Ian Evatt is expecting a possible early pointer to the League One form guide after being handed opening fixtures against Ipswich Town and Wycombe Wanderers.
Evatt will take his Wanderers’ side to Portman Road to face Ipswich on the first day of the 2022/23 season.
The Whites then entertain Wycombe – last season’s beaten play-off finalists – in their opening home game on Saturday, 6 August.
Both Ipswich and Wycombe are fancied to be among the challengers at the top end of the table but Evatt knows, equally, the pair will be anticipating an early test against a Wanderers’ team that finished last season with a gallop.
“We know what’s coming. We know what to expect,” said the Wanderers’ boss following the release of the Whites' 2022/23 EFL fixtures.
“Wycombe are always a good yardstick in this division, a good benchmark.
“They are always there or thereabouts and I believe Ipswich will be as well, so we will know pretty quickly just where we’re at.”
Wanderers lost just three of their final 22 games last season to finish ninth in the table, a run of form with a re-shaped squad that’s also likely to have the opposition on the alert.
“That’s what we’ve done from last season. We’ve put a marker down with the way we finished,” added Evatt.
“It’s easy to look at the fixture schedule and say ‘that’s a big one, or that’s a tough run.’
“But all of the other clubs will be looking at Bolton Wanderers and saying exactly the same thing.
“It’s the nature of football, we all have to play each other at some stage, but what I will say is we must be calm.
“If we don’t pick up wins early on, then it’s not the end of the world and it’s not the end of the season.
“Promotions are won in May and not in August, or July even this year.
“It’s a season I’m really looking forward to. We’re excited by it but for now it’s head down and work hard.”
That hard work continues in Portugal with Wanderers training at their Algarve base until the weekend before returning home to kick-off a pre-season schedule of games building up to the big kick-off on Saturday, 30 July.