Chris’ 2018/19 Bolton Wanderers Season Predictions

All the LOV writers have been tasked with predicting how this season will go. I’ve already shared my Championship season predictions, and now it’s time to predict how our beloved Bolton Wanderers will get on this season.

So, here are my 2018/2019 Wanderers predictions:

What else do you think we need before the season starts?

Everything.

A new keeper. Two new centre halves, a left back, four midfielders and two strikers. Not much to ask, I know.

First six games

4th August: West Bromwich Albion 5-0 Bolton Wanderers

11th August: Bolton Wanderers 1-1 Bristol City

18th August: Reading 5-0 Bolton Wanderers

22nd August: Bolton Wanderers 1-1 Birmingham City

25th: Bolton Wanderers 1-0 Sheffield United

1st September: Preston North End 0-0 Bolton Wanderers

Five points from six. I’ll take that.

Final league position

Well obviously I think 24th is realistic, but given the in-built romanticism that strikes all Wanderers fans I would have to say that first place is the absolute minimum that I would expect.

Breakthrough Player

In theory it should be Connor Hall, but I’m going to go for Josh Vela. He’s had two previous Championship campaigns and has been pretty disappointing so far.

We’ve all seen that in League One he can be a key man but I hope that he brings that level of performance up the ladder and makes the league his own.

Signing of the Season

Yanic Wildschut. I think he has the pedigree and potential to deliver where the likes of Sammy Ameobi let us down so often.

I just hope we sign someone to compliment his talents. He could be massive for us.

Top Goalscorer

This is a hard one. The obvious choice is ALF but I remain unsure that he’ll still be a Wanderers player by the time the transfer window ends.

Knowing that Hibs’ bid was rejected makes me wonder whether they’ll come back in for him and given his wage and his advancing years I could see Ken making one of his cold, hard, calculated decisions - such as making Dean Moxey and Ben Amos the villains for his own mistakes.

Supersub of the Season

My heart says Connor Hall, my head says Adam Le Fondre.

Only because I think PP might want to start Clayton Donaldson ahead of ALF. I can only hope that Clayton’s hamstring injury means that ALF starts vs. West Brom and scores ten hundred goals.

Will Phil Parkinson still be our manager come the end of the season?

I hope so, but I think he’ll do well to still be here at Christmas.

This isn’t to say that I want him out - because I don’t and I believe in him, but I also think that if Ken’s investment starts disappearing South over the border with fuck all in the rear view mirror I reckon he’ll pull the trigger.

If he does, I hope it’s for Neil Warnock.

Which old, semi-legendary player will we sign in Winter?

Our first full season free of the psychological terrorism that Gary Madine. I can only pray that we don’t re-sign him. I’ve never disliked a Wanderers player as much as I disliked him. I really really really hope we don’t sign him.