Motivation Quote by Mark Lawrenson

Calling Bolton “established” in the Premiership is less a fact-checkable statement than a cultural stamp of approval. Mark Lawrenson, speaking as a former player turned pundit, isn’t trying to be poetic; he’s policing status. In the Premier League ecosystem, “established” is the word you use to separate the clubs who merely visit from the ones who belong. It’s an argument against condescension, aimed as much at viewers and commentators as at opponents.

The interesting tell is “these days.” That small phrase carries the whole narrative arc: Bolton’s recent climb, their survival seasons, the quiet competence that turns novelty into normal. It also hints at football’s brutal memory span. Reputation is rented, not owned; you’re always one bad run away from being treated like an interloper again. Lawrenson’s line tries to lock in a new baseline: Bolton are no longer a quirky story or a soft fixture, but a team whose presence in the league has become routine.

“Well respected by the other sides” is pundit-speak with a pragmatic edge. “Respect” here isn’t admiration; it’s caution. It means you prep seriously, you don’t rotate recklessly, you don’t assume three points. Underneath, there’s a subtle compliment to how Bolton have made themselves hard to dismiss - through organization, physicality, and results that force bigger clubs to treat them as a problem rather than a backdrop.