Bolton players refuse to train for 48 hours after staff salaries unpaid again

Bolton Wanderers players are refusing to train for48 hours after staff were not paid their salaries on time for the second month in succession.

Players are bemused at the situation and the lack of information they have been given so have now taken action.

This is the second time in as many months that the financially-stricken Championship club has failed to source wages, the squad having had to wait for its February pay until the second week of last month. Then Ken Anderson, the owner, finally provided the monies.

Facing a similar predicament for March Anderson stated last Wednesday that if Bolton were sold the month’s salaries would have been paid on Friday of that week. Yet despite Anderson maintaining then he had an agreement in principle to sell Bolton and the deal could be completed within “48 hours” nothing occurred and players and staff again did not receive wages.

Anderson was in a similar position regarding the proposed sale of the club in February with a consortium led by Parminder Basran, a businessman, but this fell through.

A week later, Bolton stated different takeover discussions with another interested buyer had also ended. The club were later given two weeks to settle their outstanding debts or risk going administration after appearing in the high court over an unpaid £1.2m tax bill. The case is expected to be listed at the high court on 3 April.

They avoided a winding-up order then by telling the high court they were in the process of selling the club to a mystery buyer, but no deal ever came to fruition. The adjournment, though, meant they have avoided 12-point deduction for this season. In March Anderson apologised “unreservedly” for the wait for in paying salaries.


Photograph: Chesnot/Getty Images Europe

He said: “Cash flow has always been a problem at the club, both before and since I became involved, and if it wasn’t for [former owner] Ed Davies and my limited financial support, I can assure you things would have been far worse.

“I understand why staff and supporters seem to believe that it’s the owner’s sole responsibility to just keep on personally topping up the bank accounts and pay everything and everybody, but unfortunately that’s not always possible.”

Bolton who are second-bottom in the Championship five points from safety with seven games remaining.

The club were not available for comment on Monday afternoon.

source: theguardian.com