Megson short of fans as Bolton gamble on the new boss

The former Sheffield Wednesday midfielder was set to complete an astonishing return after a year out by forcing his exit from Leicester, who plucked him from the wilderness just six weeks ago.

Bolton chairman Phil Gartside twice failed to speak to the former West Brom and Nottingham Forest manager in the past week. But Megson had not signed his contract at the Walkers Stadium so in the end owner Milan Mandaric was powerless to prevent him discussing his future with the struggling Lancashire club.

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On song: Megson is back in the top flight after leaving Leicester

Mandaric spent yesterday thrashing out a compensation figure in the region of £300,000 after 48-year-old Megson told him he wanted out after Tuesday's defeat by Sheffield United.

However, far from being disappointed it seems Leicester fans would be delighted to see the back of a manager whose c.v. includes a spell in charge of their hated east Midlands' rivals from the banks of the Trent, Forest.

He was forced to listen to home fans' chants of 'Megson for Bolton' during the match at the Walkers Stadium on Tuesday.

And in a poll on a Bolton paper's website, he received just 12 votes of support out of almost 700.

Gartside is prepared to take a huge gamble with the combustible Megson who is likely to be alongside him at tonight's UEFA Cup match against Sporting Braga.

Caretaker Archie Knox, who will be in charge of team affairs and wants to remain at the club, has said the new boss must "grab a group of players and a club by the scruff of the neck and lift it up there again".

It remains to be seen how the triumvirate of Ivan Campo, Nicolas Anelka and El Hadji Diouf would respond to such an approach.

Megson's no-nonsense style was perfect for Stockport County and there is little doubt that the unholy mess he inherited at West Brom was perfect for a boss who thrives on confrontation.

Two promotions from the Championship followed, sandwiching a relegation.

But his attempts to strong-arm a dressing-room at Forest that was peppered with overpaid, under-performing players on lengthy contracts ended with the club being relegated to the third tier of English football.

They picked up the unwanted record of being the only former European champions to suffer that fate.

After a season spent out of the game, Megson pitched up at Stoke, working as an unpaid helper to manager Tony Pulis.

His rise has been meteoric since then.

Although Gartside has denied the involvement of Megson's agent, Mark Curtis, there is no doubt the chairman enjoyed a close relationship with him through transfers when Sam Allardyce was at the Reebok Stadium.

And it was Curtis who negotiated an agreement between Megson and Mandaric six weeks ago that will remain unsigned.

Mandaric has appointed plenty of managers during his 30-year spell in the game. Indeed, he is now on the lookout for a fifth in the past six months to follow in the footsteps of Rob Kelly, Nigel Worthington, Martin Allen and Megson.

He said: "Despite my best efforts to retain his services and turn down two formal approaches from Bolton Gary left me with no choice last night when he informed me he wanted to leave."

Of the potential replacements, Coventry boss Iain Dowie snubbed Mandaric once but is likely to feature highly in any shortlist.

And Plymouth Argyle's Ian Holloway has some support among Leicester players.