Crewe Alex boss David Artell believes Bolton Wanderers are on a par with where they should be in League One at this moment in time after their January transfer window activity.
Wanderers head to Cheshire tomorrow afternoon aiming to return to winning ways in League One.
Bolton are seeking to keep alive their faint hopes of reaching the play-offs with three points, while the Railwaymen are fighting to preserve their status in the the third tier of English football.
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Crewe are eight points from safety as things stand and appear on course to end a two season stint back in League One.
Wanderers invested heavily in the squad in the January transfer window and it has paid dividends with a rise up the table and the mounting of a late charge to the top six, though it now looks unlikely they will reach the play-offs.
Bolton added Dion Charles, Kyle Dempsey, Kieran Sadlier and Aaron Morley for transfer fees in the January window, as Wanderers parted company with cash for the first time since the summer of 2018.
Artell believes Wanderers have spent a lot of money, though admitted it will not be as much as other sides in the division.
But he feels Bolton have done well in their first season back in League One and are on a par with where they should be in the current stage of their development in the third tier of English football.
He said: "They've done ever so well. They might think they should be higher, I don't know, but they've spent a lot of money.
"I'm sure it's not as much as some, I'm sure Ian would say it's not as much as some.
"I'm sure it isn't, but they've still spent a lot of money relatively speaking to give themselves the best chance and they're probably on par with where they should be really.
"For the first season back, they're making a really good fist of it so we've got to make sure that they have an off day and we have a very good day."
