Dougie Freedman confirmed as Bolton boss by Crystal Palace

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Dougie Freedman

Crystal Palace have confirmed that Dougie Freedman has joined Bolton as their new manager.

He replaces Owen Coyle, after Wanderers were relegated from the top flight in May and then made a poor start to the Championship season.

Palace granted Bolton permission to speak to Freedman, 38, on Monday, having initially rejected an approach.

But a statement on the Palace website on Tuesday said the Scot had joined their Championship rivals.

It reads: "Crystal Palace Football Club can confirm that first team manager Dougie Freedman has joined Bolton Wanderers.

"The board of the club would like to put on record their thanks to Dougie for all his efforts over the past couple of years and their disappointment over the events of the past few days.

"The search for a replacement starts immediately."

Palace assistant manager Lennie Lawrence and first-team coach Curtis Fleming will take charge for the game against Barnsley on Tuesday evening.

Freedman became Palace boss, his first managerial role, in January 2011 when he replaced George Burley.

The former Scotland international led Palace to the League Cup semi-finals last season and had steered them to fourth in the Championship this term - 12 places above Bolton.

Having been on QPR's books as a youngster, he later joined Palace where he had two spells as a player.

Freedman also played for Wolves, Nottingham Forest, Leeds United on loan and Southend, where his career ended in March 2010, allowing him to return to Palace once more to join the coaching staff.

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145 comments

  • Comment posted by jimbo, at 18:25 23 Oct 2012

    I am along standing season ticket holder at Palace.
    I wish Dougie well at Bolton.
    Palace will find another manager, life moves on.

  • Comment posted by James, at 18:42 23 Oct 2012

    I know I shouldn't hold it against him, but I'll find it hard to keep thinking of Freedman as a legend of my club now. Looks like it's the money that's dragged him away given that he virtually promised he'd stay put 5 days ago.

  • Comment posted by mayday, at 17:58 23 Oct 2012

    I genuinely feel sorry for Palace and I can understand why lots of people see no sense in the move but Freedman is not an idiot and he must have seen something he found appealing. I don't see that it can be a pay rise £500k pa is hardly mouthwatering, Rooney et al make that in two weeks! Also, Bolton's debt is to the club's owner and not to the bank; that's a major difference.

  • Comment posted by richardf89, at 23:21 23 Oct 2012

    @102 'Bolton are an established prem club now...'

    You're aware which league Bolton are in, right?

  • Comment posted by DaveSmooth, at 19:57 23 Oct 2012

    Strange choice by Freedman

  • Comment posted by U14400985, at 19:21 23 Oct 2012

    pah...loyalty....schloyalty....if someone offered you more money, in a nicer office, with a better pedigree, youd be off like a shot

  • Comment posted by KingLaursen - Houllier Out Capello Out, at 18:39 23 Oct 2012

    No loyalty in football.

  • Comment posted by U15474947, at 18:11 23 Oct 2012

    Welcome Mr Freedman, I think it's a good signing and as for the which club is bigger, we'll find out at the end of the season, if it's a good choice by DF. I want to put all the rumours to bed about out alleged debt.
    We owe the banks £10 million. Thats small change in today's football. We owe Eddie Davies 100 million, who happens to be the owner. So Bolton being heavily in debt is rubbish.

  • Comment posted by U14854924, at 17:33 23 Oct 2012

    I truly believe Dougie Freeman has made a very serious mistake in leaving Crystal Palace; a great man motivator he's got the Eagles playing some great football and deserve to be where they are in the Championship League. Who know's they might even go up this year through the play-offs. I think he will regret this move to Bolton come May, next year.

  • Comment posted by U14467031, at 17:16 23 Oct 2012

    Zaha will probably be on the move in january then

  • Comment posted by U14966550, at 17:08 23 Oct 2012

    He should have stayed put, he was doing a good job. It also brings his integrity into question when just a few days ago he was adamant that he wouldn't leave.

  • Comment posted by mad_al, at 06:59 25 Oct 2012

    I can’t understand DF, he’s gone from having a half decent chance of success to having no chance of any, given Bolton are £ 110 millions in debt. I’d like to know what he’s been promised, if anything. Ask any Bolton fan and they think their benefactor has an eternal bucket of cash for them to squander. Make no bones about it if Bolton are relegated this season they will go under.

  • Comment posted by U15473959, at 12:47 24 Oct 2012

    I am willing to bet DF isn't manager of Bolton in two years time. If he fails to get them promoted, he'll be sacked. If he does take Bolton up, and few losses on the spin..Bolton will probably think he isn't a 'big enough name' or experienced to keep them in Prem. He then joins Ian Dowie on the managerial scrap heap :-)

  • Comment posted by bromleysteve, at 22:47 23 Oct 2012

    The palace board who are proper palace fans have invested their cash and have decided it prudent not to invest more to retain an unproven manager. I have faith in them to appoint a new manager to take us to the next level and must trust their decision for letting him go. I am sure they could have paid him more but decided it was not worth it soon as he wanted to speak to another team.Onwards & up

  • Comment posted by U14693025, at 22:20 23 Oct 2012

    Never mind Dougie, you're chasing a few more thousands but you will live to regret this. I don't see the long term sense in your move to Bolton from a club on the up like Palace. But good riddance as you have no sense of loyalty.

  • Comment posted by palacesupporter, at 21:12 23 Oct 2012

    thought freedman was palace through and through having been worshipped as a player cannot believe he thinks more of bolton than us he needs to come clean on his reasons to give me some understanding -gutted

  • Comment posted by U15440669, at 20:45 23 Oct 2012

    strange decision this, given palace's start to the season is Freedman saying that Palace don't have the ambition to keep it going?

  • Comment posted by Glazier17, at 19:46 23 Oct 2012

    Last time something like this happened to us Steve Loyalty Bruce went to Birmingham and we got Francis and a few years of misery and silly signings.
    Lets hope for better this time, hopefully someone who has performed well for a couple of seasons in leagues 1 or 2.

  • Comment posted by U14400985, at 19:31 23 Oct 2012

    i rang the office at Crystal Palace, and asked what time that days game kicked off?
    the reply was....."what time can you get here"

    you gotta laugh

  • Comment posted by U14400985, at 19:11 23 Oct 2012

    going back decades and decades, Palace have an abysmal record against Bolton.
    In fact you could describe Bolton as Palaces "bogey team".
    ( just as Everton are Boltons)

    Palace have only ever won 9 games against Bolton, truly appalling.

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