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Phil Brown says speculation linking him with a return to Wanderers was “inevitable”.
The former assistant manager did his best to play down suggestion he is earmarked by prospective new owners Sports Shield to take over from Neil Lennon, but accepts his history with the club makes him an easy target.
Brown left Bolton in 2005 to take up his first managerial role with Derby County, where he employed Dean Holdsworth as his assistant.
And from the moment Holdsworth’s name was linked with a takeover at the Macron Stadium, the 56-year-old’s was tied in.
Southend chairman Ron Martin has voiced his disapproval, issuing a hands-off warning to the Whites last week.
And Brown chose his words carefully as he fended questions about a return to the North West on Sky Sports.
“My association with Bolton goes back 15-20 years as a player, as a coach, as a manager,” he said.
“It was inevitable I think that if I did a half-decent job at Southend in the lower divisions and got us to where we are that there would be speculation.
“Sam Allardyce asked me to join him at Sunderland, the club I supported as a kid. Now all the speculation about Bolton Wanderers.
“They've been in financial disarray truth be known for the last two or three years and now that is coming to fruition.
“It’s really difficult for me to talk about it when there is a man as good as what Neil Lennon is in the position at the moment. So really it is not right for me to say.
"I wish 'Lenny' good luck from now until the end of the season.”
Source
The former assistant manager did his best to play down suggestion he is earmarked by prospective new owners Sports Shield to take over from Neil Lennon, but accepts his history with the club makes him an easy target.
Brown left Bolton in 2005 to take up his first managerial role with Derby County, where he employed Dean Holdsworth as his assistant.
And from the moment Holdsworth’s name was linked with a takeover at the Macron Stadium, the 56-year-old’s was tied in.
Southend chairman Ron Martin has voiced his disapproval, issuing a hands-off warning to the Whites last week.
And Brown chose his words carefully as he fended questions about a return to the North West on Sky Sports.
“My association with Bolton goes back 15-20 years as a player, as a coach, as a manager,” he said.
“It was inevitable I think that if I did a half-decent job at Southend in the lower divisions and got us to where we are that there would be speculation.
“Sam Allardyce asked me to join him at Sunderland, the club I supported as a kid. Now all the speculation about Bolton Wanderers.
“They've been in financial disarray truth be known for the last two or three years and now that is coming to fruition.
“It’s really difficult for me to talk about it when there is a man as good as what Neil Lennon is in the position at the moment. So really it is not right for me to say.
"I wish 'Lenny' good luck from now until the end of the season.”
Source