'Get on with it!' - Darby calls for Wanderers to send a message...

As Wanderers kick off the post-Ian Evatt era at Huddersfield Town this morning, Julian Darby has one

straightforward advice for them: “Go and prove the doubters wrong!”

The long-serving manager was fired on Wednesday as a result of the Bolton players’ inability to mount the

anticipated promotion challenge this season.

The last few months have been dominated by the ongoing conflict between Evatt and the supporters, but now that a

new chapter has begun and the team is looking for a new manager, Darby says the team needs to find a way to enjoy

football once more.

Few are better placed to offer advice than the 57-year-old, who battled back against the Burnden boo-boys early in

his own playing career before going on to make more than 350 appearances for the club.

He told The Bolton News, “Hey, it’s not all sunshine and roses in life.” When the odds are stacked against you, you

will need to use your mental toughness to overcome them.

Did I have a rough time at the time? Indeed, I did. Did I play well? No, I truly wasn’t. However, Phil Neal recognised

something in me at the time and continued to play me. Was it challenging? Yes, that year was it. It was quite difficult.

“I’m so glad social media didn’t exist back then. Gordon Sharrock used to contribute just letters to the Bolton

Evening News!

“Times have changed but you have to get on with it. You still need mental strength, you have to think right, prove

them wrong.

“Maybe then we’ll get some good letters in the paper?”

Darby has not been used to disappointment this season, having taken charge of an Under-18s side that has been

riding high in the league and cup competitions.

“Losing games? What does that mean?” he laughed.

“The young boys have done brilliant this year. Absolutely brilliant.

“We are the league leaders. We’re participating in last eights, numerous cup competitions, and other events. We’ve

probably won almost every game this season and only lost one or two.

“Two games. won two of the season’s games and essentially won the others. So, no, they have been quite good.

After being informed that he would be placed in temporary custody, Darby received supportive notes from all of his Under-18 charges.

“They finished training a little earlier than us today because they have a game tomorrow, supposedly, at Chesterfield

with that storm coming over,” he remarked.“They didn’t do quite as much as us. And they were all hanging around

the edge of the training ground, watching. And they’ll learn from that, listen, it doesn’t matter whether it’s Under-

18s, B Team, first team, it’s all same principles.

“Play with a smile on your face, enjoy yourself, be disciplined and train as you play.

“That’s all I want from us on Saturday. Huddersfield are a good team, unbeaten in quite a while, and Michael (Duff)

has done a great job. But we have some very good players as well and I love being an underdog. Let’s go there, give

everything.”

‘Get on with it!’ – Darby calls for Wanderers to send a message at Huddersfield