Kevin Nolan ‘really angry’ at festive schedule after point on return to Bolton

Kevin Nolan saw Northampton deny his former club Bolton a first win of 2026 but then criticised EFL bosses for the Cobblers’ holiday fixture programme.

Top scorer Amario Cozier-Duberry, twice, and Kyle Dempsey went close to earning Wanderers maximum points while Teddy Taylor hit the crossbar for the visitors.

Nolan, who played nearly 350 times for the Trotters in a 10-year spell, was delighted with the point but unhappy with his team’s schedule of three away games out of four over Christmas and New Year.

“The EFL has not looked after us,” claimed Nolan on his emotional return to the Toughsheet Community Stadium.

“It’s like, ‘little old Northampton can play three on the road’. Everybody else is doing two and two (home and away),” he said after adding Bolton to trips to Huddersfield and Burton.

“It’s been tough on the boys and we have lost players because of it. We haven’t had a home Boxing Day game since 2018.

“I am really angry with the EFL. We’ll be sending them a letter because it is unfair on the players and unfair on the fans over Christmas.

“If you want to keep up the quality of the product, you shouldn’t be turning people out every couple of days.

“We don’t have the squads down here (League One) to do that. Premier League clubs do but they haven’t been asked to do it. I am furious and it stinks.”

On his return to the north-west, Nolan added: “I had a little walk on the pitch and you get emotional. It is somewhere I spent a lot of my time and a lot of my life.

“I wish them all the best and hope they get the promotion they deserve.”

Bolton boss Steven Schumacher made seven changes from his team that started at Doncaster on New Year’s Day.

And he remained upbeat despite promotion-chasing Wanderers collecting just two points from their last three games.

“You could see there was a lack of energy,” said Schumacher.

“It is hard for the fans to get going as well for four games in nine days.

“Three games over Christmas is always hard but four? I don’t think it was needed.

“There is no wonder the quality isn’t quite there because the lads are shattered.”

He was also unhappy Mason Burstow’s first-half goal was disallowed for George Johnson’s push on Ross Fitzsimons.

“I didn’t think it was a foul. If that gets given for a foul on the goalie nearly every corner that goes in will be given because there is contact on everyone.”