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Wanderers legend John McGinlay has added his voice to an increasingly vocal majority demanding answers from the club.
The former Scotland international, who scored 118 goals in 245 appearances for Bolton, spoke out against Phil Gartside in a frank discussion aired by BBC Radio Manchester on Monday night, demanding more transparency at board level.
McGinlay accused Gartside of showing “disrespect” to supporters at a time when reports – vehemently denied at the Macron Stadium – have claimed administration is being considered.
The former striker insists his call for change at the top is not a personal issue but feels the alienation felt among supporters comes down to a lack of public communication.
Many fans called in to the phone-in to express their concern at the club’s situation and McGinlay says he shares in their unhappiness at present.
“I think the chairman has under-performed for a long, long period of time now. It’s not just this season or the year before that,” he told BBC Radio Manchester’s Football Hour.
“Anybody posting the losses we have as a club, the first question you’d ask is: ‘well how is the club being run?’
“And the club has not been run right for a long, long period of time.
“I know the chairman professes to be this great Bolton Wanderers supporter, well if that’s the case then the time has come to step aside.
“It is not the case of personally attacking Phil Gartside; it’s whether his position is holding somebody back from taking over the club.
“This isn’t the first time we’ve been in this position; I think the same has happened to the last two managers. When they’ve had tough times the chairman disappears, never comes out and backs the manager, never comes out and gives any transparency in the football club. There’s a huge disrespect towards the supporters because, at the end of the day, it’s their football club. They deserve to know what’s going on.
“We know they can’t come out and give you every single fact. Some of it has to be kept behind closed doors. But at least give us something?”
McGinlay reiterated his backing for manager Neil Lennon but expects a season of struggle unless funds are made available for the manager to strengthen his squad.
“They are at the wrong end of the table and finding it hard to attract players – whether that’s financial or because of the situation they are in. But they are a way short,” he said.
“Since we got relegated from the Premier League, each year that has gone by we’ve been downgrading, down-sizing, and we have got a severe lack of quality now in the squad.
“The manager has been through some tough times but I think we’ve got a good manager on our hands if he’s given the tools to work with.”
Inconsistency, reckons McGinlay, has been the bane of Lennon’s existence this season – and has also impacted on the team’s organisation on the pitch.
Wanderers have scored just once this season from a set piece, the lowest return in the division alongside Nottingham Forest and MK Dons.
But with a regular line-up – and some more creative input – McGinlay believes that Lennon will be able to steady the ship and lead the team back up the table.
“There have been games they have competed very well and those where we’ve been absolutely terrible,” he added.
“Now you look around and the team changes nearly every week and that’s been down to injuries and because we’ve not been going very well. I think Neil has been pulling rabbits out of a hat and saying ‘that didn’t work, we’ll try him this week, now we’ll try him.’
“There’s no consistency. That’s where your set pieces come in because there’s a lack of quality to make a difference.
“We do okay as a team and work hard for each other but once we’re in the final third we’re lacking ideas.
“When Neil first came in we saw a variety of corners and free-kicks quite quickly but I’ve not seen that this season.
“Possibly more work is needed but more importantly a more consistent team is needed on the park.”
*The Bolton News contacted Phil Gartside to give him the opportunity to comment.
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The former Scotland international, who scored 118 goals in 245 appearances for Bolton, spoke out against Phil Gartside in a frank discussion aired by BBC Radio Manchester on Monday night, demanding more transparency at board level.
McGinlay accused Gartside of showing “disrespect” to supporters at a time when reports – vehemently denied at the Macron Stadium – have claimed administration is being considered.
The former striker insists his call for change at the top is not a personal issue but feels the alienation felt among supporters comes down to a lack of public communication.
Many fans called in to the phone-in to express their concern at the club’s situation and McGinlay says he shares in their unhappiness at present.
“I think the chairman has under-performed for a long, long period of time now. It’s not just this season or the year before that,” he told BBC Radio Manchester’s Football Hour.
“Anybody posting the losses we have as a club, the first question you’d ask is: ‘well how is the club being run?’
“And the club has not been run right for a long, long period of time.
“I know the chairman professes to be this great Bolton Wanderers supporter, well if that’s the case then the time has come to step aside.
“It is not the case of personally attacking Phil Gartside; it’s whether his position is holding somebody back from taking over the club.
“This isn’t the first time we’ve been in this position; I think the same has happened to the last two managers. When they’ve had tough times the chairman disappears, never comes out and backs the manager, never comes out and gives any transparency in the football club. There’s a huge disrespect towards the supporters because, at the end of the day, it’s their football club. They deserve to know what’s going on.
“We know they can’t come out and give you every single fact. Some of it has to be kept behind closed doors. But at least give us something?”
McGinlay reiterated his backing for manager Neil Lennon but expects a season of struggle unless funds are made available for the manager to strengthen his squad.
“They are at the wrong end of the table and finding it hard to attract players – whether that’s financial or because of the situation they are in. But they are a way short,” he said.
“Since we got relegated from the Premier League, each year that has gone by we’ve been downgrading, down-sizing, and we have got a severe lack of quality now in the squad.
“The manager has been through some tough times but I think we’ve got a good manager on our hands if he’s given the tools to work with.”
Inconsistency, reckons McGinlay, has been the bane of Lennon’s existence this season – and has also impacted on the team’s organisation on the pitch.
Wanderers have scored just once this season from a set piece, the lowest return in the division alongside Nottingham Forest and MK Dons.
But with a regular line-up – and some more creative input – McGinlay believes that Lennon will be able to steady the ship and lead the team back up the table.
“There have been games they have competed very well and those where we’ve been absolutely terrible,” he added.
“Now you look around and the team changes nearly every week and that’s been down to injuries and because we’ve not been going very well. I think Neil has been pulling rabbits out of a hat and saying ‘that didn’t work, we’ll try him this week, now we’ll try him.’
“There’s no consistency. That’s where your set pieces come in because there’s a lack of quality to make a difference.
“We do okay as a team and work hard for each other but once we’re in the final third we’re lacking ideas.
“When Neil first came in we saw a variety of corners and free-kicks quite quickly but I’ve not seen that this season.
“Possibly more work is needed but more importantly a more consistent team is needed on the park.”
*The Bolton News contacted Phil Gartside to give him the opportunity to comment.
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