Sam Allardyce has accused the Bolton board of turning the club's fans against him.
The experienced coach enjoyed a successful eight-year spell in charge at the Reebok Stadium between 1999 and 2007, helping to establish the club as a Premier League force.
However, upon his return to the club with Newcastle during the 2007/08 campaign he found himself heckled by certain sections of the Bolton support.
Allardyce, who is now in charge at Blackburn, believes the Trotters hierarchy helped to stoke up ill-feeling among fans that day and insists he has no issue with anyone connected with his former employers.
"Certain people at Bolton Wanderers Football Club tried to wind up the fans to get that sort of reaction and it worked in a small minority," he said.
"I think in general - I still live in Bolton - I never get a bad word when someone meets me on the street.
"That was just a wind up by people behind the scenes who thought that might be a good thing to do. It didn't actually work though because we won."
Allardyce is set to come face-to-face with Bolton again on Wednesday when the Trotters arrive at Ewood Park.
He does not expect to be warmly received by the travelling board, but admits to being at a loss to explain the breakdown in relations which has occurred since he left the club.
"You would have to ask (Bolton chairman) Phil Gartside about that. It's their problem, it's not mine," he added.
"I think if you look at my track record, there are not many people who can match it in the history of Bolton Wanderers. If there is any ill feeling there it's to do with them."
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