n OWEN Coyle has given the inside scoop on one of the strangest rumours to circulate the Reebok in some time.

The Whites boss was caught kneeling in the six-yard box and examining the turf by television cameras before Sunday’s 2-1 derby victory over Blackburn Rovers.

It sparked a wave of strange theories – including the idea that he had buried something under the goal line to bring his side good luck.

But the manager has now moved to put the record straight, revealing that he was testing the soil with a spoon, to assess which studs his players should wear for the game.

“I always do the same thing, three or four hours before a game, and walk the length of the pitch,” he told The Bolton News.

“I checked the turf in the goalmouth because it had been frosty just recently. So I’m not sure why people thought I’d buried something.

“Maybe there’s some buried treasure there? I’d better go back and check.”