GLYNN SNODIN reckons Lennie Lawrence’s experience is proving invaluable to Dougie Freedman.
The 64-year-old was right-hand man to Freedman, 38, at Crystal Palace and has moved with him to Bolton.
Lawrence might never have played league football, but he had managed Charlton, Middlesbrough, Bradford, Luton, Grimsby and Cardiff.
Town and Lawrence last crossed paths when he was director of football at Bristol Rovers, where he worked alongside Paul Trollope.
He was appointed by Palace to work with new manager Freedman, who had been coaching at Southend, in January 2011 and followed him to Bolton in October.
“I saw plenty of Dougie as a player, but I don’t know him as well as I know Lennie,” said Town coach Snodin.
“What a great bloke to have alongside you. Lennie is an old head and clearly important to Dougie, having moved to Bolton with him.
“He has a huge amount of knowledge, and his presence means Dougie will always have someone to take advice from.”
Freedman was a striker for Barnet, Palace, Wolves, Nottingham Forest and Southend, and also had a loan spell at Leeds.
He won two Scotland caps and Snodin continued: “He did a great job at Palace, and he’s got Bolton heading in the right direction.
“There’s a lot of quality there, lads who played in the Premier League, but for some reason they found it hard in the early stages of this season.
“I watched them against Blackburn recently, when they won 2-1, and it was hard to understand why they aren’t higher up the table.”
Bolton suffered their first defeat in seven games under Freedman’s command when Ipswich won 2-1 at the Reebok last time out.
The boss has become known as Bolton’s ‘Tinkerman’ after making 13 changes in the last three games (there was a 1-1 draw at Brighton before the Blackburn and Ipswich clashes).
His squad includes Republic of Ireland midfielder and ex-Town target Keith Andrews.
