IF Derby County’s midweek cup shock at Manchester United was hailed as a victory for positive thinking – Phil Parkinson could do well to tap into his visitors’ supply.

There is no mistaking an undercurrent of concern among fans at Wanderers over the last few weeks.

Football was put into proper perspective by the passing of Eddie Davies and the diagnosis of defender Stephen Darby with motor neurone disease. Neither will be far from supporters’ thoughts tomorrow afternoon.

Along with the sympathy, however, is a degree of frustration. Questions over Bolton’s financial situation hang heavy and unanswered in the air.

The lack of a proper explanation over the club’s brush with administration, or the fact three former players remain unpaid has left a void, currently being filled with speculation.

If ever Wanderers could do with a result, now is the time. But even on the pitch Parkinson’s side is struggling to put a smile on most people’s faces.

Derby – coached by ex-Chelsea and England star Frank Lampard – are the team of the moment.

In conquering Manchester United, Derby did more than just expose the issues with wi-fi at Old Trafford. A youthful, energetic side exposed some weaknesses in a team hardly comparable with which Wanderers used to do battle in the Premier League days.

It is just eight years since Bolton were denied another victory over their bitter local enemies by a Michael Owen goal on an electric afternoon at the Reebok, just three minutes after he came off Sir Alex Ferguson’s substitute bench.

Occasions like that, fought out in front of nearly 24,000 fans, now seem buried in the distant past. Nowadays, Parkinson faces considerable difficulty mustering the same vociferous backing from those who continue to back their club.

Back in May Bolton’s fans came through when their club needed them, roaring on an incredible last-day escape against Nottingham Forest. After wholesale changes in the squad hopes were high that the same desperate situation could be avoided with room to spare this time around, and that school of thought was backed up fully by some impressive early results.

Aside from a woeful first half against Middlesbrough, Wanderers have been suitably resolute on the road. That same grit earned a point at Ipswich last weekend despite playing half of the game with a man disadvantage.

Such workmanlike and durable qualities lend much to the argument that the team has improved since last season. Selling those attributes to the paying public, however, remains a tough task.

The home defeats against Sheffield United and QPR were surprisingly damaging, draining much of the goodwill which Parkinson and his players had left in the tank. It also left the manager answering questions about whether his own set-up at home was too defensively-minded, not for the first time in his tenure.

Realistically, throwing caution completely to the wind against a dynamic side like Derby could be asking for trouble. Rather supporters will be looking for some attacking concession in Parkinson’s formation or line-up in comparison with the previous home game.

Gate receipts remain a huge part of the club’s income stream and over the four games so far an average of 14,091 fans have come through the turnstiles, down on last season’s 15,887. To put a measure of perspective on that number, however, the 1-0 win against Birmingham City was played in midweek.

Ken Anderson made his usual appeal for fans to give their backing this week via his website column but the owner/chairman will know three points against the Rams will do more for the marketing of his next home game than any amount of PR spin.

Parkinson has hinted at a change in system in the future with the signing of Lloyd Dyer – a winger who is equally at home as a left wing-back. The former Burton Albion and Leicester City veteran is unlikely to be thrown straight into the mix, though.

Without the injured Sammy Ameobi – out until early November with ankle ligament damage – Wanderers need to re-shape and ensure they offer more than just toil.

In Craig Noone, Will Buckley, Yanic Wildschut, Erhun Oztumer and Josh Vela - Parkinson has players who can conjure a bit of magic. And those players will need to show more bravery on the ball than we saw against Sheffield United and QPR if Saturday is going to be anything other than an exercise in frustration.

With any luck, Derby’s midweek exertions will mean they do not arrive at Bolton in the same sort of swashbuckling mood but if Bolton can mirror some of the same qualities their visitors showed at Old Trafford, they may well lift some of the gloomier moods.