BOLTON EARN THEIR POINT BUT WAIT FOR THEIR PAY
Angry Bolton players face a showdown with officials today after learning the club have failed to pay their wages.
They have called in the PFA to mediate after the struggling club admitted they don’t have the cash to meet their monthly salary bill.
Players had a meeting with manager neil Lennon to deal with economics rather than tactics before facing Brentford last night — and were a goal down after only 10 minutes as John Swift (right) struck with a fine drive.
Bolton fought back to draw 1-1 but the fallen Premier League club — who are rooted to the foot of the Championship eight years to the month since they drew at Bayern Munich in the UEFA Cup — are up for sale for £20million.
Isle of Man-based owner Eddie Davies is prepared to wipe out the £179.2million debt owing to him if a buyer can be found.
Former Bolton players Dean Holdsworth and Stelios giannakopoulos are involved in rival consortiums negotiating a takeover.
Insolvency specialist Trevor Birch, who helped orchestrate roman Abramovich’s purchase of Chelsea, has been appointed to facilitate the sale, with chairman Phil gartside currently unable to work through illness.
Birch will meet the club’s angry players today to discuss a wages payment plan.
He is also in negotiations with potential bidders as he attempts to stave off the threat of administration.
Bolton, who were relegated from the Premier League in 2012, are losing £1m every month and have had to approach a finance house for additional funding because the banks will no longer give them an overdraft after their parachute payments ceased.
Lennon paid tribute to his players after the game and laughed off apparently being on the receiving end of a foulmouthed insult from one of his own team.
‘Their attitude was great,’ he said. ‘They didn’t let the situation affect them and reacted well to going a goal down. We just couldn’t get the second goal but I couldn’t have asked for more.’
Lennon even downplayed an apparent insult from gary Madine, who called him a ‘p****’ during an exchange after the substitute wasted a chance. ‘I don’t know what he said — he’s a geordie so I can’t understand him,’ said Lennon. ‘It was probably reciprocated! But I didn’t hear it — good job for him.’
Dean Smith, Brentford’s incoming boss, watched from the stands as Lee Carsley’s handover from a successful caretaker spell threatened to heap more misery on Lennon. Wanderers dominated the opening half only to trail to Swift’s strike. Brentford came close to adding on the break but were rocked by neil Danns’s 20-yard volley just past the hour. That equaliser changed the mood as Bolton went all out for a first win in 12 games.