DEBATE: Is Neil Lennon Getting the Backing He Needs at BWFC?

It's a valid question.

Since arriving at Bolton Wanderers in October 2014 replacing the hapless Dougie Freedman, the former Celtic boss has overseen a minor revolution at the club.

He has brought in a newfound confidence both in the fans and the players, and has revitalised struggling players such as Craig Davies, Darren Pratley as well as showing the sort of confidence in youngsters Zach Clough and Josh Vela that Freedman always promised, but failed to deliver.

All this progress aside, is Lennon getting the backing that he needs from the chairman and owner?

We all know the struggles that the club faces in terms of keeping on an even financial keel, but the manager has expressed his frustration in getting new players into the club on several occasions since the January transfer window opened at one minute past midnight of the New Year.

He has begun the trading process in an effort to raise some funds for much-needed reinforcements with fringe players Medo Kamara and ex-captain Jay Spearing leaving on loan to join Israeli side Maccabi Haifa and our fellow Championship rivals Watford respectively.

He has missed out on the signings, by his own admission, of Chelsea's Lewis Baker (to this weekend's opponents Sheffield Wednesday), and it seems that Watford's own Diego Fabbrini has chosen to join Millwall on loan instead of coming North despite a trip around the club's Euxton's training ground on Wednesday.

A well-publicised pursuit of Celtic's Kris Commons appears to be equally frustrating.

We know from the manager's own comments that we have missed out on several players and it's a familiar story. Freedman often commented how he had lofty targets. Jordon Ibe from Liverpool chose Derby. Imagine Ibe in our midfield. He would have been absolutely brilliant - but Derby County offered to pay a higher percentage of the lad's salary and we missed out.

Not all players choose the money, of course, but it must be concerning to the manager that the same reasons appear to crop up every single time.

So what can the owner and chairman do?

We have seen in the past that they have had the capacity to dig deep and find money for players when it is needed. The departures of Spearing and Medo should free up the best part of £30k per week, and this money will be reinvested in the squad.

Kris Commons and Neil Lennon appear to be star-crossed lovers heading back towards one another, and this move would no doubt go some way to placating whatever concerns the manager may or may not have.

The worry is of course that Lennon might just think 'sod this' and walk away. Now I don't for a second think that he would do this - but the risk is always there. His stock is on the rise given his excellent work at Wanderers, and as I mentioned in a previous piece on this fine website that perhaps he is one of our most sellable assets, as far as manager's go.

So is Neil Lennon getting the backing he needs? I'd say no - and as a Neil Lennon fan as well as a Bolton Wanderers fan, I hope that it changes, and quickly. Everything must be done to give the manager what he wants. He is perhaps the ONLY man with the ability to restore this club to where it belongs - in the Premier League.

He may end up doing this WITHOUT Bolton Wanderers, but for that to happen then good men simply need to sit back and do nothing.

Eddie, Phil - it's over to you.