Lewis Brunt has said Bolton Wanderers have made a positive start to the Championship season and insists the squad's confidence is high ahead of the visit of Lincoln City.

The defender, speaking ahead of the fixture, was candid about what he has found since arriving at the club. "It's a great club," Brunt said. "We've had a positive start." The mood in the camp, he suggested, reflects that opening run of results, with the squad building on the early momentum they have generated.

A settled Bolton side building confidence

Bolton head into the Lincoln meeting with a team that has shown its character in the opening weeks of the campaign. A hard-fought draw at QPR, in which goalkeeper James Bonham's saves kept the Whites level, demonstrated the defensive resilience the club can call upon. That point on the road followed the buzz generated by a 2-1 derby win over Preston, a result that gave the fanbase a strong early marker for what this side might be capable of.

Brunt's words reinforce the sense that the dressing room believes in what manager Ian Evatt is building. The defender's role at left-back or centre-back provides cover and competition at the back, and his willingness to speak openly about the club's ambitions suggests a group that is not hiding from expectation.

Lincoln arrive with their own Championship story

The opponents carry their own narrative into this fixture. Lincoln City are back in the second tier and, despite a 3-1 defeat in their Championship return, have shown they are prepared to compete. Their home form is something they are working hard to establish, with Sincil Bank identified as a ground where they want to make life difficult for visitors.

Lincoln have moved swiftly in the transfer window, adding Yunus Konak on loan from Brentford and bringing in Kieran Wheatley from Manchester United, signalling a determination to have sufficient depth across the squad for the demands of Championship football.

Bolton, however, travel to Sincil Bank in good heart. Brunt's assessment of a club operating with purpose and positivity is the kind of signal that matters when a side is trying to set expectations early in a long season. Forty-six league matches ask questions that the first few results cannot fully answer, but a settled squad and a clear sense of identity are exactly the platform a promotion push requires.

What the match means for both clubs

For Bolton, a win would extend their promising start and apply early pressure on the clubs around them in the table. For Lincoln, a positive result against one of the division's more established sides would send a statement that their return to the Championship is no brief stopover.

Brunt's four-minute interview with BBC Radio Manchester captured something beyond routine pre-match preparation. His tone carried the conviction of a player settled in his surroundings, representing a club that believes, in his own words, that the foundations are in place for something worth watching this season.

Frequently asked

When do Bolton play Lincoln City in the Championship?
The fixture is scheduled for 28 August 2026, according to BBC Radio Manchester's pre-match coverage.
Who is Lewis Brunt and what position does he play for Bolton?
Lewis Brunt is a defender at Bolton Wanderers who can operate at left-back or centre-back. He spoke ahead of Bolton's Championship match against Lincoln City.
How have Bolton Wanderers started the Championship season?
Bolton have made a positive start, picking up a 2-1 derby win over Preston and a draw at QPR in their opening fixtures.