Dougie Freedman: Bolton Wanderers manager leaves club
- Published
Bolton Wanderers manager Dougie Freedman has left the Championship club by mutual consent.
The 40-year-old joined from Crystal Palace in October 2012 and they missed out on the play-offs on goal difference in his first season.
Wanderers finished 14th last term, but have won just once in 10 league games so far and sit second bottom.
After his last game in charge at home, Freedman admitted the job was proving more difficult than he expected.
Recent Bolton managers | |
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Sam Allardyce | October 1999 - April 2007 |
Sammy Lee | April 2007 - October 2007 |
Gary Megson | October 2007 - December 2009 |
Owen Coyle | January 2010 - October 2012 |
Dougie Freedman | October 2012 - October 2014 |
"Dougie has worked tirelessly off the field to improve the infrastructure of the football club," said Wanderers chairman Phil Gartside.
"Unfortunately recent results on the pitch have not reflected all his work off it.
"The club has faced a difficult time following our relegation from the Premier League, and Dougie has helped to restructure the club in order for it to become successful again under ever-tightening constraints.
"I would like to thank Dougie personally for all his commitment and efforts for Bolton Wanderers."
BBC Radio Manchester's Bolton reporter Jack Dearden |
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"I think it was inevitable given the recent results. It has been a dreadful start to the season. Phil Gartside has come in for a lot of criticism recently and his track record of appointing managers since Sam Allardyce has been poor. The supporters are unhappy with an awful lot of things with the way the club is being run." |
Freedman replaced Owen Coyle who was sacked after Bolton had a disappointing start to their first campaign following relegation from the Premier League.
Former Scotland international striker Freedman has had to trim the wage bill at the Macron Stadium after Bolton's 11-year stay in the top flight ended, and last year they announced their debts were up to £163.8m.
During last month's home defeat by Derby, chants of 'Freedman out' and 'Gartside out' were directed at the manager and chairman from some supporters.
You can hear more about Freedman's departure from Bolton on BBC Radio Manchester's Manchester Sports show from 18:00-19:00 BST on Friday.
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