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Relegation from the Championship was “inevitable” for Wanderers, according to former striker Shola Ameobi.
Financial woes were only just coming to the surface when the 34-year-old signed a short-term contract at the Macron in October.
By the time it expired, Ameobi’s offer to play for free until the end of the season could not be accepted as a transfer embargo left the club unable to register another player.
The ex-Newcastle United striker hopes Wanderers are now over the worst of their problems – and could face them in the colours of Fleetwood Town next season.
“It's always a sad occasion when you see a great club like Bolton have to come to terms with financial difficulties and then relegation,” he said. “It saddens me that it's come to this but in a way it was always going to be inevitable with the constraints that they had.
“I wish them all the best, it's been taken over now so hopefully they can bounce back and the new guys can have a positive influence from next season.”
Ameobi believes the squad have tried their best despite their failures on the pitch.
"From a professional standpoint, it's important to understand that there's professional pride there,” he said. “We don't play this game just to play, we want to win and do the best we can to achieve that possibility and I was no different at Bolton.
“Yes, ultimately, what was going on at the top did affect and will affect any club and I saw the impact of that when I came in. Unfortunately, that has an impact on results. As much as you're trying not to let it, it's always going to have an impact.
“There's all that negativity around the place and unfortunately that was the case at Bolton when I was there.”
Source
Financial woes were only just coming to the surface when the 34-year-old signed a short-term contract at the Macron in October.
By the time it expired, Ameobi’s offer to play for free until the end of the season could not be accepted as a transfer embargo left the club unable to register another player.
The ex-Newcastle United striker hopes Wanderers are now over the worst of their problems – and could face them in the colours of Fleetwood Town next season.
“It's always a sad occasion when you see a great club like Bolton have to come to terms with financial difficulties and then relegation,” he said. “It saddens me that it's come to this but in a way it was always going to be inevitable with the constraints that they had.
“I wish them all the best, it's been taken over now so hopefully they can bounce back and the new guys can have a positive influence from next season.”
Ameobi believes the squad have tried their best despite their failures on the pitch.
"From a professional standpoint, it's important to understand that there's professional pride there,” he said. “We don't play this game just to play, we want to win and do the best we can to achieve that possibility and I was no different at Bolton.
“Yes, ultimately, what was going on at the top did affect and will affect any club and I saw the impact of that when I came in. Unfortunately, that has an impact on results. As much as you're trying not to let it, it's always going to have an impact.
“There's all that negativity around the place and unfortunately that was the case at Bolton when I was there.”
Source