‘WHAT the hell are we doing here?’ I remember thinking, adjusting a bow tie and jostling for position in the mirror with a couple of other journalists who had sped down the M6 from Stoke and changed into their tuxedos.

It was Sunday, May 13, 2012. Wanderers had just been relegated from the Premier League, an un-noticed by-product of an afternoon now remembered for Martin Tyler’s ‘Sergio Aguero-oo’ moment and the start of Manchester City’s dominant footballing empire.

It spoke a lot of the bravado at Bolton that an awards night was not cancelled on the spot when Chris Foy blew the final whistle on that 2-2 draw which ended the club’s 11-year stay in the top-flight - perhaps even the flat refusal to acknowledge how deep in the mire they really were? I don’t need to tell you how the next decade of that story went.

The mood in the Premier Suite that night was more akin to a wake. I believe the responsibility for anchoring the night on stage fell to ex-England rugby star Martin Bayfield – for whatever reason – and I can vaguely recall him doing his level best to keep the room from going into full depression. As tough a gig as you are ever likely to get.

Tucked in the corner of the room was Owen Coyle and the squad. Most beat a hasty retreat well before desert was served. Indeed, I remember chasing Nigel Reo-Coker into the car park to drag him back in and give him the Bolton News’ player of the year trophy. To this day I can’t remember how we reached that conclusion, and I’d be surprised if said item was not deposited in the first hedgerow between the stadium and the motorway.

It was a desperately sad note for some players to end on. I can recall Gretar Steinsson slipping out a side door as I was interviewing Chung-Yong Lee and waving farewell. That would be the last we saw of him as a player. Jussi Jaaskelainen, Ricardo Gardner and Ivan Klasnic would also leave for good.

I can recall sitting with former chairman, Phil Gartside, who had tears in his eyes discussing the various injustices he felt had befell the club on their way to relegation. God rest his soul.

Such events are always hostage to fortune. And I sincerely hope that the result this afternoon against Fleetwood will make for a more buoyant mood in that same room when Bolton host their latest player of the year awards a few hours after the final whistle.

Even if the result does not go in Wanderers’ favour, there is still a chance of redemption on the final weekend against Bristol Rovers, so I cannot see things going quite so sour. But regardless of what happens in the next couple of weeks, I still strongly believe this has been a season of progress.

There is no question in my mind that the squad that finished against Fleetwood 12 months ago has been improved, albeit the return of players like James Trafford and Conor Bradley gives Ian Evatt and Chris Markham a considerable task this summer to replace them with the same sort of quality and consistency.

There have been questions asked in some quarters about January’s recruits, and whether their impact has been a positive one. I think it is fair to have a balanced debate on that subject once the season has concluded.

Expectation never goes away at Bolton. A club with such a weighty fanbase at this level of football, with all the history and tradition it holds, is never going to be content to be an ‘also ran’ in any competition, and that is why I think the club has found a kindred spirit in their manager, who simply hates to lose.

There hasn’t been much stinging disappointment in Evatt’s time at the club so far and I hope that continues for the time being. But were a speedbump to come along and Bolton fail to hit their target this season, I would hope folk could take a breath and appreciate the whole journey.

Back on that dreadful day at the Britannia Stadium the decision to go ahead with an awards do was the first in a long line of bad decisions which took a long and painful time to undo.

Wanderers need to make this afternoon count, and will need everyone onside to make that happen. Then, and only then, can they enjoy their evening.