Skipper apologises on behalf of players and stresses important of beginning to build for next season
Darren Pratley has apologised on behalf of the Bolton Wanderers players following confirmation of relegation from the Sky Bet Championship.
The club captain accepts that despite wider issues surrounding the club throughout the campaign, performances on the pitch haven’t been good enough.
And speaking immediately after defeat at the iPro Stadium, Pratley says the hard work ahead of the 2016/17 season in League One must begin now.
“It’s massively disappointing,” Pratley said. “It’s not been good enough throughout the whole season. Over 46 games you finish where you should, and we haven’t been good enough.
“There’s been a lot of negativity around the club and we need to put that behind us and start building for next year now.
“We need to get it right with changes throughout the club so we can start again next season.
“League One will be hard - it’s certainly not going to be a case of going down and coming straight back up easily. It’s going to be tough and we need to start preparing now.
“We need to dust ourselves down though - we’ve still got five games left and the fans pay good money to watch us so we’ll have to keep working and plan for the future.
“Everybody has to take responsibility and get it right next year.
“Our main aim will be to get some results between now and the end of the season to get some positive vibes going, although we know that isn’t going to hide the fact that we’ve been relegated.
“It’s been a bad season, but it will be good for some of the younger lads to come in. Although it will be a test for them, it will stand them in good stead. They’re the future of the club.
“The fans have been brilliant, they really have. Despite everything that’s gone on this season, they’ve not been stood outside grounds shouting at us - they’ve still been there, supporting us no matter what.
“Again, I am so sorry and I genuinely mean those words. As a club we need to get it right on and off the pitch for them because they deserve it. We need to concentrate on the football and put some smiles on faces.”