Preview by Liam McDermott
This weekend sees the Play-off Finals in Sky Bet League One and League Two being played, with what is sure to be an exciting encounter between Bolton Wanderers and Oxford United getting the action underway under the Wembley arch.
In a highly anticipated fixture, such as is always the case in arguably one of the most exciting occasions in the English footballing calendar, there is much at stake – with both sides looking to break a barren spell outside of the Championship.
The last time Bolton Wanderers, an illustriously historic club that was amongst the 12 founding members of the Football League, played in the Championship was in 2019 – the darkest period in the club’s history.
In their five years absent from the division, they have been to the brink of oblivion and extinction – seeing their salvation as a club coincide with relegation to League Two.
However, since the arrival of new owners and manager Ian Evatt, now in his fourth season with the club, the good times appear to have returned – with an immediate comeback to the third-tier in 2021.
Courtesy of Sky Sports Premier League’s YouTube channel.
Their time back at this level has provided stability, something that their loyal supporters surely won’t begrudge, with a 9th-place and this season’s third-place finish, either side of a fifth-place finish in which they lost to eventual Play-off Final runners-up Barnsley, last season.
With that, the progress that they have made has been notable, with them falling marginally short of an automatic promotion spot on this occasion – before getting their revenge over The Tykes, in the Play-off Semi-final.
Courtesy of Sky Sports Football’s YouTube channel.
Evatt’s side have been marred by few bumps in the road which, on the whole, you could class as a successful season – given that there have only been two matches where they dropped out of the top six.
In a side stacked with talent, it’s hardly a surprise to see them appear on English football’s greatest stage – 20-goal marksman Dion Charles is back to his best and it wouldn’t be much of a surprise if he added to his tally in this one.
The Trotters’ play-off record offers little promise, ahead of tomorrow’s crunch clash, with their previous six appearances seeing them promoted just twice.
Last time they appeared under the arch, however, they came out on top in a 4-0 EFL Trophy Final drubbing of Plymouth Argyle, last season. Could that be a sign of what may come, tomorrow? Evatt certainly thinks so. The former defender, who had Play-off success with Blackpool in League One and the Championship said: “It is great that a large number of the squad had success there last season and with all the preparation, the travel, the accommodation, we know what worked. We can follow that plan.”
Courtesy of Sky Sports Football’s YouTube channel.
As for Oxford United, they’ve had to wait a little longer to return to the second-tier.
In actuality, the last time that they appeared at that level, one of the sides that replaced them was a certain club called Manchester City – who themselves were promoted from this level in dramatic Play-off Final circumstances, 25 years ago.
With that, The U’s suffered a decline that Bolton could have replicated and by 2006, they were playing Non-League football – remaining in the mire of the Conference National for four seasons, until attaining their elusive promotion back to the Football League in 2010, fittingly via the Play-offs.
Courtesy of Oxford United Official’s YouTube channel.
Chris Wilder was the man to resurrect the club from the dugout, that season, and there have been a host of renowned Football League faces to have taken the hot seat since – with Michael Appleton’s stewardship seeing them promoted from League Two, 10 years after the demise of relegation, while Karl Robinson was the man to lead them to their last League One Play-off Final, when they fell short to Wycombe Wanderers in 2020.
This time however, it is a less familiar name who has pride of place in The Yellows’ technical area – Des Buckingham, who took the reins in November, having previously established himself in New Zealand, Australia and India.
Following a mixed start to his spell, Buckingham has settled the nerves with just one defeat in their last 10 matches, since being on the receiving end of a five-goal drubbing and a five-star Bolton performance.
Courtesy of Sky Sports Football’s YouTube channel.
As for team selection, The U’s have started the same 11 for their three previous fixtures, Buckingham said: “We’ve said all along that we’ll pick what we think is the right team for each game. We always judge on two things, one will be performance from previous games and the other will be whether we think we can get an advantage somewhere.”
The 39-year-old has Cameron Brannagan in his side, who has featured in 47 matches this season.
Having scored four penalties in one match, two years ago, the former Liverpool man has been successful from the spot on all 10 occasions in this campaign – you’d be inclined to feel that the advantage would lie with him, should this one go beyond 120 minutes.
Courtesy of Oxford United Official’s YouTube channel.
Liam McDermott Journalism 
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