Chairman of Forest Green Rovers, Dale Vince, angrily hit out at both Bolton Wanderers and the EFL yesterday as news emerged that the deal to take talented forward Christian Doidge to Bolton Wanderers had collapsed.
Doidge joined Championship club Bolton on loan in August in a deal which was to be made permanent in January. The move came after Doidge netted an impressive fifty-six goals in ninety-nine appearances for Forest Green.
However, Bolton’s registration embargo means they are unable to complete the deal.
The controversial chairman issued a statement on his personal Facebook page, subsequently published on the official club website, in which he criticised Bolton’s chairman Ken Anderson and threatened legal action over the matter.
Vince said Anderson ” made a lot of promises on the last day of the transfer window, both to Christian and FGR, and has kept none of them. This is all his work and from talking to Ken he feels immune from the consequences – but some of these promises are written in legally binding contracts, and we’ll be pursuing them.”
“They haven’t even paid his wages for the past four months – we have.”
He also called for tighter regulation from the EFL commenting that while their control of TV monies to guarantee football debts were paid was welcome, it did no go far enough. “Hard not to wonder whether the league could also have a role in approving the terms of any contracts entered into – to make sure that they are actually within the means of the club. We had no way to know, but the EFL should have the inside view on that.”
“We’ve taken the decision to recall him after his loan agreement expired last week.”
Doidge scored just one goal in seventeen appearances for Bolton and now looks set to be in the FGR squad for their League Two fixture away to cup giant-killers Oldham Athletic on Saturday.
Doidge will not be permitted to move to another club in January as League rules do not allow players to play for more than two clubs in a season.
Forest Green are currently in sixth position in League Two on forty-three points, three points off an automatic promotion spot.
Our View
While I am not one who generally agrees with Vince, he is right on this occasion to call out both Bolton and the EFL on a situation which should cause some embarrassment to both.
On the other hand, Doidge has hardly set the world alight in the North-West and might be secretly quite pleased to be returning to his old, very successful, stomping ground.
Forest Green supporters will be delighted and will hope Doidge can put any disappointment behind him and rediscover his form. If he does, a push for automatic promotion may not be out the question in the second half of the season.
Be the first to comment