The Game
Bolton Wanderers v Argyle. Toughsheet Community Stadium. Saturday, 9 August. 3pm. Sky Bet League One.
The Opposition
Bolton have started their fifth consecutive season in League One, following promotion in 2020/21. After two straight play-off disappointments, Wanderers would have been hoping to go a bit better last season, but they ended up finishing in eighth, ten points outside the play-off places.
Just after Christmas, Bolton parted ways with Ian Evatt, and replaced him with former Argyle boss Steven Schumacher. His arrival sparked an upturn in form, but Bolton finished weakly, and failed to win any of their last six games, meaning they missed out on the top six.
The Gaffer
Steven Schumacher needs little introduction to Argyle fans. He arrived at Home Park as Ryan Lowe’s assistant manager in June 2019, and was part of the promotion in 2019/20, from League Two.
In December 2021, Lowe left for Preston, with Schumacher taking over, his first managerial role. In the 2022/23 season, Schumacher presided over Argyle’s superb promotion from League One, as the Pilgrims won the title, earning 101 points.
The following season, with Argyle making a strong fist of it in the Championship, Schumacher left for Stoke City, almost exactly two years after becoming Pilgrims boss. At Stoke, he kept the Potters up when relegation looked likely, but Stoke sacked him early the following season. He took the Bolton job in January this year.
The Squad
John McAtee, the older brother of Manchester City forward James, is likely to start in the number 10 role for Bolton. He signed before the start of last season and featured in all but one game for Wanderers last term, scoring 11 goals. The 26-year-old began his career at Shrewsbury, and has also represented Scunthorpe United, Grimsby Town, Luton Town and Barnsley.
Defensive midfielder Xavier Simons (below) is one of several summer recruits for Bolton. Signing for an undisclosed fee from Hull City, for whom he played 19 times last season, 22-year-old Simons came through the ranks at Chelsea and had a loan at Hull before signing their permanently. He has also had a loan spell with Fleetwood Town.
Another recruit from Hull, this time on the loan front, is Mason Burstow. After leaving his first club Charlton Athletic, for Chelsea, forward Burstow returned to the Valley on loan, and also spent a spell borrowed to Sunderland, before signing for Hull last season. He scored twice for the Tigers, and moved to Bolton on loan at the end of May.
Previous Meetings
The last time Argyle met Bolton was at Wembley, when the Trotters humbled Argyle in the Papa John’s Trophy, now known at the Vertu Trophy, final. In the league games that season, Bolton failed to score, drawing 0-0 with the Greens in the game in Greater Manchester, with Argyle winning 2-0 at Home Park, thanks to goals from Niall Ennis and Ryan Hardie.
A Strip for the Trip
Argyle will be wearing their green home kit for this game.
Argyle TV
Argyle TV’s coverage will begin with Argyle Breakfast at 10am, hosted by Erin Black and Aaron Cusack. Charlie Price will host the pre-match show, which starts at 2.30pm, alongside Marc Edworthy, and then hand over to the stadium for live commentary from Rob McNichol and former Pilgrims midfielder David Norris.
Match passes to watch this game are available outside of the UK & Ireland. Click here to get yours.
