Gartside’s praise for club owner (From The Bolton News)

Gartside’s praise for club owner

9:07am Saturday 28th June 2008

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PHIL Gartside has paid tribute to club owner Eddie Davies after Wanderers shattered their record transfer fee for the second time in two years.

The £11million purchase of Sweden international Johan Elmander follows an £8m outlay in 2006 for Nicolas Anelka, an act he says reinforces the commitment he has to keep the club in the top level of English football.

The Wanderers chairman has conducted a frank and heartfelt interview which will be aired on the club's official website on Monday, with exclusive excerpts in The Bolton News.

Gartside credited the Isle of Man businessman with saving the club when he took overall control in 2003 and forecast that he would continue to invest in future transfers to keep the club fighting in the Premier League.

"If it wasn't for Eddie Davies, we could even not be in existence - that's how crucial Eddie joining the club was 10 years ago," Gartside said.

"What Eddie has done is put more personal investment into Bolton Wanderers than any other person in the history of Bolton Wanderers relative to the period that he's supported us.

"The great thing from my point of view is that he doesn't interfere - he lets us get on with the job and you know in the background you've got someone who's been a financial supporter for a long time.

"Basically Eddie is a fan and the reason for him being involved is that he wants to have fun, he wants Bolton Wanderers to survive and he doesn't want to lose his money. As long as we keep going with those three promises to him then we expect him to keep supporting us for some time to come."

See the full story in Saturday's The Bolton News

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