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To be honest I don't take offence at the comment - even though Mr Gartside would probably class my views of Coyle in the 'numpty' class - then again I never consider Megson was talking about me when he was referring to the fans who were abusing him.
Anyway the comments are the last sentence of the following article from the Bolton News -
PHIL Gartside has moved to clarify the club’s financial position – confirming that plans are in place should Wanderers lose their fight against the drop.
While the Whites’ survival chances were dealt a huge boost on Saturday with a 2-1 victory over rivals QPR, much work still has to be done to ensure a 12th consecutive season of Premier League football at the Reebok.
But the chairman, pictured, believes the club would be well-prepared should the worst happen.
“We have always had a plan of contingency because we count in that group of 10 to 14 clubs in the Premier League at the start of the season who could find themselves in that position,” he told BBC Radio Manchester.
Recent financial figures confirmed that losses of £26million last year pushed debts up to around £110m, although Gartside insists the club is not at risk financially because of the continued funding from Bolton-born owner Eddie Davies.
The Isle of Man-based businessman has ploughed more than £100m of his fortune into the Whites over the last decade, which have enabled the club to purchase most of the assets they own today.
“It has been widely reported that we’re £100million in debt but we have not got any outside debt other than a very small overdraft facility to Barclays Bank that was renewed at the start of last season,” he explained.
“Eddie Davies gives us fantastic support, so there is no pressure on that. We have had wonderful support over the last 10 or 11 years and we own all our assets – the stadium, the training ground, the Academy, the hotel and the car parks. If you look at the investment he has made, it is reasonable for those assets in terms of a football club.”
Wanderers’ struggles on the pitch this season have “surprised” Gartside, but the chairman admits there have been some extenuating circumstances.
“To lose two of your best players at the very start, any team would struggle,” he said of injuries to Stuart Holden and Chung-Yong Lee. “That has been the main problem. Week after week we haven’t been able to play our best team and Owen has not had the players to pick from because of injury.”
He added: “It is also a period of transition, Owen Coyle planned to lower the overall age group of the players. We would have liked to do that during close-season but due to the circumstances we had to do it during the season instead.”
Commenting on the fact that 10 first team players are out of contract in the summer – including Kevin Davies, Zat Knight, Gretar Steinsson and Sam Ricketts – Gartside said no firm decision had yet been made on the players’ future.
“It would be stupid to have a squad of 30 players who all came out of contract at the same time,” he said. “On average, there are always going to be 10 players coming to the end – it just so happens that in this case, a lot of the players are older. We will be taking a decision. Some, none or all of them may stay. But we have to make those decisions every year.”
Gartside thanked the majority of fans for remaining supportive of Owen Coyle in what has been a testing season.
“I’m positive because I have got Owen here, who is also positive,” he said.
“But I look at the last 10 or 11 fixtures and they are all winnable. The fans have been fantastic, there has been very little dissent about Owen and what he is trying to do. They deserve a large thanks.”
But the chairman did bite back at some supporters who had been critical of Coyle in recent weeks on radio phone-ins.
“The 10 numpties that come on at the end of the programme are not a true reflection of the people who support Bolton Wanderers,” he said.
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Anyway the comments are the last sentence of the following article from the Bolton News -
PHIL Gartside has moved to clarify the club’s financial position – confirming that plans are in place should Wanderers lose their fight against the drop.
While the Whites’ survival chances were dealt a huge boost on Saturday with a 2-1 victory over rivals QPR, much work still has to be done to ensure a 12th consecutive season of Premier League football at the Reebok.
But the chairman, pictured, believes the club would be well-prepared should the worst happen.
“We have always had a plan of contingency because we count in that group of 10 to 14 clubs in the Premier League at the start of the season who could find themselves in that position,” he told BBC Radio Manchester.
Recent financial figures confirmed that losses of £26million last year pushed debts up to around £110m, although Gartside insists the club is not at risk financially because of the continued funding from Bolton-born owner Eddie Davies.
The Isle of Man-based businessman has ploughed more than £100m of his fortune into the Whites over the last decade, which have enabled the club to purchase most of the assets they own today.
“It has been widely reported that we’re £100million in debt but we have not got any outside debt other than a very small overdraft facility to Barclays Bank that was renewed at the start of last season,” he explained.
“Eddie Davies gives us fantastic support, so there is no pressure on that. We have had wonderful support over the last 10 or 11 years and we own all our assets – the stadium, the training ground, the Academy, the hotel and the car parks. If you look at the investment he has made, it is reasonable for those assets in terms of a football club.”
Wanderers’ struggles on the pitch this season have “surprised” Gartside, but the chairman admits there have been some extenuating circumstances.
“To lose two of your best players at the very start, any team would struggle,” he said of injuries to Stuart Holden and Chung-Yong Lee. “That has been the main problem. Week after week we haven’t been able to play our best team and Owen has not had the players to pick from because of injury.”
He added: “It is also a period of transition, Owen Coyle planned to lower the overall age group of the players. We would have liked to do that during close-season but due to the circumstances we had to do it during the season instead.”
Commenting on the fact that 10 first team players are out of contract in the summer – including Kevin Davies, Zat Knight, Gretar Steinsson and Sam Ricketts – Gartside said no firm decision had yet been made on the players’ future.
“It would be stupid to have a squad of 30 players who all came out of contract at the same time,” he said. “On average, there are always going to be 10 players coming to the end – it just so happens that in this case, a lot of the players are older. We will be taking a decision. Some, none or all of them may stay. But we have to make those decisions every year.”
Gartside thanked the majority of fans for remaining supportive of Owen Coyle in what has been a testing season.
“I’m positive because I have got Owen here, who is also positive,” he said.
“But I look at the last 10 or 11 fixtures and they are all winnable. The fans have been fantastic, there has been very little dissent about Owen and what he is trying to do. They deserve a large thanks.”
But the chairman did bite back at some supporters who had been critical of Coyle in recent weeks on radio phone-ins.
“The 10 numpties that come on at the end of the programme are not a true reflection of the people who support Bolton Wanderers,” he said.
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