3-0 is a drubbing. It doesn't matter what the circumstances are, how many chances were made and squandered or how many refereeing decisions went the wrong way, when you concede three and don't score you can't complain. You're clearly second best.

To be fair to Gary Megson, he's very good at holding his hands up and facing facts. Right from when he arrived, he was as surprised as anybody and acknowledged he wasn't the fans first choice. It was refreshing, (sort of), and ultimately Bolton stayed up.

And the press loved it. Big Sam always gave good quote, but was known to be prickly with the press, as evidenced by how he froze out the BBC after Bung-orama. Gary Megson, on the other hand, was more than happy to talk to the press, because after all, he was more than happy to be in a job.

After all, since Megson effectively walked out on West Brom and then actually did walk out on Nottingham Forest after steering them towards the Old Third Division, Megson was, for all intents and purposes, finished in football.

It probably wasn't an ideal situation for poor Gary, as he must have left a lot of money on the table at the City Ground, resigning after only a few months in charge. It was still a surprise when he popped up coaching for Tony Pulis at Stoke.

But you know how it is. You hang around for eighteen months for a job managing a football team, and them two come along at once.

First Leicester decides Megson's their man, then a month later Sammy Lee is given the hook at Bolton and Megson's name pops up again. Within five months Gary Megson's career has lurched from the scrapheap and back into the inscrutable glare of the Premier League.

Except the press were far from inscrutable when it came to Gary. It was just too good a story. The plucky underdog was back in the spotlight, saving Bolton from relegation. The actual ups and downs of one of the sloppiest and low-quality relegation scraps in Premier League history was completely glossed over. Gary had done it, despite terrible players and revolting fans.

Okay, stop and take a breath. This is becoming a rant at Megson, but I promise I have a genuine point to make. Anyway, if I want to let off some steam I'll just make some obscene amendments to his Wikipedia page.

That summer, Megson dismantled the team Sam Allardyce had led to consecutive 7th place finishes. Maybe it was time for some of them, but that also meant it was time to sign some replacements.

First, credit where credit is due. Gary Cahill was a great signing and Matty Taylor and Grétar Steinsson are useful.

However spending (at least) £15 million on Fabrice Muamba, Johan Elmander and Danny Freakin Shittu is downright irresponsible, and completely at odds with what The Big One would have done. Are they any better than Gary Speed, El-Hadji Diouf and Ivan Campo? Really?

This season Bolton's exceptional performers have been Cahill, Jussi and Kevin Davies. On recent form, Jussi is the best â..keeper in the Premier League. Davies has more than twice as many goals as Emile Heskey. Should it be any surprise that Megson's best performers were stalwarts under Big Sam?

Another transfer window has just closed and another part of Bolton Wanderers' recent history has left, with no one to really replace him. A month ago Mark Davies was playing in the Old Third Division. Is this the guy you're banking on to keep Bolton up, Gary? Really?

There is now a two week break before West Ham come up to the Reebok, with some real momentum behind them, and then Kevin Nolan returns with Newcastle a week later. Stoke (A), Fulham (H), West Brom (A) and Middlesbrough (H). These next six games could be the difference between one more season in the limelight or heading back to the scrapheap.

This is it Gary. You're all in with this team.

D'ya feel lucky?

With Thanks and Good Wishes to Joe Kinnear, who has put everything into perspective.