NEIL Lennon will not resign at manager of Bolton Wanderers despite a damaging 4-0 defeat to relegation rivals Rotherham United.

The Whites boss apologised to supporters for a dismal performance that leaves the club seven points from safety and five adrift at the foot of the Championship.

But when asked if he should walk away from the job he took on last October with his team having won just one league game in the first 23, Lennon dug in his heels.

“That will be in the hands of other people, it’s for them to decide,” he said. “I can only apologise for that performance to the supporters.

“It is not in my nature to resign, I don’t want to resign, I want to keep going. But more performances like that will make the position untenable.

Told his position WAS potentially untenable, he added: “Possibly. Again, it’s not my decision. It hurts and it’s been a difficult week on and off the field.”

Lennon was discredited in an article in the Sunday Mirror last weekend, which prompted an internal investigation by the club.

As a result, tawdry details of his private life were thrown into the public domain and the manager apologised to his staff and players in a meeting earlier this week.

Speaking for the first time in public on the matter since being cleared by Wanderers, Lennon admitted the situation could have had an adverse effect on the performance at Rotherham.

“It hasn’t affected the preparations – but, yes, it may have had a negative effect,” he told The Bolton News.

“I only want to say one thing on it: If it has caused anyone any upset or duress then I apologise. That’s all I want to say.”