Championship 2018-19

[Mattyblue]

You put fools, crooks, crackers business models, blindly loyal fans and too much money together in one industry and no wonder you get this kind of situation.

[arbitro]

1 hour ago, Stuart said:

If the league rules are followed then there should be no recourse in law as every member signed up to them.

The real legal issue would surely be if the EFL meddle to keep them afloat.

Isn’t the easiest option to award Brentford a 3-0 win, which is what happened at Rovers when Boro didn’t turn up?

Rovers didn't get a 3-0 win. The match was played at Ewood and finished 0-0 which ironically relegated Middlesbrough.

[matt83]

Just now, arbitro said:

Rovers didn't get a 3-0 win. The match was played at Ewood and finished 0-0 which ironically relegated Middlesbrough.

We were the only losers there boro were deducted 3 points but gained one back where wouldn’t have done otherwise. Whereas we lost 2 points from an all but guaranteed win

[Cherry Blue]

If BWFC did go under, as well as everything else you can throw at those who let it get to this state, you've got to feel for their supporters. Wouldn't wish this on any true football fan.

Difficult to imagine if any would turn their support to another club.

 

[SBlue]

Just now, Cherry Blue said:

If BWFC did go under, as well as everything else you can throw at those who let it get to this state, you've got to feel for their supporters. Wouldn't wish this on any true football fan.

Difficult to imagine if any would turn their support to another club.

 

Would you? Unthinkable.

The floaters have already jumped the sinking ship.

A phoenix club with a few thousand supporters can rocket up the leagues a la Wimbledon.

[Mattyblue]

EFL now saying they have to play the two games, with their academy side, if necessary.

https://www.efl.com/news/2019/april/efl-statement-bolton-wanderers2/

 

Edited April 27, 2019 by Mattyblue

[pentelrobot]

Just now, matt83 said:

Football attracts some nefarious individuals. As an industry it’s rotten to the core. I do sympathise with Noblot and their situation (in spite of the fact we had no sympathy from the footballing world when Anderson/Kean/Venkys destroyed us beyond all repair).

If only there was some sort of fit and proper persons test in place to stop it happening. 

I agree with these sentiments, but how do the EFL weed out the "nefarious" individuals. Ken Anderson probably passed the fit and proper person test which suggests that the problem lies with the depth of investigation carried out by the EFL. Because of the amount of money surrounding football, there will always be chancers willing to take risks, and at the end of the day, it's the fans of the clubs who suffer. Local rivalry aside, it would be a tragedy if Bolton were to be expelled-we are a club of similar size and history and the same could easily happen to us.

On the issue of expungement affecting play off positions, the EFL could avoid the problem (if they chose to expel) by making the decision after the season ends, thus taking advantage of Rule 12.2.2 as quoted by Philip above. Their record would not be expunged until the play off positions had been fairly determined. Only two clubs would be relegated to L1

[DE.]

Just now, Mattyblue said:

EFL now saying they have to play the two games, with their academy side, if necessary.

https://www.efl.com/news/2019/april/efl-statement-bolton-wanderers2/

 

"It should be recognised that the resolution is not in our hands" - what a cowardly thing to add to that statement. "Nothing to do with us, guv". Pathetic. What if the academy players refuse to play as well? Unlikely but the EFL can't force them to play either. 

[deryck guyler's spoon]

Just now, S8 & Blue said:

Would you? Unthinkable.

The floaters have already jumped the sinking ship.

A phoenix club with a few thousand supporters can rocket up the leagues a la Wimbledon.

I think it depends on the club. Bolton and their fan base are so much like us in my view. We're not the most passionate and can be a bit cynical. They haven't really shown much fight in their resistance to various terrible regimes and I honestly don't think there's the will or passion in the town or amongst their fan base to build a viable phoenix club.

[K-Hod]

‘Bolton say Laurence Bassini has failed to make funding available for players to be paid, despite assurances as part of his takeover deal’.

Classic Bassini. What an absolute turbo tosser. 

Edited April 27, 2019 by K-Hod

[Stuart]

16 minutes ago, arbitro said:

Rovers didn't get a 3-0 win. The match was played at Ewood and finished 0-0 which ironically relegated Middlesbrough.

I must be misremembering then I thought there were two games with Boro. One where several of their players were ill and one later where Rovers pitch was frozen.

[Stuart]

Just now, K-Hod said:

‘Bolton day Laurence Bassini has failed to make funding available for players to be paid, despite assurances as part of his takeover deal’.

Classic Bassini. What an absolute turbo tosser. 

It’s so bizarre. Why would anyone do this?

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

Chorley could be on for a Bumper crowd today!

Putting it bluntly if Bolton were a Horse they would have been shot months ago.

Edited April 27, 2019 by SIMON GARNERS 194

[arbitro]

Just now, Stuart said:

I must be misremembering then I thought there were two games with Boro. One where several of their players were ill and one later where Rovers pitch was frozen.

I can only recall the one when they just didn't turn up but they actually announced it on the day before. It was like a Sunday League team. I'm sure they were docked three points too which ultimately really cost them. They got to the FA Cup final that year and I remember their fans chanting 'three points' as Graham Kelly was introduced to the team. Bryan Robson was their manager at the time.

[Stuart]

Just now, arbitro said:

I can only recall the one when they just didn't turn up but they actually announced it on the day before. It was like a Sunday League team. I'm sure they were docked three points too which ultimately really cost them. They got to the FA Cup final that year and I remember their fans chanting 'three points' as Graham Kelly was introduced to the team. Bryan Robson was their manager at the time.

You could well be right.

Was that the year they lost two cup finals and were relegated? 1997 or 1998 ish?

[arbitro]

Just now, Stuart said:

You could well be right.

Was that the year they lost two cup finals and were relegated? 1997 or 1998 ish?

It was about then yes. 

[Rogerb]

Just now, arbitro said:

It was about then yes. 

You're spot on about boro being docked three points for not putting a side out. You would expect Bolton to start next season on -6 if they do the same next week. That's if they manage to last that long with hmrc scheduled for may

[OldEwoodBlue]

https://www.efl.com/news/2019/april/efl-statement-bolton-wanderers2/

 

basically they are being forced to field their U-18s team at the earliest opportunity

 

https://www.bwfc.co.uk/news/2019/april/club-statement3/

 

 

[Rogerb]

38 minutes ago, Mattyblue said:

EFL now saying they have to play the two games, with their academy side, if necessary.

https://www.efl.com/news/2019/april/efl-statement-bolton-wanderers2/

 

Academy players haven't been paid either. It was reported in yesterday's Bolton news that senior players had been giving academy players money towards bus and train fares to get to training!

[philipl]

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/48077182https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/48077182https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/48077182

Where is PFA?

[Claytons Left Boot]

Just now, OldEwoodBlue said:

https://www.efl.com/news/2019/april/efl-statement-bolton-wanderers2/

 

basically they are being forced to field their U-18s team at the earliest opportunity

 

https://www.bwfc.co.uk/news/2019/april/club-statement3/

 

 

I read that earlier today OEB. Imagine Bolton being due to play a team needing three points to either get promoted or qualify for the play offs, and Bolton’s team are full of U-18s. That team’s rivals would be claiming an unfair advantage and rightly so. An absolute farce.

[K-Hod]

Just now, philipl said:

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/48077182https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/48077182https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/48077182

Where is PFA?

To be fair, the PFA have loaned them money to pay wages a number of times this season. Otherwise, where do you draw the line?

Edited April 27, 2019 by K-Hod

[philipl]

Just now, Claytons Left Boot said:

I read that earlier today OEB. Imagine Bolton being due to play a team needing three points to either get promoted or qualify for the play offs, and Bolton’s team are full of U-18s. That team’s rivals would be claiming an unfair advantage and rightly so. An absolute farce.

they are not but it does give Brentord a gimme to finish ahead of us.

Forest cannot make the play-offs unless Bolton's results are expunged.

[DE.]

Just now, K-Hod said:

To be fair, the PFA have loaned them money to pay wages a number of times this season. Otherwise, where do you draw the line?

Not sure why it's fair or right for the PFA to be loaning Bolton money anyway. Surely if the players feel their contracts are breached through non-payment they should have to go to the courts like would happen with any other business? A supposedly neutral body giving one club aid whilst others continue with their legal obligations seems strange to me.

[DE.]

What's scary to me is that there are a lot of clubs, ourselves included, who could be in the exact same situation as Bolton should the owners suddenly decide they are done funding the club. The rotten underbelly of the game is being brutally exposed by what is happening at Bolton, and what would it do to the stability of the league structure if over the next few years there are multiple situations like this occurring? Are we reaching the point where the bubble bursts? The PL is largely immune from these issues at present, but how attractive is the PL with no viable structure below it? The footballing authorities have been sweeping this creeping problem under the carpet for over a decade now, but it feels like it's bursting at the seams now and could completely fall apart if there isn't a pretty huge change in the game's regulations.