WANDERERS’ tough opening to the campaign brings into focus just how much business needs to be done this summer, believes former striker John McGinlay.

Neil Lennon’s side face a daunting first month in the Championship, facing promotion favourites such as Derby County and Middlesbrough, newly-promoted MK Dons, local rivals Blackburn and Dougie Freedman’s Nottingham Forest.

And given that a slow start has cost the Whites dear in their last three seasons in the second tier, McGinlay reckons it is even more important that the manager lands his targets as quickly as possible.

“We have got a tough, tough start,” he told The Bolton News. “When the fixtures first come out, it’s exciting to talk about them but it’s only when you see them in print that it really hits home what the team needs to do.

“It will have reiterated to Neil that he’s got to get some business done quickly, get some signings made, because he knows there are gaps he has to fill.

“He can’t even consider going into the new season without having a few more players on board.”

Lennon is placing extra onus on pre-season to ensure the players at his disposal are as fit and sharp as possible for the big kick-off against Derby on August 8.

The last remaining details of the Austria fitness camp are expected to be confirmed next week, with players returning to Euxton for testing on June 29.

And McGinlay hopes the Whites boss will have a little more luck in the transfer market over the next couple of weeks, allowing him to get “two or three” more players on board.

“You’re constantly reminded of the bad start the team has made in the last few years, and it has become a big issue,” he said. “Neil will look at those games and know that the team has got to hit the ground running. But you can only work with what you have got.

“He’ll have known it all along but when you look at the teams coming up at the start of the season, it will have hit him just how important it is to get players in.”

McGinlay will be one of several former Wanderers in action at Eagley FC this afternoon in a charity fundraising game against Bolton Lads Club Old Boys.

Nicky Spooner, David Lee, Mark Winstanley, Greg Strong and Tony Kelly will also be in action, kick-off 4pm.