Boateng’s sending off prompted the former England, Nottingham Forest, Liverpool and Manchester City striker to recount advice that was handed down to him decades ago.

“I used to work with a very decent man called Graham Taylor at England and he said ultimately players will always let you down,” Clough said

“I don’t trust players, I really don’t. Any of them, as good a squad as we have got, I don’t trust players.”

While Clough was scathing of Boateng, he also accepted some of the blame after not listening to assistant manager Andy Garner when prompted to replace the 28-year-old.

“It’s my fault, I should have brought Boateng off when he was on a yellow card,” Clough said.

“Andy said, ‘Are you going to get him off’? And I said, ‘Give him five minutes’. Then he goes and makes a tackle like that, which for an experienced player to do when on a yellow card is quite incredible.

“Normally when players are on yellow cards we bring them off. They will come off in future every time.”

Clough went on to say the loss, after going “toe to toe” with a Bolton side that came within a win of being promoted back to the Championship last season, left him “hugely frustrated and disappointed”.

Mansfield’s defeat at Bolton, following three successive 1-0 losses against Wycombe, Wrexham and Bristol Roves, leaves them 10th in the table.