Crazy uncertainty at Bolton trumps any capital crisis in the eyes of Vela

FOR Josh Vela, hearing the early-season soap operas Hibernian and Hearts described in terms of a crisis could be considered offensive.

Certainly, there has been no shortage of drama in his new surroundings as both his new club and their bitter rivals have endured slumps in form following extensive close season recruitment.

But with one ear tuned permanently to news from Bolton Wanderers throughout last month, Vela owns a perspective that makes him less prone to panic than many.

After 17 years of service in May, Vela (below) left his boyhood club in a desperate state. Crippled by financial concerns and relegated to League One, Bolton were on the brink of ruin.

The condition failed to improve until a dramatic late August intervention resulted in the greatest save — new owners Football Ventures (Whites) Ltd sparing Bolton the dire fate of Bury.

The bulletins were a constant source of heartache and hope with much hesitation in between for Vela, who gutted his savings accounts to keep his family afloat amid desperate days last season.

Vela said: ‘I have loads of mates there, staff and guys who I came up through the Academy with, so I am pleased for them that things have worked out.

‘It is scary how a massive club like that could just go under but they are better now, which is great.

‘I’d been there since I was eight, so to see that stuff happening was not nice because I have affection for the club. For my last six months, in particular, it wasn’t a nice place to be. It drains you.

‘If Bolton had gone the way of Bury, that would be it. But as it is, we should get the money we are owed at the end of the month.

‘It was a condition of the takeover and something I had been worried about — because it is quite a lot of money.

‘To go from January onwards with no money, you don’t want that on your mind, do you? You want to concentrate on football. I can do that now.’

Vela’s partner Candice and baby boy are settling into life in the Scottish capital, a joy compared to the uncertain future when Noah was born in January.

‘He was born when we stopped getting paid,’ added Vela. ‘So my girlfriend was worried how we were going to pay for the baby.

‘My dad looks after my money, to be fair, so he always said to put a bit to the side because these situations could happen.

‘Thankfully, we had the money available to pay the mortgage, the bills and to buy stuff for the baby. I used all my savings to keep us going.

‘With the money saved up, we weren’t too bad. At the same time, we didn’t know how long it would carry on.

‘We would come into the club to get told: “You are getting paid.” But it would keep on dragging on.’

Patience cracked at the end of April, a players’ strike over unpaid salaries forcing their Championship game against Brentford to be called off. ‘We have a WhatsApp group and lads would be saying on it: “Should we play at the weekend?” You would get a mix of opinions.

‘Some wanted to play for their futures, others didn’t because they hadn’t been paid. You have to respect both ways of looking at it. I just went with everyone else. ‘We missed one game because we’d had enough.’