The administrators in control of Bolton Wanderers released a statement last night in response to news that the Trotters pre-season friendly at Chester had been called off.
The club announcement also came in the wake of a statement issued by the players in the Bolton News in which they said they hadn’t been paid for twenty weeks. The players also said they were not happy with the progress of the proposed takeover of the club and that they were having to train without proper facilities such as medical care and water in a situation they claimed was affecting their mental health.
The Statement, made on behalf of Paul Appleton, the joint administrator, said the players’ statement was ‘riddled with factual inaccuracies’ and while he shared some of the players’ frustrations, ‘they do not have a full understanding or appreciation of the club’s ongoing financial position.’ It went on to refute the players’ claims that they had not been kept updated on the takeover and pointed out that unlike non-football creditors, they will get paid in full any money owed once they resolve the situation.
Fans soon took to social media to react to the ongoing trouble at the club with many suggesting the statement was reminiscent of the public relations policy of previous owner Ken Anderson, who was famous for his somewhat controversial and unsympathetic public comments.
Bolton fans are rightly furious at the situation which sees the proposed takeover seemingly in jeopardy because the EFL prefered bid by Football Ventures is dependent on them also taking over the Whites Hotel, which is part of the University of Bolton Stadium complex but is under the control of separate administrators.
Many fans certainly smelt the whiff of the unpopular previous owner in the statement, as you will see from the following selection of responses.
Absolutely wreaks of Ken Anderson this
— Scott Smith (@scotty_smit) July 17, 2019
Shambles season less than 3 wks away fear for Bolton
— Mark (@Markholdingg) July 17, 2019
Did ken write that.
— Brett jones (@Brettjo73884406) July 17, 2019
Ken is that you???
— Joel….. (@Wheevers101) July 17, 2019
Reads like ‘a note from the chairman’ this does 😂🙈🙈 #Bwfc
— James Leather (@levrev) July 17, 2019
https://twitter.com/Wi1lJ/status/1151533750464987136?s=20
Ken himself would be proud of that announcement. 🤔Was it him that wrote it??
— Baz Barlow (@bazzab1984) July 17, 2019
https://twitter.com/Jack_T11/status/1151531193600491521?s=20
I think that may be not too far from the truth. Whole thing stinks
— Drac UK (@drac_uk) July 18, 2019
The obnoxious tone of that letter. Players statement riddled with inaccuracies. They've been kept informed yet dont know all the facts, well which is it? And nothing happens under the deal is completed. That could date months. And the players suffer for it.
— David Shankland (@shankers73) July 17, 2019
Hi Ken 👋
— MB (@mb1979) July 17, 2019
