most of the game, about 80 minutes, which against a team like Plymouth is great.
“We’re definitely capable, though, I mean a few weeks ago we were scoring every week after 85 minutes, there are goals there. It is just getting the right pass, the right shot, or if we need an extra pass at times. It will come, though, if we put into the game what we do in training.”
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