FT: Bolton 0-0 Wrexham

Our next game is at home and is against Wrexham and sky sports are also showing this game live.

Wrexham have had a meteoric rise with automatic promotion from League two and with plenty to spend thanks to Ryan Reynolds and Co.

Wrexham won 3-2 against Wycombe at home in the first league game of the season but then lost away in the EFL Cup 1st round by 4-2 against Sheffield United.

Wrexham haven’t shy’d away from goal, scoring more goals than Bolton so far.

So how do you all think we will do?

I personally feel this will be a cracker of a game.

My prediction 2-2

I think there will be plenty of goals, Wrexham seem to score and concede plenty which is not the usual Parky way. I think we'll edge it 3-2.

Phil Parkinson relishing big atmosphere ahead of Bolton reunion

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Phil Parkinson says Wrexham travel to Wanderers “full of confidence” after a positive start to life in League One.

The Red Dragons beat Wycombe 3-2 on the opening day thanks to goals from Max Cleworth, Jack Marriott and Steve Fletcher as they aim to build on back-to-back promotions from the National League.

Parkinson knows first-hand what the atmosphere is like at the Toughsheet Community Stadium with a big crowd and says his players are relishing the occasion.

He told the club channels: “We have got to build on the weekend, the fantastic win we had. We will assess and pick the team we feel is right for that game.

“I will have a good look at Bolton over the next few days and we will go there full of confidence.

“What a great atmosphere it is going to be. When you get that level of crowd in that stadium, it will be a terrific atmosphere and it is one I am sure that lads are relishing.”

Wrexham also gave a decent account of themselves against Sheffield United in the Carabao Cup in midweek, losing 4-2 despite goals from Will Boyle and Sebastian Revan.

Parkinson, who made 10 changes for the tie, added: “It was a tough game. We made a lot of changes so there was always going to be a feel of slight disjointedness to us because we pieced the team together with players who needed to get minutes.

"That was really important and the positive is we got a lot of players through a game who really needed that game.

"We got the first goal but their first goal should never have been allowed. How the referee hasn’t seen that block is beyond belief!"

He continued: "If we had kept the lead until half-time it could have been a different night for us," he said. "But in the second half, goals changed the games in terms of giving them a huge lift.

"We can do better in certain moments but we still had chances. It’s a good work out for us, we never like getting beat in any game but we will take the lessons from it and take the positives.

"We got a lot of players who are a bit behind in terms of minutes some valuable game-time."

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Bolton Wanderers v Wrexham: Did Deadpool nearly buy Whites?

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According to Wrexham director Humphrey Ker, Bolton Wanderers nearly got the Hollywood treatment.

Back in 2019, as the club’s future hung in the balance and administrators searched for a way out of the complicated financial maze they had entered, Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mcelhenney also happened to be in the market for a football club.

Such was the state of Bolton at the time, the phrase ‘buyer beware’ seemed apt. Sharon Brittan and the Football Ventures consortium stayed the distance – the only credible bid to do so – and Reynolds and Mcelhenney moved their sights to a slightly more manageable project in North Wales.

“They were available for what was a massively reduced price for a club of that size, history and infrastructure,” Kerr remarked to The Athletic last year. “But we felt it was just too big a fish, in a way.”

Both Reynolds and Mcelhenney have invested significant sums into Wrexham, the last set of financial accounts in March showing they had more than doubled their funding from £4 to £9million after the club was promoted to League Two. The wage bill alone rose from £4m to nearly £7m in 2022.

Whether they could have had the same impact whilst untangling the legacy problems of administration and former ownership is up for debate – but Ian Evatt believes the outcome has been good for both clubs.

“It is hard to think what it would have been like, but I’ll say two things – number one, we have got the best ownership group in the EFL,” he said. “I think the way they go about things, what they have done for the community and for this club is huge and I am extremely fortunate to be their manager.

“Number two, what Phil Parkinson has done under that pressure and that spotlight is great credit to him and his staff. I have huge admiration for that.”

Wanderers have not played Wrexham in a league game since they gained promotion from the old Fourth Division under Phil Neal in 1988. Robbie Savage – who would go on to play for the Reds – came up with the decisive strike on a day remembered by thousands of travelling supporters at the Racecourse.

The two clubs met again the following year in the Sherpa Van Trophy with Mark Winstanley scoring twice in a 3-1 win at Burnden Park, the first of which certainly bears repeat viewing on YouTube.

This fixture, some 36 years after their last in the league, is given some added spice by the fact Wrexham are managed by Parkinson, a man who presided over 157 games at Bolton between 2016 and 2019.

His time in charge included some real high points, a promotion from League One, a miraculous escape from relegation on the final day of the following season, courtesy of Aaron Wilbraham’s winner against Nottingham Forest.

But Parkinson also had to endure some frightful issues in the boardroom from day one. The night before his first competitive game against Sheffield United he did not know whether several of his new signings would be given clearance by the EFL as the club were still in a strict transfer embargo.

Problems with promotion bonuses the following summer led to his players refusing to play a pre-season friendly at St Mirren, and worse was to follow as monthly wages began to be paid late, then by the end of his third season, not at all.

Wanderers became the first club ever to cancel a Football League fixture because their players had gone on strike, their game against Brentford eventually deemed a walkover.

Relegated by a distance, Parkinson barely managed to scramble a team together to start the following season at Wycombe with the club in administration. And when senior players once again refused to play against Coventry, Bolton were forced to play their youngest-ever team – dubbed the Junior Whites – who fought for a memorable point against the future champions of the division.

Evatt has encountered plenty of ups and downs in his four years at Wanderers but not quite to the same extremes.

“He’s solid, and to go through that and behave the way he did, then to go to Wrexham with that scrutiny and keep the players focused, himself and the staff focussed on the day job, winning football matches, is great credit to him,” he said.

“I have had a few conversations with him, I don’t know him too well personally, but what I have found and what everyone tell me is what a good bloke he is, personally, so I am looking forward to sharing a beer – it might have to be a low calorie one for me now – but, yeah, I want to say what I have said here. I have a huge amount of respect for him and I wish him the best of luck, moving forwards.”

Parkinson - the very epithet of a football man - did not necessarily cut a figure who would be comfortable in front of the Disney documentary cameras during his time with Bolton. But he will be bringing a touch of Hollywood back to his former club this weekend.

Would it all give the game a different feel?

"Well we've got a Hollywood Bowl," laughed Evatt. "It's two football teams trying to get three points and that's where it stays for me.

"I have got a lot of respect for Phil and that team, they have done incredible things. Hopefully we can give the best version of ourselves and make it difficult for them.

"I think what has happened at Wrexham is good for football but particularly for the EFL, to have that showcased on a worldwide stage is great. Obviously everyone knows about the Premier League but they don't know the EFL is a brilliant competition right through the pyramid. The more we can publicise that, the better for everybody."

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Wanderers 4 Daffodils 1 as we send these pretenders home with their tail between their legs. Posh have scored more than they have but I don’t see anybody proclaiming them. There’s nothing special about these boys so let’s get out and prove it today. I know we usually mess up in this type of game but we have some key additions this season like McAtee, Matete and hopefully Johnston if he’s fit who I hope will start today and add that bit of muscle we’ve been missing.

Hard to know really what team we will have on the pitch let alone which side will be most likely to win the game but there's not much point supporting a club unless you are positive.

The 'stats' below aren't positive but they are meaningless as such, so by not having much to go on other than hope - I predict a Bolton win.

Nice to see Mcatee starting alongside Collins and Charles today!

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FT: Bolton 0-0 Wrexham

Absolute shite today. It may be a draw but I feel we will be struggling this season after seeing the lads play today. We seem to be still missing an actual finisher imo.

Disappointing result, but not surprising. Parky set up to not lose or concede and nullified Bolton's attack.

EVANS OUT.

Same as last season, possession, but  still lacking.

I know it's early days and the new players will take time to settle in.

Bolton Wanderers boss Ian Evatt on Wrexham stalemate

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Ian Evatt hailed the Wanderers fans after a bumper crowd against Wrexham – but was frustrated his side couldn’t find a winner.

Dion Charles went closest to breaking the deadlock but was denied on a couple of occasions by Arthur Okonkwo, who produced an impressive display between the sticks.

“I thought we deserved to win it," said Evatt. "I think we were the team probing and asking questions for large spells, we had control.

“We started the game really well and probably should have gone ahead. Second half, I didn’t think we quite got to the same level and that is understandable from my perspective given the players haven’t played a lot of football.

“There was a drop off with some, Dion and Macca (John McAtee) missed large spells of pre-season so we had to get them off before they overdid it.

“But we had enough chances to win the game, their keeper has got Man of the Match. We had nearly 70 per cent possession, 11 shots and eight on target.

“Wrexham ask you a lot of questions and score a lot of goals, but I don’t think they created a great deal. We coped with the long ball and set plays really well. They did their best to disrupt second half and we probably lacked that rhythm we showed in the first.

“Credit to them, they stuck at it and really celebrated the draw so it shows where we are at. I thought their fans were excellent and gave them the energy to keep running and blocking.”

Nearly 26,000 supporters were in attendance at the Toughsheet Community Stadium, making it the biggest turnout since the Whites dropped out of the Premier League.

“It is great we had that atmosphere,” the manager continued. “Both (sets of) fans created a really good atmosphere, it was incredible at times.

“I am just disappointed we didn’t win it really, I think it is two points dropped. As I said, I think we deserved to win it.

“There was a stonewall penalty (on Ricardo Santos) at the end that wasn’t given, it gets given anywhere else on the pitch.

“There is some frustration but also a lot of positives to take. If that is a yardstick for us this season, I do think we have got another level and gear to find. Largely, I thought we were in control.”

George Johnston made his first league appearance in over a year and Evatt was pleased with the defender’s performance against tough opponents.

“We spoke in the week, this used to be a team who relentlessly kept clean sheets and had a really good defensive record," said Evatt.

“We want to get back to that and I thought George Johnston returning was excellent. Rico and Toaly managed that direct play really well.

“We coped with the set plays well because they are a threat and create a lot of chances from those types of balls into the box.

“I am pleased with the clean sheet, just slightly frustrated we haven’t scored the one goal we needed to win it.”

He added: “On another day, I would back our players to score. Second half, I would back Dion to take that chance.

“It was a big chance in the game, maybe that is a fitness or sharpness edge that will come back to him. I think largely, for a tough and tight game, we have controlled it."

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'A real effort' - Parkinson's verdict as Wanderers held by Wrexham

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Phil Parkinson says his Wrexham side can take “a lot of heart” from their goalless draw against Wanderers.

There was nothing to separate the sides in front of a bumper crowd at the Toughsheet Community Stadium, with Arthur Okonkwo making several impressive stops.

Baxter was also called into action to deny Jack Marriott and Steven Fletcher at the other end, with neither side able to find a winner.

“They are a good side,” said Parkinson. “It was a good test for us today, I was interested to see how we fared.

“They started so quick, and we knew they would, but we didn’t quite react to that start. I thought we grew into the game and it was a real effort from the lads.

“We showed at times that we have quality, we had moments and so did they. It was a hard fought point for us and very important to show that we can compete at this level at the top end of the division. I felt we did that.

“(Bolton) have been up there for the last couple of years. Obviously, they have invested heavily in the summer.

“It was interesting with the shape they play, we had worked on it on the training ground and got better as the game went on at dealing with that.

“At times in the second period, I thought we gained some control with the ball and looked like we could go and win it. But then, we had to rely on Arthur for one, in particular, outstanding save.”

The Welsh club have taken four points from their opening couple of games in League One as they aim to build on back-to-back promotions from the National League.

“We conceded two last week against Wycombe and it was important, even when you win, that we reflect and try to learn from that,” Parkinson continued.

“I felt we did that today, there was a real resilience as a team and we can take a lot of heart from the draw.

“We have a lot of players who have played at this level but I think, sometimes when you come up quickly through the divisions, it is adapting again to what is required at the next level.

“I think you saw in the early exchanges we were a little bit on the back foot and on our heels. We have got to adapt quickly like we did throughout the game.

“I said to the lads, we have to enjoy days like this because this is a great stadium, famous club and we have earned the right to be here. Our supporters have earned the right to be here after many years of tough times in the National League, in particular.

“We have to come here and make sure we have our shoulders back and say, ‘Come on! We are Wrexham and we can live on this stage’.”

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The goals

err the highlights

ok then, something to watch for two minuets!!!

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A 2-0 win would have us sitting second in the table - but of course we do things the hard way. The bottom line is that we have dropped two points at home against a newly promoted side in front of a big crowd. Somehow, we can't do the job in this situation, it defies logic.  It's results like this that cost us at the end of season.
Anyway, on the bright side George Johnson back in has tightened up the left side and overall, we dominated the game.

Had to watch on the telly as yet again the trains were playing up 

Getting to the point of wondering why i bother with a season ticket these days. As for the actual match, we started well but tailed off after 20-25 minutes. We never really looked like scoring i thought.

The change to a front 3 was welcome but may take a bit of time for the 3 of them to click, it did look a bit disjointed but early days yet. As TA said the return of Johnston was very welcome.