Why Bolton Wanderers have chosen B team instead of under-23s & how it will work explained

Ian Evatt have explained why Bolton Wanderers have opted to run a B team from next season rather than re-establishing an under-23s set-up for now.

Wanderers have chosen to develop their pathway to the first team and build upon the reserves they have adopted this season.

This team has competed in the EFL's Central League and been run by first-team coach Sam Hird, giving younger players a competitive division to play in and allow first-team players some minutes as they make returns from injury.

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But this will be developed for next season at the gap between the youth groups at Wanderers and the first-team.

A decision was needed to be made as to whether Wanderers restarted an under-23s team at the club, which was discontinued in 2020, or opt for a B team like several other English sides have chosen.

Ultimately though, Wanderers have opted to go down the B team route, which the likes of Brentford, Huddersfield Town and Southampton have all gone down.

A B team manager and squad will be recruited over the summer and Evatt has given reasons as to why they have chosen this route.

He said: "We have come down on the side of running a B team next season, so we will stick with Category Three and run a B team, which will be a separate squad and group to the first team.

"We feel that is the best way to encourage the pathway and make sure there isn’t that gap between under-18s and first-team football. It gives some of our academy players a longer time to develop and learn to get themselves ready for the first team.

"That is what has been agreed and decided on, and we will be recruiting a B team manager and a whole B team