Bolton vs Aston Villa: Wanderers relegated to League One drawing end to dismal season

A bleak campaign on and off the pitch has ended in relegation after a 2-0 defeat to Aston Villa

Phil Parkinson watches on as his side suffer a fifth defeat in six games (Action Images)

Bolton’s dismal season on and off the pitch was brought to a listless end as Phil Parkinson’s side lost 2-0 to Aston Villa, ensuring their relegation to League One.

Financial difficulties have constantly marred Bolton’s campaign with the squad striking earlier this month after receiving their wages late for the second successive month.

Former Watford owner Laurence Bassini announced that he had agreed a deal to buy the club from Ken Anderson on Thursday, after the club endured a six winding-up petition in 16 months.

Performances on the pitch have failed to bring any light to the club, having lost five of their last six games, with second-half goals from Jack Grealish and Tammy Abraham condemning their long-anticipated fate this afternoon.

Defeat left Bolton 11 points adrift of 17th placed Millwall with only three games to play, and they will now join Ispwich in League One next season.

The players are still yet to receive their wages for March, as the club await the English Football League’s ratification of the “11th hour” takeover deal that saved Bolton from plunging into administration.

Villa dominated the match, having 21 shots to Bolton’s six, before two second-half goals sealed the routine victory and compounded Bolton’s misery by setting a new club record of 27 league defeats in a single season.