Ian Evatt

[Hitthebar22]

Yes no one person is bigger than the club and it is a combination of things coming together, but he has been at the heart of it all and would be very tough to replace, He managed to change the mentality and belief of the fans, something no one has ever achieved before. Hard to build up, very easy to drop back down. That club culture is not there yet to sustain it if he moves on, thats why we need to go into L2 with him at the helm. If he moves on, and the next manager doesn't have that same energy, we’d soon drop back down again. Its off the pitch as well where the Manager needs to make a mark

He certainly would be difficult to replace but it's not impossible. The whole culture at the club has changed but not only because of the manager but equally, IMO, because of Paul Hornby and the new directors and they won't be going anywhere! It is perfectly possible that we could get an excellent manager but there won't be many who will try to play the same type of football as Ian Evatt demanded. I've never seen anything like it in the National League and it produced entertainment even on the few occasions when results weren't great. However, some of us "oldies" will remember that we have seen better Barrow teams than the current one with better players. The team that won promotion was certainly a better team and IMO - much as like the majority of our current players -we don't currently have players as good as the likes of Fred Else, Jim Mallon, Jim Mulholland and George Smith to mention just four.

I would add Mick Hartland to this group. I agree exactly with what you say about IE. The quality of the football he generated was remarkable for a lower league. Even when we were losing at the beginning of the season (before Platt came in) we were great to watch. If he goes I think he will be hard to replace in that regard alone.

[Suffolk Blue]

Without quoting your whole very well worded post SB this part is probably slightly unfair on the other owners (I know you won’t have meant it that way) because each one of them brings other skills to the club. PH is a fantastic at the media side of things and obviously his accountancy knowledge has been invaluable but I think it’s worth pointing out that behind the scenes are three others putting in a lot of effort. Mark H was hardly away from HS last summer and always has “one more job” for us to do. Kris W does massive amounts bringing various parts of the ground up to EFL standards and looking after (probably walking over) the things most would miss on a normal match day. Tony S will obviously bring all his years of business experience & know-how to the club.
All together (along with the Trust) a massive reason why we’ve enjoyed what’s been happening the last eighteen months.
Like I say, I know you never meant it that way but I thought it was just worth mentioning.

Absolutely Ian. The point I was really trying to make was that all of that effort, that support and commitment from all the players and staff and supporters doesn't just count for nothing simply because the manager might leave. The performances we have been able to give have been the product of all of those parts working in harmony. Its certainly not just about one mans skill.

One of the things IE will have to do is try to recreate that "vibe" elsewhere if and when he goes. He may find however that at a club like Bolton with its up and down history that people have a different view of their roles and of what "pulling together" means. There was very little evidence during the Keith Hill tenure of anybody "pulling together". If you were to believe a lot of the press you'd have got the impression that Keith Hill lost the plot and had to go. This doesn't feel however like the Keith Hill that was so revered at Rochdale and was rated one the finest L1 managers around. Proof perhaps that when you leave familiar surroundings your reputation can suffer very quickly for reasons not wholly within your control.

[russell_anderson]

He certainly would be difficult to replace but it's not impossible. The whole culture at the club has changed but not only because of the manager but equally, IMO, because of Paul Hornby and the new directors and they won't be going anywhere! It is perfectly possible that we could get an excellent manager but there won't be many who will try to play the same type of football as Ian Evatt demanded. I've never seen anything like it in the National League and it produced entertainment even on the few occasions when results weren't great. However, some of us "oldies" will remember that we have seen better Barrow teams than the current one with better players. The team that won promotion was certainly a better team and IMO - much as like the majority of our current players -we don't currently have players as good as the likes of Fred Else, Jim Mallon, Jim Mulholland and George Smith to mention just four.

I would add Mick Hartland to this group. I agree exactly with what you say about IE. The quality of the football he generated was remarkable for a lower league. Even when we were losing at the beginning of the season (before Platt came in) we were great to watch. If he goes I think he will be hard to replace in that regard alone.

Definitely agree with that HTB. Mick probably had even more ability than George Smith but, unfortunately, enjoyed life a bit too much and lacked George's dedication!

[NORTHERNSOUL]

You could do a lot worse than Nigel Clough, he's the type that will keep you up and get you going.

If he is that good, why are Bolton not chasing him?

I.d say it could well be the massive entourage that he.d insist on bringing with him

[NORTHERNSOUL]

Without quoting your whole very well worded post SB this part is probably slightly unfair on the other owners (I know you won’t have meant it that way) because each one of them brings other skills to the club. PH is a fantastic at the media side of things and obviously his accountancy knowledge has been invaluable but I think it’s worth pointing out that behind the scenes are three others putting in a lot of effort. Mark H was hardly away from HS last summer and always has “one more job” for us to do. Kris W does massive amounts bringing various parts of the ground up to EFL standards and looking after (probably walking over) the things most would miss on a normal match day. Tony S will obviously bring all his years of business experience & know-how to the club.
All together (along with the Trust) a massive reason why we’ve enjoyed what’s been happening the last eighteen months.
Like I say, I know you never meant it that way but I thought it was just worth mentioning.

Absolutely Ian. The point I was really trying to make was that all of that effort, that support and commitment from all the players and staff and supporters doesn't just count for nothing simply because the manager might leave. The performances we have been able to give have been the product of all of those parts working in harmony. Its certainly not just about one mans skill.

One of the things IE will have to do is try to recreate that "vibe" elsewhere if and when he goes. He may find however that at a club like Bolton with its up and down history that people have a different view of their roles and of what "pulling together" means. There was very little evidence during the Keith Hill tenure of anybody "pulling together". If you were to believe a lot of the press you'd have got the impression that Keith Hill lost the plot and had to go. This doesn't feel however like the Keith Hill that was so revered at Rochdale and was rated one the finest L1 managers around. Proof perhaps that when you leave familiar surroundings your reputation can suffer very quickly for reasons not wholly within your control.

I.m told that he started to lose interest around Christmas when he couldn't get any combination of the players he.d signed to click and it was starting to look like there was no way they were going to pull back the points deficit needed to stay up.

And in the time since the football stopped, he's shown very little inclination to get on with the things that he needed to be getting on with knowing that with the financial restraints he would be under due to the failure of FV.s business plan he simply lost interest and wasn't the slightest bit bothered [ other than that he.d dragged Flitcroft down with him ] when they took the decision to give him the order of the boot.

[olbarrafancumbak]

250k compensation is a bit low. I would have said 500k with future success payments like they do for players.

Massive respect for ie but I would be really disappointed if he bailed now...

[Paulmichael]

This is my take on it if he leaves being honest as much as he performed miracles getting us up playing some great stuff in the process, the fact his head has been turned twice in 7/8 months, the first time resulting in a whopping pay rise to puesade him to stay and now jumping ship at the next tempting offer disappoints me massively, we give him his break, backed him after a poor start, bowed down to his demands with a new contract and he still walks without at least leading us into our first season in the league

[200miles]

Yes, it will be a sickener if he goes, but if he does then think of it like this......his desire for a rapid rise would be shown to be much greater than his desire to finish the work at Barrow. Why would the club want to keep him if it was a matter of always looking over your shoulder? Eventually it would destroy morale anyway. If he wants to stay and consolidate the Club's position, then fantastic. If he'd prefer to move on and up elsewhere then what's the point of worrying about him leaving? We also should move on.

[Wintergreen]

Well the guy has achieved the seemingly impossible and we might have to pay the ultimate price of success and not for the first time:

• McEvoy
  Halom
  Evatt?

[Barron]

How much is the compensation actually worth?? I'm seeing 250k some places. It's reported as low as 120k here - https://bit.ly/3fThTMg

I can almost understand the appeal of Bolton but they're a sinking ship!

Honestly you'd think you'd have a bit more of a connection with a club you've got promoted into the football league.. well disappointing

[Adam29]

250k

[mall]

To reiterate, they had Paul Hornby on the sports show on Tuesday night with Ian Evatt.
Paul Hornby said he and Evatt "were having a good laugh on the phone about the numerous clubs Evatt has been linked with".
For me, reading between the lines, that tells me-he aint going anywhere yet and he's going to have a good shot at league two this season with Barrow.
And don't forget that Adam29 also reckons there is nothing in it at all and, its just a made up story by a journo collecting bits of non substantial information from here there and everywhere and throwing together to build a false picture.
The so called Bolton fans on this topic are a couple of wind up merchants imo-that have even managed to alert Radio Cumbria.
Bullsh!t news stories such as these will always be picked upon by journalists whether they be in Bolton, Barrow or Carlisle because substantial sports news stories are rarity, such as at the moment with what's going on out there in the big world.

[Matty]

Err, I think there's something in this one. Too much smoke.

[barrowaberdeen]

End of the day, if any of us were successful at work we could get other offers to consider. That's entirely understandable and fine. And IE has performed a miracle here, beyond our wildest dreams, winning a league with style.

But he has a long contract, much improved by all accounts and everyone will have to adhere to that- up front. No amount of BBB wriggling by Bolton or anyone else will change that.

Given the transfer embargo, given they have some odd model that doesn't sound like he'll have full autonomy, given that there are lots of rumors of various preferred candidates on their forum. Given that their main asset(the hotel) is leaking money. Given that they are clearly working with some media pals to drive any compensation down...

If I was IE I'd be pretty fed up with all that by now, hugely tempting though it must be. Is he really going to get to put his stamp on things properly? Wouldn't have thought so. Whatever the outcome, we may be Little Old Barrow but the club is run significantly better than Bolton, which is simply another delusional behemoth on the slide.

[Matty]

Hope the situation is resolved sooner rather than later so we know what direction we are heading in so to speak.