How I'll Remember Neil Lennon's Reign of Drudgery at Bolton Wanderers

So Tuesday saw Neil Lennon's reign as manager of Bolton Wanderers come to an end.

He'll be remembered as a manager who fought against a background of financial implosion, and in an ultra-challenging environment he was ultimately shown to be out of his depth.

That aside, I'll remember Neil Lennon's time as boss with regret, and with a sense of what might have been.

Arriving at the club following a hugely successful spell in charge of Celtic, he was seen as the right man to right the many, many wrongs of the Dougie Freedman era, and he began well earning seven wins in his opening 12 games.

It was there that it all began to go wrong.

His initial few weeks saw a dynamic manager get back onside with those who felt isolated by the quirks of Dougie Freedman's brusque approach, and fans lapped up the obvious passion shown during games - again something vastly different to his predecessor.

The season petered out into nothingness, and with the ever-looming threat of financial meltdown that has been lurking in the background ever since we lost our Premier League status under Owen Coyle.

So it was as we entered the 2015/16 season with the loss of key players such as Eidur Gudjohnsen to China, and Zach Clough to injury. Wanderers fans knew we'd be in for a season of struggle, but nobody expected the awful return of just four wins all season.

In Lennon's defence, he has brought in several youth teamers into the squad. Clough, Josh Vela, Rob Holding and Tom Walker being the most prominent. There's an argument to be made that he had no choice in doing so, as dictacted by the cost-cutting measures employed by Wanderers.

His private life was also splashed across the front pages in January which soured many against the man. We've all made mistakes in our lives and Lennon seems (seemed) incapable of not making them in the public eye.

His passion on the sidelines became diluted. His hand wringing and wide-eyed frenzy began to look a little orchestrated, and of course he gave this interview to the Guardian last week in which he expressed how the job was not as was promised.

His signings have been up and down. Lennon brought in Jose Casado, only to ostracise him. He brought in Francesco Pisano, and ostracised him too. He brought in Derik Osede and Prince Desir Gouano, and at different times he ostracised them too. Josh Vela has just had the same treatment. The less said about his relationship with Wellington Silva and Gary Madine the better.

He brought in 500 year old Emile Heskey, and continued to play him despite performances being a level below shambolic.

No shit, Neil.

So it is with sadness that we wave goodbye to Neil Lennon, and of course we wish him all the best going forward. Let's just hope that Gary Madine isn't that forward.