Gartside wants Coyle stay

Phil Gartside: Keen for Owen Coyle to remain as Bolton boss despite relegation

Bolton chairman Phil Gartside has assured Owen Coyle he wants him to remain as manager despite their relegation from the Premier League.

The Trotters suffered relegation to the Championship after being held to a 2-2 draw at Stoke on Sunday, ending an 11-year stay in the top flight.

Coyle's future as a result of relegation has been the subject of speculation, but Gartside has come out in support of the Trotters boss and feels he has been hugely unlucky with injuries.

"I want Owen to stay and I'm certain he will stay," Gartside told Radio Manchester. We've formed a good working relationship and I respect the way he works.

"He's been very unlucky this year. He's a young manager, he's learned a lot and we've invested in that.

"The experiences we've all had this year have been unique and unprecedented. These are not excuses, they are reasons.

"During the season, we've had 15 trauma injuries, including four broken legs. I've been on the board for nearly 30 years and I've never seen a season where we've had such a horrendous injury list.

"We've never moaned about it and we've had to deal with it."