Bolton manager Gary Megson is relying on his experienced players to haul the club out of their current slump.

Wanderers' defeat to Blackburn at the Reebok Stadium on Sunday was their third successive Barclays Premier League loss, dropping them to 18th in the table.

Megson has criticised some fringe members of his squad for their disruptive influence - and has hinted they will be transfer-listed in January - but is putting his faith on those in the first team he has relied on in the past.

Two years ago last month he took over with the club mired in relegation trouble after Sammy Lee's unsuccessful six months in charge but managed to keep them up.

Now he is looking to those players who went through that experience with him to stand up again.

"The same players did it last time. It's whether they want to do it again," he said.

"Sometimes it is the same person, the same kit, the same surroundings, but sometimes the wherewithal isn't in the same bodies. - I would hope that isn't the case."

Megson said he had outlined to the players after the Blackburn defeat exactly what was expected of them but there were no dressing-room bust-ups.

"We had a natter after the game - not a slanging match - just saying we have been here before," told the Bolton Evening News.

"We have got to cope with issues that are outside the football club, that we need to make sure don't have an impact on what we are trying to achieve."