Why the Bolton Wanderers captain's job may be misunderstood

Wearing the armband at Bolton carries with it a weight of responsibility, if only because of the names who did it before. It was a job fulfilled by greats like Joe Smith, Harry Goslin and Nat Lofthouse, plus modern-day legends like Kevin Nolan, Kevin Davies and Jay-Jay Okocha.

Typically, a club captain is one part shop steward, one-part fearless leader. They are the conduit between the dressing room and management, a symbolic figure and one arguably under the most pressure to perform.

But as football changes to reflect the world around it, there is also evidence to suggest the role is changing, softening even. And though being declared as a captain remains the biggest individual honour a club can bestow, the view from inside the game is quite different to that of the supporters looking in from the outside.

Nat Lofthouse lifts the 1958 FA Cup for Bolton Wanderers (Image: PA) Billy Ithell, Danny Winters, Jackie Roberts, George Catterall, Don Howe and Harry Goslin in 1939. (Image: Newsquest)READ MORE: Harry Goslin, the Wanderers captain who led his team to war

Evatt knew what the public perception of his decision to change skipper would be, especially as Santos’s form had been scrutinised so heavily since the start of the year.

The former Peterborough United defender has been integral to the manager’s plan throughout more than four years at the helm, no more so than when he made him captain after Antoni Sarcevic’s unceremonious exit to Stockport County in 2021.

Though seconded by a more vocal type in Gethin Jones, Santos had not always met with the traditionalist’s ideal of a captain, and he found himself under intense pressure post-Wembley, with some supporters unhappy he had not spoken on behalf of the team.

In reality, the decision to put up Jones and Kyle Dempsey after the Oxford United defeat was almost entirely about timing in the post-match mixed zone, after which a disappointed squad scattered to the four winds to lick their wounds.

Thomason – a thoughtful young midfielder who has matured under the gaze of Bolton’s fans – was the player Evatt turned to when he wished to take some of that load from Santos’s shoulders.

Former captain Antoni Sarcevic left the club in 2021 (Image: Camerasport) But has the role changed, and what exactly is the Bolton manager looking for in his captain?

“I think it’s a job that has a mixture of elements, on and off the pitch, but I have to make it abundantly clear that I didn’t change captain because of anything that Rico did wrong, that is absolutely vital to say that,” Evatt told The Bolton News.

“What I felt was that sometimes when you are the captain, alongside the manager, you are the one that everyone looks to and, at times, that can mean an extra level of critique.

“We have talked recently about the level that got to in the end, so to take that pressure away from him so he can literally focus on his football and doing what he needs to do for us, was important. It will help in the long-term, I believe, and he remains a hugely important player for this football club.

“He was a great captain for me, and he still is a big member of our leadership team. He gets around the lads off the pitch, makes sure we are disciplined in everything we do off the pitch, and then on it, you can lead in different ways.

“You can lead by being vocal, but I think that type of leader is becoming less common in the game as it changes and the world changes. That type of character – the Roy Keane types – have probably left the game now and most leaders lead by example.

“We selected George based around that, really. He does everything correctly off the pitch and on it. He tried his absolute level best, gives 100 per cent.

“I think if you ask any Bolton Wanderers fan what is the minimum requirement to play for this football club, it would be to give 100 per cent effort in every game and that can’t be doubted with George.

“But as I’ve discussed before, we have a leadership group. It isn’t just about one captain, or individual, we have a group of players who can come to me to discuss things, and we make decisions together. And that won’t change, moving forwards.”

Ian Evatt and Ricardo Santos after the win at Northampton Town (Image: Camerasport)

George Thomason has been given the Bolton Wanderers captaincy (Image: Camerasport) One of the regular sights before each Wanderers game is that of the players huddling together for a last-minute pep talk, often – but not always – led by Thomason. Rightly or wrongly, that often fed into the belief that Santos was not the vocal personality needed to lead the team.

Asked if the view of a singular captain is outdated, Evatt agreed: “I think so. I think those days have changed, the world has changed. The vocal, aggressive leaders and the behaviour patterns of those people has had to change. Football is a very different place now.

“It is more a collective. It isn’t about one person barking orders around the pitch, it is about giving every player responsibility to make decisions for the greater good. Having an open, honest and constructive dialogue with the manager is something which is very important in the modern game, I think.

“Players – all players – discuss things with me all the time and they are fully invested and bought into the process.

“But the one thing I must get across to anyone is that when we changed the captaincy it wasn’t a reaction to something we thought was wrong, it was my own feeling that the pressure had to be spread more evenly throughout the group. I think George is a young man who can take a lot of pressure.”

Wales' Brennan Johnson (right) with Wanderers' Josh Sheehan (left) (Image: PA) Josh Sheehan wore the captain’s armband for Wales in the summer, leading his country into a friendly against Gibraltar.

The midfielder treasured the experience but he believes the job at Wanderers is conducted largely out of the public eye, and that responsibilities are shared across the team once a match begins.

He said: “I think at club level you might have more one-to-one chats with the gaffer, relaying more messages from him. And that isn’t always football matters, it can be anything in the day-to-day at the club, like meeting times, when we’re eating, training, whatever.

“On the pitch I don’t think it matters as much. Once you are across the white line, everyone’s personality comes out regardless of what your role is. If you are not a captain it doesn’t mean you can’t have a go at someone if it’s needed.

“It was an incredible honour for me to captain my country and it’s something me and my family will always remember but if you are not captain, it doesn’t change the way I play or the way I train.

“I don’t think you ever look at someone and think ‘oh, I can’t say that to him, he’s the captain’ or anything like that.

“If Rico or George make a mistake then they can expect boys in the team to pull them up on it. I am sure they would want that, too.

“I think as a player you don’t look into it as much as people on the outside world probably do.

“Off the pitch you probably have a little bit more sorting to do, but people don’t really see that side of things. On it you want 11 captains, really, and you wouldn’t want to be treated any differently if you were the captain or not.”