It’s been a wait all weekend, in fact it has been the whole weekend without a game for Bolton, because we’ve been moved to the Monday night slot as our home game against Blackpool has been picked for TV coverage.
It will feel like a reset in a couple of ways – for the first time in 2019-20 a season ticket will get you into the ground, while Bolton’s players will sport a new kit, after the temporary Hummel efforts that have been sported so far.
As for the football itself, Bolton have been improving, but will now be looking for that first win of the season we so desperately need, as we get dangerously close to our waits for that first win that we suffered in 2014 and 2017. We’re 18 points behind fourth-bottom Tranmere after the weekend’s results, but with a couple of games in hand. Blackpool meanwhile, were among those tipped for promotion after also recently getting rid of bad owners – they could go third should they win tomorrow night.
Bolton have no new injury concerns ahead of this game, plus they could also bring in Joe Dodoo, the one-time Blackpool striker who was brought in on Thursday. Blackpool have a number of ex-Wanderers these days – Jay Spearing will likely captain the side, while Liam Feeney has more assists than anyone in English league football this season. No, really, he does. Mark Howard won’t be in goal, however, as he is in the latter stages of recovery from an injury suffered late last season.
It’s our first game against the Tangerines since April 2015, when an injury time equaliser from Eidur Gudjohnsen cancelled out Michael Jacobs’ early goal. Blackpool’s strong form makes them a difficult opponent, and it obviously isn’t a game we have a divine right to win, but our recent display against Sunderland is evidence we could do something tomorrow night.