Wanderers have plenty of history at Wembley, and Ian Evatt hopes they can write the next chapter against Plymouth this weekend.

The Whites head to the famous venue more than a decade since their last visit and will be aiming to return home with silverware.

But it will not be easy against a Plymouth side who currently sit top of the League One table with eight games to go.

“Three years into my tenure with a Wembley cup final and in the top six of League One with eight games to go is something to be proud of. We've come a long, long way in a short space of time,” said Evatt.

“This club is rich in history. It's had some brilliant moments and some pretty dark ones as well.

“It's just great to come out of the dark side and be the first team to have a chance to play at Wembley Stadium again.

“The connection that we’ve made with the fans. The respect that they have for us now. They’re proud of seeing their team play football again, and that’s what we wanted to create when I first came here. 

“Nobody will remember it if we lose but I'm sure everyone will if we win, so we're going to go there and give it our best shot and hopefully bring the cup home.”

Evatt is no stranger to big occasions at Wembley, having played there four times before hanging up his boots.

The boss says Sunday’s final is “a great opportunity” and hopes his side can attack it with freedom and belief.

“With the play-offs, your full season depends on it. It is for promotion, or you stay in the same league, whereas a cup final is a one-off experience,” he added.

“Everybody will say we want to win it and it will have a big impact on our season, but the bigger picture here is that we want to be promoted out of League One.

“This is a brilliant sideshow, and a great opportunity for the whole town to celebrate where this club has been and where it has got back to, and to go and enjoy the day and hopefully win.

“We're playing with that freedom, it's a one-off experience. It's a free hit to go and express ourselves and show the whole country what we can do.”

There has been lots of debate over the Papa Johns Trophy in recent years, but Evatt says the response from fans is proof of what it can mean for clubs, having now passed the 34,000-mark for ticket sales.

“I think at times it's been undervalued. And there was obviously a bit of controversy in there as well with the younger teams being allowed in,” the manager explained.

“Any chance you get to play a cup final at Wembley, you should try to grab with both hands.

“We've seen with the ticket sales to this game, the amount of interest there is in this game, it shows you what this tournament can mean to teams and to people. 

“Our fanbase has kind of been a slow burner with it. Early on, we had some very small crowds and eventually, as we've got rolling in the competition, the interest has increased. 

“And you saw the scenes in the semi-final and now to sell 34,000 at Wembley is incredible. More than an FA Cup semi-final, which is great credit to the connection that we’ve built with the fanbase and the town again.”

There are plenty of similarities between the Bolton boss and Plymouth chief Steven Schumacher, with both favouring an expansive style of play.

The pair are also relatively early into their respective managerial careers, and Evatt has lots of respect for his opposite number.

“It’s great for young managers to be doing so well. I really respect Stephen and what he is doing at Plymouth,” he added.

“A team that does play good football, likes to attack and doesn’t take a backward step. It’s like looking at ourselves in the mirror.

“It’s going to be a really good spectacle for the fans. Hopefully we can do the competition, League One and the EFL proud.”