On 24 June 2020 Bolton Wanderers made an official approach to Barrow for Evatt to become their head coach, and Barrow demanded £250,000 compensation should he make the move. Two days later Barrow rejected Bolton's bid for his services, stating it was below the £250,000 they had asked for. On 29 June, Bolton and Barrow agreed on compensation and Bolton began discussing personal terms with Evatt. Evatt's appointment at Bolton was confirmed on 1 July 2020. His first action as Bolton head coach was to give a new contract to recently released Ali Crawford, and his first signing was the leading goalscorer of the 2019–20 EFL League Two season, Eoin Doyle. His first competitive match as head coach came on 5 September, a 2–1 home defeat against Bradford in the first round of the EFL Cup. Evatt lost his first four competitive matches in charge, the first time this has happened to a Bolton manager/head coach. This had Bolton in their lowest-ever league position in their history, 21st in League Two. After losing the first five matches of the season, his first win came on 3 October against Harrogate Town. Bolton's form soon turned around and after winning five matches in a row, Evatt was named EFL League Two Manager of the Month for November 2020. After the departure of director of football Tobias Phoenix on 11 December Evatt's role was changed from head coach to manager. After five wins and one draw in February 2021, Evatt was named Manager of the Month again for the second time that season. This was followed up the following month with five wins and one draw, which saw him win March's Manager of the Month award as well. Bolton finished the season in third place after a 4–1 win against Crawley Town on the final day of the season, which was enough to secure automatic promotion to League One. On 28 May 2021, Evatt signed a new three-year contract.