Bitter Mandaric grants Megson permission to talk to Bolton

LEICESTER last night confirmed they have agreed to let manager Gary Megson open talks with Bolton regarding the latter’s vacant managerial position.

The Coca-Cola Championship club have already spurned two approaches from Bolton, who parted company with Sammy Lee last week, but relented after Megson, 48, hinted he was interested in a return to the Barclays Premier League.

Chairman Milan Mandaric said in a statement on the club’s official website, www.lfc.co.uk: “Despite my best efforts to retain his services and turning down two formal approaches from Bolton, Gary left me with no choice last night when he informed me he wanted to leave Leicester and talk to the Premiership club.

“I made it abundantly clear Bolton’s interest was neither welcome or invited but it was evident to me that following a meeting requested by Gary following last night’s home defeat by Sheffield United, his loyalties and heart lay elsewhere.”

Meanwhile Bolton caretaker boss Archie Knox wants his players to embrace the challenge of European football when Wanderers welcome Portuguese side Braga to the Reebok Stadium for their opening UEFA Cup Group F tie.

Knox was involved in some memorable European nights at Old Trafford and Ibrox and admitted he thought when he joined the Scotland set-up that those days were over.

“But here we go again — looking forward to another European night,” he added.

“I get the same sort of feeling about it as I always did.

“There’s obviously nervousness and I hope the players get the same sort of feeling because there’s nothing like it, nothing like a European night, especially for a club like Bolton who don’t have a great deal of experience of it.”

Bolton will be boosted by the return of Nicolas Anelka for tonight’s clash.

But the match comes too soon for Christian Wilhelmsson (ankle), while Jloyd Samuel is nearing his return from a hamstring problem.