Players at Bolton Wanderers have gone on strike.
Sky Sports are reporting that the players and staff have not been paid their March wages. It is the second month in row in which wages have not been paid on time. They will not return to training until they and the clubs staff have been paid.
It is believed that the decision was taken by all members of the first team in support of the clubs staff. Wages were due to be paid last Friday but staff had not received their income by Monday afternoon. This is the second successive month in which this has happened. Last month players and staff were paid 10 days late and there was speculation that their game with Millwall on March 9th was going to be cancelled. This was due to the fact the club had missed payments with various different organisations, including Greater Manchester Police.
There has been a cloud of uncertainty at Bolton for a number of months but that has increased in the last two months, The clubs owner Ken Anderson is still in the process of trying to sell the club and last week informed players and staff that there was an agreement with a buyer and that the take over was ‘imminent’.
However, here we are on April 1st and the deal has still not gone through. The club are due in court on Wednesday to settle a £1.2 million tax bill with HMRC. The club were given until this Wednesday to be sold and to have settled their debt or face entering administration. That would likely bring about a 12 point deduction and confirm relegation to League One.
It is still a possibility that the club could be wound up if their debts are not settled.
