Club Update | Coaching Staff

Stadium night January, 2025

Bolton Wanderers can confirm the departure of a number of members of the Club’s coaching and backroom staff.

Joint assistant-managers Peter Atherton and Stephen Crainey have left the Toughsheet Community Stadium following the departure of manager Ian Evatt by mutual consent earlier this week.

They are joined by goalkeeping coach Matt Gilks and analyst Lewis Duckmanton.

Atherton and Duckmanton joined Wanderers along with Evatt from AFC Barrow in July, 2020 before former Blackpool, Burnley and Rochdale keeper Gilks arrived shortly afterwards in an initial combined playing and coaching role.

As part of Evatt’s staff, they all went on to play a key role in the Whites’ success in winning promotion from League Two in their first seasons at the club – Gilks crucially stepping in to make 35 playing appearances in 2020/21 – the EFL Trophy in 2023 and then twice reaching the League One play-offs.

Former Fleetwood Town manager Crainey joined the Whites last summer in a joint capacity alongside Atherton.

Chairman Sharon Brittan said: "On behalf of everyone at Bolton Wanderers, I would like to express our sincere gratitude to Peter, Stephen, Matt and Lewis for their hard work and commitment during their time at the Club. They have all contributed to one of the most successful periods in our recent history and have been an integral part of our journey. They committed so much time and energy to the Club at all times and were extremely loyal to me, which I will always be eternally grateful for. We wish them all the very best for the future.”

 

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