Wanderers head to Wembley on Sunday with the chance to add another chapter to the club’s history.
One hundred years on from Wanderers’ first FA Cup triumph in the ‘White Horse’ final of 1923, Ian Evatt takes the Whites back to Wembley for the first time since 2011.
Evatt’s men will also be bidding to win Wanderers’ first cup competition since success in the same competition in 1989 when they face leaders and League One rivals Plymouth Argyle in the final of the Papa Johns Trophy.
Manager quotes:
Ian Evatt: “When we turn up on Sunday we’ve got a job to do. We’re there to do a job and that’s to win a football match for this football club.
“As a game, I think it’s two very good football teams, teams that don’t know how to take a backward step in a game.
“What a great occasion for League One football, the EFL and for both clubs. To have 70,000-plus there is just a real representation of what this league is now and the massive clubs that are involved in it.
“I think the game will be tight because when you come up against the best teams that is usually the case. It is decided on moments, and we have to take ours, hoping they don’t take theirs. It is that simple.”
Plymouth Argyle manager Steven Schumacher:
“It isn't a normal game. You can't pretend that it is. There's a lot of stuff that goes on on the outside that's different.
“But the football preparation is the same. We've gone through the same routine, the same sort of detail that we give the players for every league game. It's somebody we know a lot in Bolton Wanderers. We’ve played twice already this season.
“They’re a really good team, and we need to give the players the information that we would for a league game. We can't just say: ‘oh, it's a final, let's just go and enjoy it.’ We need to be prepared as best as we can.”
Team news:
Wanderers will be without the cup-tied trio of Shola Shoretire, Victor Adeboyejo and Dan N’Lundulu.
The Whites will also be missing winger Lloyd Isgrove, as well as striker Jon Dadi Bodvarsson and defender Jack Iredale as they continue their recovery from longer-term injuries.
However, defender George Johnston and midfielder MJ Williams are available after returning to full fitness after being out since January.
And Wanderers’ international contingent all returned from duty fit and well to extend manager Ian Evatt’s options.
Plymouth expect on-loan Birmingham striker Sam Cosgrove to be fit after missing four games with a calf injury.
However, defender James Bolton and midfielder Adam Randell are both out through injury.
And January signings Saxon Earley and Tyreik Wright are cup-tied and unable to feature.
Form guide:
Wanderers are without a win in four games but have lost just one of their last three and impressed in a 1-1 draw at then League One leaders Sheffield Wednesday in their last fixture a fortnight ago.
The Whites also benefitted from a productive stadium work-out – and win – against Championship opposition last Friday to top up their work-load.
Wanderers reached the final after topping their qualifying group and then beating Barrow, Manchester United's U23s, Portsmouth and Accrington Stanley.
Argyle have won four of their last five games – wrapped around a home loss to Barnsley – to return to the top of League One.
The Pilgrims got past Cheltenham Town on penalties in the semi-final after wins over Charlton, AFC Wimbledon (also on penalties) and Bristol Rovers in the knock-out rounds on their route to Wembley.
Officials:
Referee: Ben Toner
Assistant referees: Graeme Fyvie & Dean Treleaven
Fourth Official: Darren Drysdale
Kick-off:
Sunday 3pm
Coverage:
The game will be shown live on Sky Sports with commentary available on BWFC iFollow with an audio pass available to buy HERE
Some overseas territories also have rights to broadcast live with the countries where it is available listed HERE