PHIL Gartside fears impatient fans could turn his Premiership dream into a nightmare.

Disappointed by below-par season ticket sales and the woeful response to the new membership scheme, the Wanderers' chairman admitted today: "I'm excited about the football but I'm nervous about the reaction from people who could turn round after a few games and say 'We've had enough!'

"We don't need that. People are going to have to be patient."

Wanderers know they will be up against it in the Premiership and are realistic about their ambitions and expectations. Sam Allardyce might be aiming higher but finishing fourth from bottom will be regarded as success.

But the chairman is concerned that supporters may not be quite so understanding.

"As a fan you get a lump in your throat at having made it back to the Premier League," he acknowledges. "And we will give it a go.

"We'll be playing some of the best teams in Europe and against some of the best players in the world and that should excite people.

"But we are looking at it as a survival exercise. We've got to gear ourselves up to win that bottom league of 10.

"Since Sam and Phil Brown came together, we've only lost a handful of games but we know it won't be like that this season.

"There are going to be games that we expect to win, which we won't win, and we have to be man enough to have a smile on our face and say we'll be up for it again in the next game."

The first test of the level of support Wanderers can expect will come on Tuesday when they kick off their home programme against Middlesbrough. All the indications are that they will struggle to match the figures of four years ago when Premiership attendances averaged 24,352, including nine 25,000 capacity gates.

The Reebok's capacity has since been increased to 28,000 but, unless there is a sudden surge of interest or high levels of "casual" support, there are going to be pockets of empty seats dotted around the ground.

Mr Gartside admits to being disappointed and puzzled by figures. Season ticket sales have stalled at 15,000 and only 300 supporters have joined the new membership scheme, which, for a joining fee of £25 offers discounts on matchday prices and the benefits of the new TeamCard.

"We had 18,500 season tickets last time and I was hoping we could hit 19,000," the chairman admits. "I'm very disappointed by the 15,000 figure.

"We've deliberately priced our tickets at members and loyalty but only 300 people have taken up the membership scheme, even though they only have to attend four or five games to get their money back.

"For £25 they get the benefits of the TeamCard, priority on tickets and reduced prices.

"I can understand them saying they can't afford season tickets but for £25 they can get a range of benefits ... I don't understand that. It disappoints me.

"Or maybe we are going to only get 20,000 coming to the games.

"Yet we're the cheapest in the country (for season tickets), we've not put our prices up for four years, we've given people Premier League football again and we've never been better prepared for it ... what more can we do?

"We think we've done the right thing but please, if I'm wrong, please shout up! Somebody tell me because I want to know.

"We are making a long-term commitment here - players, management, staff and directors - and fans have got to be prepared top give us that as well."

The chairman has acknowledged that supporters may not be happy about the apparent lack of investment in new players but he gave a detailed assessment of the club's financial plight in last night's Bolton Evening News, spelling out the difficulties of balancing ambition and prudence.

Reiterating the point today he said: "I'll be proud to sit there as Bolton Wanderers' chairman and, as a fan, to be visiting the best grounds in the country again.

"It's a great honour and a privilege which you cannot fail to get excited about. We just need that one year!

"But we're not going to bet the company on it ... not again. We've got to control it!"