Bolton Wanderers are without a manager after the beleaguered club accepted the resignations of Phil Parkinson and his assistant, Steve Parkin.

After both men handed in their resignations on Wednesday, the club said they would respond in due course – and a club statement on Thursday morning accepted their decision “with great reluctance”.

“During what has been one of the most challenging periods in the club’s existence, both Phil and Steve conducted themselves with the utmost professionalism and dignity throughout,” the statement continued.



“They guided Bolton to automatic promotion to the Championship at the first attempt whilst operating under a transfer embargo … against all the odds, they helped to preserve the club’s Championship status the following season, with a memorable last-gasp victory against Nottingham Forest.



“Everybody at Bolton Wanderers would like to thank Phil and Steve for their dedication and loyalty and we wish them the very best for the future. They leave with their heads held high.”

Parkinson’s departure is another blow for the crisis-stricken club, who have been in administration since May and postponed the visit of Doncaster Rovers on Tuesday night due to concerns over safeguarding of younger players. The club remain hopeful that a takeover from Football Ventures will be completed sson.

Parkinson had been in place since June 2016 and so ends more than three years in charge. “I felt it was the right time to go,” he told the Bolton News. it is unclear who will be in the dugout for the visit of Ipswich Town on Saturday. The club’s academy manager, Jimmy Phillips, is set to take charge of training on an interim basis.

Joey Barton, the manager of Fleetwood Town, described the EFL as “farcical” and expressed sympathy for Bolton. He said: “My uncle Tony Kelly played for Bolton and I made my Premier League debut there when they had the likes of Jay Jay Okocha. To see what has happened there is a farce.

“The reality of it is the league is becoming a bit of a farce. Donny [Rovers] get a freshener this week [a rest]. Someone gets a bye in the [Carabao] Cup [Sheffield Wednesday]. What is going on? The EFL need to have a real serious look at themselves because it is ruining our league. You have two teams on negative points [Wanderers and Bury], teams not fulfilling fixtures. It is a joke.”

Regarding the postponement of the Rovers game, Phil Mason, the club’s safeguarding officer, said: “I think it is fantastic that the [younger] lads have stepped up, given their all, and shown such pride in the Bolton shirt.

“The home game against Coventry was incredible, the best I have seen in a long time. However, they simply can’t sustain it. Their welfare is hugely important and if we did not raise these issues with the EFL then we would be neglecting our duties.

“Not only that, our argument is written in the context of the Under-18s and Under-23s handbook guidelines which say games should be organised in or around a Saturday morning to ensure there is appropriate recovery time and that a players’ development is not hindered.”