Bolton facing liquidation this week after takeover falls through, say club’s administrators

Bolton Wanderers face liquidation this week after a proposed sale collapsed, the club’s administrators have said in a statement.

The club, a founder member of the Football League in 1888, do not have the funds to carry on trading and, unless the deal can be revived at the 11th hour, they will go out of business this week.

Wanderers had been given until 5pm on Tuesday by the EFL for a takeover to be completed or face having their league membership revoked.

However, administrator Paul Appleton has revealed a deal collapsed on Saturday morning and despite “tentative dialogue” about salvaging it he said if there is no breakthrough “the process of closing down the company will commence on Wednesday”.

While Appleton stressed there was no point in apportioning blame it appears the fault of not completing a sale to the Football Ventures consortium is being laid at the door of current owner Ken Anderson.

A statement from Bolton’s administrators read: “At 5pm on Friday August 23, the completion of the sale of the football club and the hotel had been agreed by all parties and undertakings had been issued by all solicitors except those of Ken Anderson.

“Devastatingly, on Saturday morning that deal collapsed. At this stage, there seems little point in apportioning blame because that makes no difference to the staff, players, management, supporters and the community who have once more seen their club taken back to the brink.

“My team have spent the last 48 hours working around the clock, striving to get a deal back on track and trying to convince the parties still in conflict that the very fate of Bolton Wanderers depends on them finding a compromise.

“The EFL have made their position clear by insisting on a 5pm deadline on Tuesday for a deal to be completed or give compelling reasons for an extension. They have also written to everybody concerned in the process to underline that sense of urgency.

“On Sunday evening, there was some tentative dialogue but we are still some way from reaching a solution. Therefore, I am appealing to those parties whose position seems intractable to do everything to reach a compromise.

“In just over 24 hours, the club will have its membership of the EFL revoked. Over and above that, the club is currently not in a position to carry on trading and, as such, the process of closing down the company will commence on Wednesday.

“This will ultimately lead to its liquidation, the expulsion of the club from the EFL and the inevitable loss of over 150 jobs. More than that, it will devastate a community for whom the football club is a beacon of hope and expectation.

“I reiterate, unless there is a change of position from any of the parties involved, the process of closing down the club and ultimately placing Bolton Wanderers into liquidation will begin this week.”

Relegated from the Championship last season, Bolton started this season on minus 12 points after being placed in administration.

Having lost a large number of senior players, they have been forced to field a team made of youth-team players this season.

Bolton’s manager Phil Parkinson and assistant manager Steve Parkin resigned from their positions last week and the team lost Saturday’s home League One match to Ipswich 5-0.

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