EMILE Heskey has voiced his sympathy for Neil Lennon after Wanderers parted company with the manager by mutual consent today.

The Whites striker – a long-time ally of Lennon – believes the financial constraints put on his former boss at the Macron Stadium made it more difficult to arrest the slide this season.

Heskey has backed the Northern Irishman to bounce back from the disappointment of his 17-month reign at Bolton, which ended this afternoon with the club sitting rock bottom of the Championship with four wins all season.

“Of course he will bounce back,” he said. "It's been a difficult time for the whole club, him as well.

“We haven't got the players that he probably would have liked to have brought in. We're working on a shoestring really.

“He showed last year he could still produce on a shoestring, but we've still had to cut it from then. It's been very difficult.

“We've actually played some good football, it's just that final third we haven't really got it right. We know that in general we're struggling to keep the ball out of our net.”

While Lennon’s departure has been confirmed by the club it is understood talks continue with first team coach Garry Parker and assistant manager Steve Walford.