Owner speaks after passing of long-standing club chairman Phil Gartside
Bolton Wanderers owner Eddie Davies has paid tribute to Phil Gartside.
He said: "It's sad news for all of us, especially Bolton and especially football.
"We've known about what's been going on for some time and we've kept it quiet, but it's now come to this and everybody knows and we're all very sad.
"We started working together in 1996 and we actually plotted how to get into the Premier League, which we achieved and we were there for 11 years.
“Phil was with me all that time and he built a fantastic infrastructure around the club, it's one of the best in the Premier League never mind in the Championship, and it's all credit to him.
"We were very unlucky to get relegated but Phil has been fundamental in everything that Bolton achieved in that period of time.
"He was Bolton Wanderers through and through, from being a boy, right until today's tragic day. I can't really thank him enough for what he has done. He's been my right-hand man, we worked very closely together and I'll be forever grateful to him."