Megson: Kept Bolton in the Premier League
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Megson: Time to get on Gart's side
Bolton boss Gary Megson insists chairman Phil Gartside does not deserve the abuse he has received from some of the club's fans this season.
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Eyebrows were raised when Gartside appointed Megson last October after Sammy Lee was bundled out of the Reebok Stadium following just 171 days in the job.
Bolton fans were not impressed and called for the chairman's head during Megson's first game in charge, a 1-1 home draw against Aston Villa on October 28.
Gartside came under further attack as recently as last month following an eight-match winless streak but he has had the last laugh as the Trotters won three and drew two of their last five games to safeguard their Premier League status.
"The chairman gave me this opportunity because he thought I could keep Bolton in the Premier League, which is what has happened," said Megson. "He did it for reasons that he believed would take the football club forward.
"It's a huge first step to avoid relegation and I've been surprised at the amount of animosity and stick that he came in for.
"He brought me into the job, which people weren't ecstatic about, but this is a very good football club.
"They are looking at ways of getting more children to come to games and they recently paid for the supporters to travel to the Middlesbrough, Tottenham and Chelsea games.
"The fans are very much at the forefront of the club's thoughts here at Bolton, so I find it strange that they (the club's hierarchy) come in for that amount of stick.
"We've got an owner here in Eddie Davies who puts an awful lot of money into the club and does as much as he possibly can to make it successful.
"It's unfortunate that when things don't go right on the football pitch, invariably the people who cop for it are the board and the manager."
It is worth remembering that Bolton were bottom of the table with a pitiful five points from 10 games when Megson was handed the reins.
Even Derby looked down on them but Megson steadied the ship, restored belief and made the Trotters competitive again.
The former West Brom and Nottingham Forest boss cannot see why his managerial pedigree was even brought into question.
"My mate Tony Pulis, who has just got Stoke promoted, has a saying about glossy and non-glossy managers," said Megson.
"We're both non-glossy managers but we get the job done, and I've got the job done here at Bolton."
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Your Comments
Britlass (Bolton Wanderers fan)
"You've both said it all and not much more is left to be added to it. The last thing Megson needs to do it get the fans upset again. Keeping the club in the Premiership had given him some breathing room with the fans but that won't last if he doesn't learn to zip it shut. He's either ignoring the big picture or he is clueless as to what occurred before he arrived!"
davewins (Bolton Wanderers fan)
"I think the last thing megson needs to be doing is telling the supporters to lay off the chairman. We didn't just decide on a whim to become anti-board, Gartside dug his own grave when he didn't agree to fund the next phase of big sam's master plan - Everything was set for the club to make an assault on the top 4, instead we lost the best manager the club has ever had and a number of inferior players replaced the quality ones we lost. In all, gartside set the club back 4 or 5 years - and dont get me started on the Anelka F^%K up and the UEFA cup surrender! Gary megson should count his blessings and get on with job quietly, many Bolton fans including myself, still dont believe he is the right man for the job. "
updawhites (Bolton Wanderers fan)
"Gary, Gary, Gary.... Shut up you Ginger Muppet!! We aren't bothered about where the club where when you came in, and where it is now. We are more bothered as to why the club got to that point in the first place. Take us back to Jan 07 - Had Eddie and Phil given Big Sam 10 Million - It is likely we could have broken in to the top 4 that season, we would have kept Big Sam and we would have been pushing for Europe again this season. Instead they didn't and Big Sam left. Then they hired Little Sam and again, gave him NO money - we were on the verge of relegation. In 12 months we went from Top 6 team, where every club feared playing us, home and away. To pushovers, getting whipped. Now go away you stupid man - it is time for Eddie and Phil to step aside and let people with real ambition run the club. This talk of Eddie Davies putting money in is nonsense. He takes our income and puts it back in - rather than taking all the profit. How is that putting his own money in? Megson stop being a puppet and grow a spine - this is why our board insisted on signing you!!"
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