JULIAN Darby has a simple message for Wanderers as they begin the post-Ian Evatt era at Huddersfield Town this lunchtime: “Go and prove the doubters wrong!”

The pressures have shown on the Bolton players this season as they failed to produce the expected promotion charge, which all led to the long-serving manager’s dismissal on Wednesday.

The running battle between fans and Evatt has been the story of the last couple of months but with a fresh page turned and the club now searching for a new leader, Darby says the squad must find a way to enjoy their football again.

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.

“Listen, everything in life isn’t all sweet and rosy,” he told The Bolton News. “You're going to have the times when things are stacked against you and your mental strength has to come through.

“Did I have a bad time back then? Yes, I did. Was I playing well? No, I wasn't really, no. But back then Phil Neal saw something in me, and he kept playing me and playing me. Was it hard? Yeah, it was that year. It was really hard.

“I'm so pleased that there was no social media then. There were just letters in the Bolton Evening News which Gordon Sharrock used to put in!

“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’re top of the league. We're in umpteen cup competitions, last eights and what have you. I think we've lost one or two games all season and won virtually all the rest.

“Two games. Two games all season and virtually won the rest. So, no, they've been excellent.”

Darby got messages of support from all his Under-18s charges after being told he would be placed in temporary charge.

“They finished training slightly before us today because they've got a game tomorrow, supposedly, with that storm coming over at Chesterfield,” he said.

“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.”