NEIL Lennon believes his players are lucky to have been backed so strongly by the Wanderers fans this season.

Cut further adrift of safety by the weekend’s results, tonight’s home game against Brentford takes on added significance for the Whites, who have won just once in their opening 17 outings.

But despite the pressures at the foot of the table both Lennon and his struggling team have been given an enormous amount of leeway by supporters in their efforts to turn things around.

That has not escaped the manager’s attention – and he is keen to stress to his players that they must start rewarding that faith with results.

“The fans will be with us,” he told The Bolton News. “Particularly at home they have been superb and we had a good turnout at Reading as well when they stayed with the team the whole way.

“I think the players are fortunate to have the group of supporters that we do.

“They have stayed with the team through really bad periods and I am sure it will be exactly the same on Monday night.

“We are basically saying our season starts on Monday with 28-29 games to go. It starts there.

“That’s a big amount of games to get ourselves out of trouble and it’s more than doable. But it has to start soon.”

Lennon will run a check on the fitness of Spanish left-back Jose Manuel Casado today after he missed a few days of training last week with a knee problem.

Dean Moxey could be recalled if he does not pull through – the left-back now back in training after an absence of seven games with a toe problem.

With the game being beamed around the globe by Sky Sports’ cameras, there is a sense that Wanderers have a chance to showcase themselves to potential investors.

Fans have responded positively to The Bolton News’ call to arms on Saturday – and Lennon expects the atmosphere to “crackle” as the Whites attempt to lift themselves off their haunches.

“The players have nothing to lose now but to go out and play with a bit of freedom,” he said.

“I think it’s a game that’s very winnable from our point of view and if we do that then psychologically it gives everyone a huge lift.

“It’s a chance to show potential owners what they could be getting live on TV.

“I’m sure the fans will play their part in that as well.”