Doncaster Rovers have made a statement after an independent disciplinary commission handed out a fine of £50,000 and a three-point deduction, suspended for eighteen months, to Bolton Wanderers for cancelling the fixture between the two clubs earlier this season.
Half the fine was also suspended, and the commission dished out similar punishment to the Trotters for failing to fulfil their fixture against Brentford at the end of last season.
It was also ruled the League One fixture should be rescheduled.
Bolton pleaded guilty to the charges after they called off their game with Rovers in August without the knowledge of the EFL or the South Yorkshire outfit. They cited the welfare of their young players who were forced to start the League One campaign after financial troubles and a protracted takeover left them with only a handful of senior players.
While Bolton were clearly delighted with the outcome, Rovers are not so happy, and their statement issued this morning on the club’s official website makes clear the matter may not be over. The club said:
‘Doncaster Rovers note the outcome of the independent panel’s disciplinary hearing into Bolton’s cancellation of their fixture against us and failure to fulfil a previous game against Brentford.
Bolton pleaded guilty to the charges, with the independent panel deciding that our fixture should be rearranged along with a fine and suspended points deduction.
We are obviously disappointed with this decision and believe it has the ability to undermine the integrity of the competition. We understand the EFL have the option of appealing the decision, and we believe it is prudent to await the outcome of that process before taking further action. We will look to work with our counterparts at Shrewsbury Town and Tranmere Rovers to rearrange those postponed fixtures.’
It appears clear that Rovers are not going to allow this one to lie and the repercussions will continue to rumble on, much to the detriment of the League One season.
Our View
We have no problem with Bolton fans, none of this is their doing, and they have been through so much it has been good to see them turn the corner and start to pick results lately.
However, this whole situation is a shambles, and EFL should take all the blame.
Whatever way you look at it, the integrity of this season’s League One campaign is more than under threat.
Bolton’s punishment does, we believe, set a worrying precedent, and we expect an appeal of some sort from the EFL to be announced shortly.
