Steven Schumacher exclusive: Bolton head coach on facing Graham Alexander and why it would mean everything to reach Wembley

Bolton Wanderers have carried the weight of expectation on them for several years now.

This is a big club - one that has averaged crowds of over 21,000 for three seasons now; one that has dreams of an eventual return to the Premier League, where they have spent 13 seasons in all.

But it is also a club that has been in Sky Bet League One for five seasons now - the longest stay in the third tier in club history.

Two play-off campaigns have ended in heartbreak. In 2022/23, they were beaten by Barnsley in the semi-final, while in 2023/24 they reached the Wembley final, only to be beaten by Oxford.