Well the Bolton Board have finally bowed to the inevitable and parted company with manager Gary Megson, the final straw coming with the loss of a two goal lead last night against relegation rivals Hull.
Much is being made in the national press of "Fan power" forcing Megson out and the ignorance of Bolton fans in not realising how good he was and what he did for the club. Well the ignorance is with journalists judging Bolton's play on the odd full match and television highlights and from that calling fans too harsh for being unhappy. Megsons malaise was not in the fact that he was not a popular choice, most fans actually did give him a chance, it was in his tactics and the way the team play. It is this that drove many Bolton fans away from the Reebok and to booing some dire performances not because "we never liked him".
Megsons decisions have at times been bewildering and frustrating. Yes he did keep Bolton up after Sammy Lee's disastrous spell and begin to clear out those past their prime from Sam Allerdyces reign. But what has he replaced them with, Elmander an expensive striker who cannot score and then he refuses to consider signing on loan Klasnic because all he does is score goals! He brings in almost a new defence in the summer and yet we are the only Premier club who cannot keep a clean sheet. Most of his signings cannot be judged to have been a success and some, like Elmander, are expensive flops.
His substitutions are invariably defensive and fail to work, a case in point last night when Klasnic was taken off and we still failed to hold on to the lead. I am not sure the booing was because he was trying to hold onto a lead but because he always does that even when we were not winning he tries to hold on and the team invariably fails to stop the goals leaking. Phil Brown did not need Bolton fans to tell him the equaliser was there for the taking, anyone who has watched Bolton on more than the highlights show would know. And the play itself has been at times woeful. I have lost count of the times that journalists who were actually at games have described it as such.
In the end it was not the fans that lost Gary Megson's job but the clubs position that accurately reflects the team that Megson built and the tactics he employed. The feeling I find is one of relief with Bolton supporter’s not vindictive glee. Sky Sports showed this morning fans queuing for tickets for the FA cup game at the weekend almost all saying they are only going because Gary Megson has left. That damning indictment is probably the thing that finally pushed the board into its decision for many Bolton Fans were not booing any more, they just were not going to bother going to watch. A club with no fans is dead whatever league it plays in.
So with half a season left anything can now happen. I just hope that I enjoy watching Bolton again because that would be a start.
