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Darren Pratley lashed out at perceived ‘negative’ reporting of Wanderers’ season, insisting it will drive Neil Lennon’s players on in their survival fight.
As the Football League’s worst away record continued at Nottingham Forest on Saturday the skipper hit out at suggestion the squad was ‘hiding behind’ the perilous financial situation.
Wanderers slipped to a 3-0 defeat that leaves them seven points from safety and nine behind next weekend’s opponents at the Macron Stadium, MK Dons.
But while Pratley admits the odds are stacked against the Whites escaping the bottom three in the next 19 games, he believes there is still a chance of a happy ending.
“We are not (hiding) - we want to prove people wrong,” he told The Bolton News.
“The club has had a negative year off the pitch. We want to prove people wrong. And if we get out of it, in my eyes, it will be a miracle.
“Everything that has gone on – off the pitch, on the pitch, stupid things. It has been a soap opera, to be honest.
“If we get out of it, this would be as good as promotion for me.
“As players and staff we want to shove two fingers up at the people writing reports – yourselves – if we get out of this we’ll be happy because we’ve got one over on you.
“You write what’s going on, what’s off the pitch, but it would be two fingers up if we stay up.”
Asked if he felt the local media had been unduly negative, Pratley – who lives in Bolton – said: “You can only go on results and what’s happening.
“I personally don’t read your reports or things like that.
“Your things don’t affect me, just what happens in the dressing room.
“I’m aware around the club that it’s been a negative year. If we stay up it will be a positive thing – I don’t think we are hiding behind it.
“We are not using it as an excuse. What sort of person would that make you?”
Though Tuesday’s FA Cup replay against Eastleigh should provide a welcome distraction from blues in the league, Pratley is under no illusion how important the following game will be.
MK Dons beat Reading 1-0 to ease themselves clear of the relegation zone but the captain believes Karl Robinson’s side can be reeled in.
“The plan is to fight until we get out of this mess,” he said.
“Until there are not enough games left, we have to carry on fighting.
“The message has been the same all year. It has been a struggle.
“Obviously we have the cup game coming up but the MK Dons game after that is massive – we must win that one.
“We need three points if we’re going to catch them.”
If anything is to be saved of this season, Wanderers will have to rid themselves of a suicidal streak shown after only 11 minutes on Saturday at Forest.
Poor defending allowed Jamie Ward to run through the middle of the defence and draw a challenge from Ben Amos that saw the keeper sent off for a professional foul.
With 10 men the Whites quickly found themselves 2-0 down, with Nelson Oliveira’s penalty added to by Oliver Burke’s header on 16 minutes.
Ward completed a comfortable win with seven minutes to go, leaving Pratley disappointed.
“I think we started alright, even thought the first goal was sloppy,” he said.
“We did okay with 10 men, even though it’s easier to get on the ball when they are 2-0 up.
“In the end we got done on the counter for the third.
“The shape was alright. We knew we had to drop deep and let them pass the ball like we did against Sheffield (Wednesday).
“Obviously the first goal changed the game but it was disappointing. We thought we could go there and get a point, if not three.”
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As the Football League’s worst away record continued at Nottingham Forest on Saturday the skipper hit out at suggestion the squad was ‘hiding behind’ the perilous financial situation.
Wanderers slipped to a 3-0 defeat that leaves them seven points from safety and nine behind next weekend’s opponents at the Macron Stadium, MK Dons.
But while Pratley admits the odds are stacked against the Whites escaping the bottom three in the next 19 games, he believes there is still a chance of a happy ending.
“We are not (hiding) - we want to prove people wrong,” he told The Bolton News.
“The club has had a negative year off the pitch. We want to prove people wrong. And if we get out of it, in my eyes, it will be a miracle.
“Everything that has gone on – off the pitch, on the pitch, stupid things. It has been a soap opera, to be honest.
“If we get out of it, this would be as good as promotion for me.
“As players and staff we want to shove two fingers up at the people writing reports – yourselves – if we get out of this we’ll be happy because we’ve got one over on you.
“You write what’s going on, what’s off the pitch, but it would be two fingers up if we stay up.”
Asked if he felt the local media had been unduly negative, Pratley – who lives in Bolton – said: “You can only go on results and what’s happening.
“I personally don’t read your reports or things like that.
“Your things don’t affect me, just what happens in the dressing room.
“I’m aware around the club that it’s been a negative year. If we stay up it will be a positive thing – I don’t think we are hiding behind it.
“We are not using it as an excuse. What sort of person would that make you?”
Though Tuesday’s FA Cup replay against Eastleigh should provide a welcome distraction from blues in the league, Pratley is under no illusion how important the following game will be.
MK Dons beat Reading 1-0 to ease themselves clear of the relegation zone but the captain believes Karl Robinson’s side can be reeled in.
“The plan is to fight until we get out of this mess,” he said.
“Until there are not enough games left, we have to carry on fighting.
“The message has been the same all year. It has been a struggle.
“Obviously we have the cup game coming up but the MK Dons game after that is massive – we must win that one.
“We need three points if we’re going to catch them.”
If anything is to be saved of this season, Wanderers will have to rid themselves of a suicidal streak shown after only 11 minutes on Saturday at Forest.
Poor defending allowed Jamie Ward to run through the middle of the defence and draw a challenge from Ben Amos that saw the keeper sent off for a professional foul.
With 10 men the Whites quickly found themselves 2-0 down, with Nelson Oliveira’s penalty added to by Oliver Burke’s header on 16 minutes.
Ward completed a comfortable win with seven minutes to go, leaving Pratley disappointed.
“I think we started alright, even thought the first goal was sloppy,” he said.
“We did okay with 10 men, even though it’s easier to get on the ball when they are 2-0 up.
“In the end we got done on the counter for the third.
“The shape was alright. We knew we had to drop deep and let them pass the ball like we did against Sheffield (Wednesday).
“Obviously the first goal changed the game but it was disappointing. We thought we could go there and get a point, if not three.”
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