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Bolton handed ultimatum: pay players' wages for last month or face two-window transfer embargo
Bolton Wanderers are facing the threat of a two-window transfer embargo from the EFL unless they pay their players’ March salaries by Monday, Telegraph Sport has learned.
Bolton’s first-team squad returned to training on Thursday after a 48-hour strike in protest at unpaid wages, which were due last Friday.
The club paid club staff on Thursday – six days’ late – and in doing so averted the threat of Saturday’s crucial Championship relegation battle against Ipswich Town being postponed or played behind closed doors on safety grounds.
But Bolton’s first-team squad and coaching staff have still to receive their salaries and, having requested the intervention of the Professional Footballers’ Association and the EFL, it has now emerged that the club run the risk of being placed under a two window embargo unless the money is paid by Monday. Bolton and the EFL have declined to comment.
The prospect of a transfer embargo would be a severe setback at a time when the club is in talks with the former Watford owner Laurence Bassini about a takeover and could potentially scare off would be buyers.
Aside from the wrangle over wages, the squad have been left infuriated by owner Ken Anderson’s attempts to blame them for the Ipswich match being under threat.
The local safety advisory group, which compromises Bolton Council, the police, fire and ambulance services, temporarily withdrew the safety certificate for the University of Bolton Stadium at a meeting on Tuesday amid fears for public safety because the club were unable to guarantee funding an adequate matchday operation.
But Anderson confirmed on Thursday that the fixture - and Tuesday’s game at home against Middlesbrough - would be played as scheduled after the safety advisory group lifted the prohibition notice. The news came hours after support staff finally received their salaries for last month. Anderson had attempted on Wednesday to blame the players’ two-day strike for threatening the fixture.
“I can confirm that Saturday’s Sky Bet Championship fixture against Ipswich Town and next Tuesday’s game against Middlesbrough will go ahead as scheduled after the safety advisory group lifted the prohibition notice,” Anderson said in a “note from the chairman” posted on the club’s official website.
“I would like to thank all the agencies involved as well as the council for their support in this matter. I would also like to thank Shaun Harvey and the EFL as well as Michael James [Prescott Business Parks] for their support.”
Bolton were granted another two weeks to conclude a takeover with former Watford owner Laurence Bassini by the High Court on Wednesday. The club are being pursued by HMRC for £1.2 million in unpaid taxes and face the threat of liquidation or administration.
Bassini believes he needs another fortnight to complete the due diligence process and has talked about appointing Sir Dave Richards, the former Premier League chairman, as chairman if his buy-out is successful.
Richards is understood to be open to the prospect but only if the club’s debts are all settled and he is given control of the running of the club by Bassini, neither of which can be guaranteed. Bassini has also floated the idea of appointing the former Blackburn Rovers and West Bromwich Albion chairman, John Williams, in tandem with Richards as well as Brett Warburton, Bolton’s former vice-chairman.
Richards, 75, has not been involved in football for the past four years, beyond the occasional advisory role, and spends the majority of his time now running a wine business. He was once close to Phil Gartside and Eddie Davies, the former Bolton chairman and owner respectively.