Be it as a player or a manager, Ian Evatt has not had the best of times in the FA Cup.

Dumped out of the competition at the first attempt in each of his two full seasons with Bolton, he had experienced precious little more success as a player – reaching the fourth round with Chesterfield in 2015 and the fifth round in Blackpool colours a few years earlier.

Last year’s ugly exit at Stockport County in front of the television cameras was just about as far from Wembley as it is possible to feel, but that has not stopped Evatt allowing himself a few moments to indulge in the merits of a cup run this year.

Indeed, he can recall the reaction of his hometown Coventry when the Sky Blues lifted the trophy in 1987 with an enthralling 3-2 win against Tottenham, a result he says shaped his early love of football.

“I don’t remember any of my teams having a cup run and most of the managers I played under changed the team immensely during cup competitions, and that changes things. But a cup run would be nice this year,” he said.

“We know, regardless of us trying to win every single football match, we know where the bread and butter lies this season.

“But saying that, as a manager, as a player, I’ve done nothing in the FA Cup but being a young man from Coventry in 1987, I can remember the street parties, they were one of my first real memories. Seeing that team win against a brilliant Tottenham side was one of the first things I remember as a person who loves football.

“So, the romance of the FA Cup is still very much alive for me, and we want to do as well as we can.”

It has been remarked many times since the first-round draw was made that Bolton v Barnsley screams of a fixture destined for the latter end of the round-up on Match of the Day.

But there will be a reminder of Wanderers’ storied FA Cup history hanging on the pegs in the home dressing room on Saturday afternoon, with players set to wear a shirt which commemorates the club’s historic win against West Ham United in 1923 – the first ever at Wembley and one of three wins in a glorious 1920s era under Charles Foweraker.

Outside the ground, Nat Lofthouse’s statute looks on at his beloved club, his crowning glory a 1958 FA Cup win against Manchester United, which is celebrated in pictorial form several times around the stadium.

Everywhere you look at Bolton, there is a reminder that for all its troughs, the peaks were wonderful, and they stretch back further than most.

“History is something you absolutely have to embrace at this club,” Evatt said.

“Yes, it adds some pressure, but pressure is s privilege, and we are privileged to be here.

“Whether we are in the league or cup there is a weight of expectation, so we can only really deal with that by focussing on what is in front of us, the next challenge, and we think we have a chance to progress this year and then see who we get next round. Obviously the big boys don’t come until round three but we can only do our best and try and win the game.”