League One manager handed three-match ban for furiously squaring up to rival player

Bolton manager Ian Evatt squared up to Shrewsbury Town star Morgan Feeney following a recent League One clash between the two sides, with the Englishman now being banned by the FA

Bolton boss Ian Evatt has been handed a three-game touchline ban after squaring up to Shrewsbury Town star Morgan Feeney after a recent game.

Feeney’s side travelled to Bolton in the Trotters last League One game before the October international break. The visitors had gone two goals up thanks to first-half strikes from Josh Feeney and Jordan Shipley.

But Kyle Dempsey pulled a goal back minutes into the second period before Szabolcs Schön had them level just after the hour mark. But tempers flared at the final whistle while Evatt was speaking to the referee, who had played 60 seconds fewer than the allotted eight minutes of added time.

Morgan Feeney appeared to wander past and have a word in Evatt’s ear, with the Bolton boss responding by pushing the defender away before going on to put his head against the 25-year-old’s as they squared up.

Evatt was subsequently sent off and unsurprisingly charged by the FA over the incident. The governing body have now confirmed Evatt has been handed a touchline ban after he admitted to a charge of misconduct.

“Ian Evatt has been suspended from the touchline for three matches and fined £3,400 following misconduct at the EFL League One game between Bolton Wanderers and Shrewsbury Town on Saturday 5 October,” an FA statement said.

“It was alleged that the manager’s conduct on the field of play after the final whistle was improper and/or violent. Ian Evatt admitted to this charge and an independent Regulatory Commission imposed his sanctions.”

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Bolton confirmed that they would not be appealing against the ruling. Evatt will be suspended for the Trotters’ home games against Burton Albion this Saturday and Peterborough United (26 October), as well as the trip to league leaders Birmingham City on 22 October.

Before the judgement was published, Evatt admitted he had gone too far when confronting Feeney. The Bolton boss conceded he was disappointed in himself, but insisted Feeney had provoked him.

“I’m disappointed and I’m not happy with how things turned out. There wasn’t an issue with the referee at all, we were discussing the timing situation. There was context to my actions,” he told BBC Radio Manchester.

“Their player grabbed me and was saying some not nice things and I reacted in a way I shouldn’t have done. Whether it was emotion, frustration, passion… whatever you want to call it, it probably went too far. I apologise and I’ll learn from it.”

Bolton currently sit 14th in the third tier, having won four, drawn two and lost three of their opening nine games. Despite their lowly position, Evatt’s men are just two points off the play-off places.

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