MK DONS boss Russell Martin hopes Wanderers reclaim their former glories.

The former Scotland international will welcome Bolton to Stadium MK on Saturday looking to put more distance between his side and the relegation issue in League One.

The Dons had no fixture last weekend as they were due to play against Bury and Martin is glad to see that another one of the North West’s traditional clubs avoided the same ignominious fate.

Martin believes Keith Hill was a good appointment and despite the criticism that has come his way recently, the type who can get Bolton moving back in the right direction.

"I've got strong views on what happened at Bury and Bolton over the summer, on club ownership and financial management, but fortunately we haven't got to worry too much about it here,” he said.

"It's a real shame. I remember playing Bolton in the Premier League with a full stadium, and it was a brilliant place to go and play but it's a real shame.

"With their manager now, they've got a real chance of building back up again, and hopefully they'll stick with him. I'm sure at some point, they'll work back through the leagues to where they should be."

According to their last financial accounts, MK Dons owe £11million to Stadium MK, the holding company controlled by owner Pete Winkleman. The club’s total losses in the last financial year were almost £14m.

Martin said his club was in safe hands.

"It's not easy,” he said. “Managing budgets, expectations, all that kind of thing. It's all about the owners and what they believe and how they want to do things. It's easy to chuck money at it and pray and hope for the best, but if it doesn't you're in real trouble. I'm grateful here, we've got an owner who cares about the future of the club, wants to look after it and protect it."