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Ian Evatt has revealed how a piece of fan-mail helped Ricardo Santos get through a testing week and help Wanderers to a 4-2 win at Northampton Town.
The defender and his family had been targeted for abusive online messages over the past few weeks on social media – which have been widely condemned by the Bolton fanbase.
Santos’s unhappiness has been clearly visible, with the 29-year-old electing not to engage with fans after the final whistle or join in with goal celebrations.
More than 600 travelling supporters backed Santos to the hilt at Sixfields and he did turn to applaud their efforts on his way off the pitch. But Evatt – whose 12-year-old son was also subjected to online abuse during the club’s slow start to the season – said a letter given to the centre-half before the game helped to put the matter into some context.
“I think the world of Rico, everyone else does here, and there is a huge portion of our fanbase that loves him as well and sometimes he might need reminding of that, I need to remind him of that. And it probably applies to me too,” he told The Bolton News.
“He was sent a letter by a fan that we shared with him, and I think that really hit home with him, there are a lot of people out there who are probably not as vocal who really appreciate him and what he has done for this football club.”
Wanderers are keen to draw a line under the issue and prepare as normal for Saturday’s home game against Shrewsbury Town. Evatt pointed out, however, that Santos was not the only footballer affected, even though he went into the game at Northampton under the spotlight.
“I don’t think there was pressure, what I said in the week dealt with it all and the response he got from our fans was everything and says everything,” he said.
“It is a wider issue, not just personal to us, but to the game and to the industry. We need to get it right but I thought it was excellent.”
Wing-back Szabolcs Schön also produced his best display in a Wanderers shirt, working with Santos to create a magnificent opening goal for John McAtee.
Playing in England for the first time, Evatt says the Hungarian wide man has plenty more to offer but will need some time to fully adjust to his new surroundings.
“He is a good player and came into a completely different way of playing, a different culture, and all these things but he is expected to hit the ground running – but sometimes it just takes time,” he added.
“We will stick with him but his quality and detail for that first goal was fantastic. He is going to get better and better.
“The one thing football doesn’t give you these days is time. You don’t get time to settle, time do anything. He just needed a bit, he still does. But he was good tonight and I think there is more to come.”
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