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Accrington Stanley manager John Coleman has praised the work of Bolton Wanderers manager Keith Hill since his arrival at the University of Bolton Stadium earlier this season.
The Whites have strung together three wins on the bounce in League One and are now on a positive points tally.
Coleman commented on the troubles Bolton found themselves in before their takeover and how it should have been dealt with faster.
"They’ve managed to turn it round and get them going forward, which is the first thing you have to do if a club is on the slide," said the Stanley boss.
"They’ll be a good proposition against us on Saturday, they’ll have a big fanbase cheering them on and it should make for a cracking game.
"You can’t beat it when our ground is full and our fans step up to the plate when they’re challenged by big numbers from the opposition.
"I’m really looking forward to Saturday.
"What is crackers is we’re probably favourites to win the game. "I did my pro license 10 years ago and part of the course was going on a group visit and studied Blackburn Rovers v Bolton in the Premier League.
"That shows you just how bizarre the scenario is that we’re playing them in a league game."
The Reds boss offered sympathy towards the Bolton supporters for what they had to endure during the summer and the early part of the season.
"A lot of people have been treated unfairly, mainly Bolton and their supporters," added Coleman. "There was plenty of time over the summer to sort out the situation that evolved. You could argue that the league was waiting for the takeover.
"Their fixtures should have been suspended while they didn’t have a team and that’s the top and bottom of it.
"Anyone who disagrees with doesn’t know football and I think you’d have anyone who would disagree with that.
"I don’t think it’s been fair on Bolton, their supporters, the teams who have played them, the teams who haven’t played them.
"What Bolton have to do now is concentrate on the present. They’ve got an opportunity now; they’ve got a good manager in Keith and Flickers.
"They can now look to go forward and they’ve got better players in, they’ve got more experience than what they had at the start of the season.
"If teams started fielding their youth teams at the end of a season, then all hell would break loose. What’s the difference at the start of a season?"
Coleman thinks the Football League should have sorted out the situation with Bury and Bolton a lot quicker than they did.
"It has to be sorted out by the governing body and get it sorted out a bit quicker.
"There was uncertainty about Bolton and Bury for four or five months, it dragged on too long.
"We’ve got Bolton now and they’re doing well now. They’ve had to start from a long way behind, but they’ve started to win games and they’ve got on to a positive points tally.
"I’d sooner just focus on Bolton’s team rather than Bolton as a club and what’s gone on.
"Our only priority is not what’s happened to them – I feel sorry for the fans – but our focus is trying to beat them and inflict damage on them like they’ll be trying to do to us."
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The Whites have strung together three wins on the bounce in League One and are now on a positive points tally.
Coleman commented on the troubles Bolton found themselves in before their takeover and how it should have been dealt with faster.
"They’ve managed to turn it round and get them going forward, which is the first thing you have to do if a club is on the slide," said the Stanley boss.
"They’ll be a good proposition against us on Saturday, they’ll have a big fanbase cheering them on and it should make for a cracking game.
"You can’t beat it when our ground is full and our fans step up to the plate when they’re challenged by big numbers from the opposition.
"I’m really looking forward to Saturday.
"What is crackers is we’re probably favourites to win the game. "I did my pro license 10 years ago and part of the course was going on a group visit and studied Blackburn Rovers v Bolton in the Premier League.
"That shows you just how bizarre the scenario is that we’re playing them in a league game."
The Reds boss offered sympathy towards the Bolton supporters for what they had to endure during the summer and the early part of the season.
"A lot of people have been treated unfairly, mainly Bolton and their supporters," added Coleman. "There was plenty of time over the summer to sort out the situation that evolved. You could argue that the league was waiting for the takeover.
"Their fixtures should have been suspended while they didn’t have a team and that’s the top and bottom of it.
"Anyone who disagrees with doesn’t know football and I think you’d have anyone who would disagree with that.
"I don’t think it’s been fair on Bolton, their supporters, the teams who have played them, the teams who haven’t played them.
"What Bolton have to do now is concentrate on the present. They’ve got an opportunity now; they’ve got a good manager in Keith and Flickers.
"They can now look to go forward and they’ve got better players in, they’ve got more experience than what they had at the start of the season.
"If teams started fielding their youth teams at the end of a season, then all hell would break loose. What’s the difference at the start of a season?"
Coleman thinks the Football League should have sorted out the situation with Bury and Bolton a lot quicker than they did.
"It has to be sorted out by the governing body and get it sorted out a bit quicker.
"There was uncertainty about Bolton and Bury for four or five months, it dragged on too long.
"We’ve got Bolton now and they’re doing well now. They’ve had to start from a long way behind, but they’ve started to win games and they’ve got on to a positive points tally.
"I’d sooner just focus on Bolton’s team rather than Bolton as a club and what’s gone on.
"Our only priority is not what’s happened to them – I feel sorry for the fans – but our focus is trying to beat them and inflict damage on them like they’ll be trying to do to us."
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