Over 25,000 tickets have been sold for Bolton Wanderers' home game against Stoke City this weekend, the Lancashire club has confirmed. The fixture marks the first return of Steven Schumacher to the bet365 Stadium since he left his role as Stoke assistant manager last year.
Schumacher, now the head coach of Bolton, will lead his side against his former employers in a key early-season Championship match. The game on Saturday is expected to attract one of Bolton's biggest home crowds of the season so far. Stoke City currently sit seventh in the table with 13 points from eight games, putting them four points behind leaders Swansea.
Schumacher's Stoke connection
The 42-year-old spent two seasons as part of the coaching staff at Stoke before moving to take the top job at Bolton in the summer. His knowledge of several current Stoke players and the club's setup adds an extra layer of intrigue to the contest. Stoke's last result was a 2-1 comeback victory over Sheffield United, with goals from Jack McGlynn and Sam Gallagher turning the game around late on.
A test of momentum
This match represents a significant test for Stoke's positive momentum. They have scored 13 goals this season while conceding 12, showing an ability to both attack and be breached. Ethan Galbraith is the club's top scorer with three goals. A win at the University of Bolton Stadium could see Stoke climb into the automatic promotion places, depending on other results. The full Championship standings show how tight the early race is.
Bolton's ticket sales announcement shows the local interest in the fixture and the draw of Schumacher's narrative. Stoke will travel north looking to extend their current two-game winning streak. The match kicks off at 3pm on Saturday, 10 October.
The original report is at The Sentinel
