Bolton Wanderers manager Owen Coyle has come to the defence of referee Stuart Attwell after the match official was demoted from the Premier League.

Attwell was dropped from the elite following a number of rash decisions, which included a controversial red card against former Trotters defender Gary Cahill two months ago.

"I have spoken to Stuart since the Gary Cahill incident and always found him not only pleasant and well-mannered but eager to be as good at his job as he possibly can," the Daily Mail quotes Coyle as saying.

"In Stuart's case, he is one of the younger ones who I and other refs felt was going to go on and be a terrific referee for many years to come. So, for one young referee to be taken from the list in the middle of the season like that is a situation I don't understand.

"I am surprised, and I just hope he will have the strength of character to bounce back and make sure it doesn't have a detrimental effect. In football, we all know there's always a slap or kick in the teeth around the corner, but that doesn't make it any easier. It's how you deal with it that counts."

Meanwhile, Bolton travel to Millwall for an FA Cup fifth-round clash tomorrow.