Evatt | It Would Mean An Awful Lot

Wanderers Wembley tunnel

Ian Evatt wants his players to take their place in club history with a promotion-winning performance at Wembley, writes Pete Oliver.

Wanderers are one victory away from a place in the Championship as they face Oxford United in the play-off final this afternoon (KO 4.15pm).

The Wanderers have risen from the foot of League Two under Evatt and the Whites’ boss - who also has an EFL Trophy win on his CV - is eyeing one further step with the squad that he led to third place in League One.

“It would mean an awful lot,” said Evatt, who reaches four years in charge of the Whites this summer.  “When I first took over the club, when we picked this giant up from ground zero really, the main focus and the first primary target was to get back to the Championship.

“We've got a great opportunity to do that now. That would mean target number-one has been achieved but you know me well enough and I know the board and Sharon and how hungry we all for more for this football club. 

“It's a brilliant club with a wonderful history and a fantastic fan base we just want to make them proud.

 

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Evatt look up

“Material things obviously matter but you can't take material things with you and things that last forever are legacies and records and results and if we win on Saturday no one can ever take that away from us.

“We will have achieved promotion to the Championship and that will be written into this club's history.”

Wanderers have already entered the record books this season after setting a new goal high for a calendar year and equalling the club’s best ever run of clean sheets.

Evatt’s men have also racked up record wins at the Toughsheet Community Stadium but know they need to deliver one more success in their 61st game of an epic campaign to achieve their goal. 

“We would have all taken it,” said Evatt of the chance to try and secure promotion via a Wembley win.

“But we know it's the best place to win and the worst place to lose and we know that all the hard work we have put in will be undone and forgotten if we don't get the job done.

“It's as simple as that. Football can be a cruel game. But we're excited by it, we're looking forward to it and our focus is where it needs to be.”

Watch the manager’s pre-Wembley interview on Wanderers TV

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