Bolton Wanderers assistant manager David Flitcroft says that Keith Hill's experience working on tight budgets means the club have the perfect manager to help them through what is likely to be a difficult January transfer window.

The Trotters find themselves bottom of League One with just two points to their name, having been handed a 12-point deduction at the start of the campaign for entering administration earlier in the year.

Another punishment Wanderers have been hit with as a result of those financial problems is an embargo which could limit their activity when the window reopens in January.

That however, is not something that Flitcroft appears to be worried about, thanks to Hill's previous spells in charge as a manager at Rochdale.

Speaking to The Bolton News about the January transfer window, the 45-year-old said: “You look at what Keith has done in the past and he’s always been working in an embargo because he’s never had a budget.

“What we always find is that because of the reputation he has got with players, and also the size of the club, the training ground etc, what we found when we were recruiting first time is that this club has a big draw."

It also seems Flitcroft is unconcerned about the potential impact Bolton's position in the League One standings could have on their ability to attract players in January, as he continued: “Players don’t see the points deficit as a problem, in fact, we can use it as a stimulus.

“If people don’t want to come and join that, you probably don’t want them here anyway. They need to understand the problems there have been at this club, come to help and support us on it.

“When you haven’t got that sort of budget you can’t buy players anyway, so Keith has been working under that sort of thing for the last 20 years.”

Bolton are next in action on Saturday afternoon, when they will be looking to end a run of four games without a win in all competitions, as they host struggling Southend United at the University of Bolton Stadium.

The Verdict

I do think Flitcroft has a point here.

If you look at the calibre and number of players that Bolton have been able to bring to the club since Hill's appointment at the end of August, it could be argued that you can already see the ability he has to recruit players even under difficult circumstances.

That should therefore provide a great deal of encouragement for Bolton going into January, since it suggests they ought to once again be capable of strengthening their squad come the turn of the year.

Indeed, when you look at the upturn in form these new recruits have already handed Bolton, you feel that adding to that side further will give them yet another boost in their fight to pull off an unlikely great escape this season.